Archer Western Upgrading Highway to Reduce Crashes

this important route.

The interstate section between Troutville and Christiansburg is particularly needy. VDOT kicked off the work in 2022 with a project that will add a third lane in each direction between exits 137 and 141. This 4-mi. section is in Salem and Roanoke County. Between 2016 and 2019, this section was the site of more than 300 crashes. Traffic volumes average approximately 65,000 vehicles per day, with nearly one quarter heavy trucks.

Thisdesign-buildprojectwillbe handled by Archer Western of Herndon, Va. Project planners expect it to be completed by 2026 at a cost of $179 million.

VDOT expects that the work will increase capacity, lower crash rates and enable quicker response to crashes and incidents. In addition to widening the freeway, workers will rebuild or widen bridges and make several safety improvements:

• Replace bridges over Routes 112, Route 635 and Route 619;

• Widen bridges over Route 311 at exit 140;

• Build 2.6 mi. of sound barrier walls along the northbound lanes;

• Install concrete barrier walls along narrow median sections; and

• Add interchange lighting, improve acceleration and deceleration lanes where needed.

Dave Covington is program delivery director for the corridor improvements. He has assembled a team that includes Duane MannofVDOTandJeffMays,projectman- ager ofArcher Western.

“So far, our progress has been excellent,” said Covington. “In the initial phases, traffic has been pushed to the outside lanes with much of the construction happening in the median,” said Mann. “The outside shoulders were strengthened in addition to the new lanes being added. The team has been performing earthwork, drainage installations and structural work on bridges.”

Covington emphasized the need for the upgrade to I-81.

“Design standards were different back when the interstates were first built,” he said. “Traffic has increased dramatically. Many bridges need work, especially since the national standard for bridge height is now 16 feet, six inches. Bridge hits have become more frequent for the older bridges. When those hits happen, the potential impacts to drivers can be significant because we have to close lanes to make the repairs.”

The project will require approximately 240,000 tons of asphalt and 24,000 cu. yds. of concrete. The contractor team of Archer Western will need to move more than 300,000 cu. yds. of dirt and rock for the work.

The new lanes will be standard asphalt construction with a subgrade and middle layer, topped by an asphalt finish layer. An unusual aspect of the construction is that the mix may include up to 30 percent recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), which is a higher percentage than most states allow. VDOT see IMPROVE page 92

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