The Virginia Department of Transportation announced on March 16 that Route 777 (Fort Lewis Church Road) in Roanoke County will be closed for approximately eight days starting Saturday, March 21, to allow for the replacement of the bridge over Stypes Branch. The closure affects the section located .28 mile south of Route 793 (Artrip Lane) and .2 mile north of Route 828 (Tobey Road).
The temporary closure is necessary to replace the existing bridge structure. During this period, vehicles will not be able to cross the bridge. Residents affected by the closure can park at Glenvar High School, where a shuttle bus service will operate around the clock while the bridge is closed. A pedestrian bridge will also be installed over Stypes Branch to provide access to Stypes Branch Road, and shuttle buses will transport residents from there to their homes.
Shuttle services begin when the road closes at 7 a.m. on March 21 and will run continuously until the project is complete. Residents are instructed to call 540-330-5472 for pickup from ADA-accessible shuttles on either side of the closure. Parking at Glenvar High School opens at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 20, with shuttle service available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. that evening.
In addition, Tobey Road will be closed at its intersection with Fort Lewis Church Road during construction due to crane placement and materials storage needs. Motorists are advised to use West Main Street as an alternate route to Glenvar High School. Electronic message boards will notify drivers about the closure and schedule updates.
According to the official website, Virginia Department of Transportation’s responsibilities include building, maintaining, and operating roads, bridges, and tunnels across Virginia as part of one of the nation’s largest state highway systems. The agency provides services such as highway maintenance and traffic management through systems like Virginia 511 and oversees land-use permits along state routes according to VDOT. The department has evolved since its origins in the early twentieth century State Highway Commission according to VDOT and is headquartered in Richmond according to VDOT.
Residents can call the shuttle bus number for construction updates or information about when Fort Lewis Church Road will reopen.
