The overnight closure of northbound Interstate 81 near Staunton has been postponed and is now scheduled for March 14-15, according to an update issued on March 6, 2026. The closure was originally planned for March 7-8.
During the rescheduled closure, northbound I-81 will be closed from 7 p.m. Saturday until 9 a.m. Sunday. This closure will allow contractors working on the widening project to set up a new traffic pattern shift. Once work is completed, drivers heading north on I-81 will shift to the left near mile marker 224.3, just past the New Hope Road overpass bridge.
While the interstate is closed overnight, northbound drivers will be detoured at exit 220 and directed to use Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway) around Staunton before rejoining I-81 at exit 225. Those needing access to I-64 eastbound should also take exit 220, follow Route 262 around Staunton, join I-81 southbound at exit 225 and then take exit 221 onto I-64 east. Westbound I-64 drivers seeking northbound I-81 will need to follow I-81 south to exit 220 and use the detour route as well. On-ramps from Route 262 and Route 250 (Jefferson Highway) onto northbound I-81 will be closed during this period.
Digital message boards are in place to alert motorists about the closure and direct them along green-and-white “Emergency Route C” signs through the detour.
After reopening on Sunday morning, March 8, traffic on northbound I-81 will shift toward the median near mile marker 224.6 just past the Route 254 (New Hope Road) overpass bridge. This temporary pattern is expected to remain for several months while phase-two widening continues on the northbound bridge over Lewis Creek.
All scheduled work depends on weather conditions and may change if necessary.
The roadwork forms part of ongoing efforts to widen both directions of I-81 between exits 221 and 225 in Staunton. Motorists are advised that shoulder closures and construction equipment entering or exiting work zones are possible during this time.
Project completion is anticipated by summer of 2027; however, all three lanes in the northbound direction are expected to open by late fall of 2026.
The Staunton-area widening project operates under a $101 million design-build contract as part of Virginia’s Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP). Other major projects under this program include Weyers Cave truck-climbing lanes (completion projected for late 2027), Strasburg-area widening (fall 2028), Harrisonburg-area widening (construction starts spring 2026), and Winchester-area widening (construction starts in 2028).
The CIP includes nearly $4 billion in funding for more than sixty construction projects plus operational improvements along Interstate 81 throughout Virginia with goals such as improving safety, reducing congestion, and supporting economic growth statewide. More information can be found at Improve81.org where interactive maps, videos, podcasts, and details about current projects are available.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) oversees planning, construction, maintenance and operation of Virginia’s roads—including highways like Interstate 81—bridges and tunnels across tens of thousands of lane-miles statewide (source). VDOT provides services such as highway maintenance and traffic management through systems like Virginia 511 (source).
VDOT’s Customer Service Center operates around-the-clock for reporting hazards or requesting service related to state transportation infrastructure via its website or by calling 800‑367‑7623.
Updates from VDOT’s Staunton District can be followed on Facebook and X; additional news releases and travel tips are posted regularly on VDOT’s main website.
