A section of Route 712 (Mary Hunter Drive) in Henry County will be closed to through traffic beginning June 8 at 8 a.m., according to an announcement on May 27. The closure, which extends from Route 1264 (Mary Hunter Elementary School Road) to 0.20 mile west of Route 57-A (Riverside Drive), is scheduled so crews can perform slope work.
A detour will direct drivers along Route 57-A (Riverside Drive) to Route 698 (Blackberry Road) and back onto Route 712. Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by Friday, June 26.
Motorists are advised to pay attention to signs and electronic message boards alerting them about the changes during this period. The Virginia Department of Transportation oversees these activities as part of its role in building, maintaining, and operating the state’s roads, bridges, and tunnels for a safe and efficient transportation system, according to the official website.
The agency manages one of the nation’s largest state highway systems with tens of thousands of lane-miles across Virginia. It also provides services such as highway maintenance, traffic management through systems like Virginia 511, oversight of land-use permits along state routes, and has its headquarters at East Broad Street in Richmond. The department evolved from the State Highway Commission established in 1906 as it took on expanded responsibilities for planning and maintaining transportation infrastructure across Virginia.
