The Virginia Department of Transportation announced on Mar. 19 that a section of Route 638 (Dugspur Road) in Carroll County will be closed starting April 1 for the installation of a box culvert over Adams Branch at the intersection with Route 627 (Adams Branch Road).
The closure is expected to last until May 8, weather permitting. Electronic message boards will notify drivers, and a signed detour will direct traffic from Route 638 onto Route 664 (Silver Leaf Road), then onto Route 662 (Poplar Hill Road), and finally onto Route 624 (Nester School Road) before returning to Route 638. The detour route is not suitable for tractor trailers due to limited width, and no traffic will be able to cross the bridge during construction. Residents living on either side of the closure will still have access to their homes.
According to the official website, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s purpose centers on building, maintaining, and operating Virginia’s roads, bridges, and tunnels to support a safe and efficient transportation system. The agency manages one of the nation’s largest state highway systems, covering tens of thousands of lane-miles across Virginia according to its official website.
Virginia Department of Transportation also provides services such as highway maintenance, traffic management through systems like Virginia 511, and oversight of land-use permits along state routes according to its official website. The department serves as a state agency overseeing planning, construction, and maintenance for roadways, bridges, and tunnels throughout Virginia according to its official website.
The department has evolved since its beginnings as the State Highway Commission in 1906 into an organization responsible for managing Virginia’s expanding transportation infrastructure according to its official website. Its headquarters are located at 1221 East Broad Street in Richmond according to its official website.
The upcoming closure highlights ongoing efforts by the Virginia Department of Transportation to maintain infrastructure safety and reliability across the state.
