The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is set to begin a safety project next week in the Northern Neck region aimed at widening road shoulders on several primary routes. The initiative seeks to lower the risk of crashes by giving drivers more space to recover if their vehicles leave the travel lane.
Mobile lane closures and one-way, alternating traffic are expected in these work zones. Work hours will differ depending on location, with updates provided each week in VDOT’s Friday afternoon traffic alert, available on the VDOT News page.
All scheduled improvements are anticipated to be finished by late November 2025.
Work begins Monday, Sept. 15, on a nearly two-mile section of Route 3 (History Land Highway) in Richmond County between Creekview Lane and Boswell Road. Additional locations where shoulder widening will take place include:
– Route 3 (Mary Ball Road) between Courthouse Road and Hickory Hill Lane in Lancaster County
– Route 3 (Kings Highway) between the King George County line and Oak Grove Road in Westmoreland County
– Route 202 (Cople Highway) between Route 3 and the Nomini Bridge in Westmoreland County
– Route 205 (Ridge Road) between Route 3 and Route 301 in King George County
According to VDOT, “Shoulder widening provides more recovery space for drivers if their vehicle strays from the travel lane. The project is intended to reduce the risk of crashes and injuries that can result from vehicles running off the road.”
The work will involve adding two-foot paved shoulders along existing roadway footprints. Crews will also install shoulder rumble strips, six-inch edge line pavement markings, and relocate signs as needed.
“This project is a partnership between VDOT and the four localities,” according to VDOT.
