The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has released its weekly update on highway construction and maintenance projects in southwestern Virginia for the period of March 9 to 15, 2026. The department advises motorists to use caution in work zones and stay alert for changes in traffic patterns, as well as slow-moving or stopped vehicles.
VDOT encourages travelers to call 511 or visit https://511.vdot.virginia.gov for real-time traffic updates.
Several ongoing interstate projects are underway across the region. On Interstate 81, work continues on extending the northbound deceleration lane at exit 45 in Smyth County, which includes widening a bridge over Matson Drive. This project is expected to be completed by December 2027. In Washington County, I-81 southbound is being widened between exits 10 and 7, with an additional mile of northbound widening from exit 7 northward; completion is anticipated by spring 2026. At exit 5 in Bristol, both Route 11 and I-81 ramps are being widened to improve traffic flow and safety, including intersection upgrades and new signals, with a projected finish date of May 2026.
Other I-81 improvements include constructing an auxiliary lane southbound between exits 73 and 72 in Wythe County (completion: fall 2026), while I-77 in Wythe County is receiving a truck climbing lane northbound from mile marker 30.6 to exit 32 (completion: June 2026).
Maintenance activities on Interstates 81 and 77 involve periodic daytime and nighttime lane closures for bridge repairs, pothole patching, brush removal, ditch cleaning, and the movement of an oversized load from Bristol to the Virginia/West Virginia state line between March 9–14.
On primary highways and high-traffic secondary roads:
In Bland County, Route 608 (Skydusky Road) remains closed for bridge superstructure replacement until August 2026.
Buchanan County sees a new closure on Route 1003 (Walnut Street) due to culvert replacement near Route 1004; Route 83 serves as a detour until May 2026. Construction also continues on Poplar Creek Phase B along Route 460/121 near Grundy.
Dickenson County’s projects include roundabout construction at Route 83/637 with waterline relocation causing delays (completion: October 2026), repairs to the Skeetrock Road bridge using temporary signals (June 2026), and replacement of the Route 63 bridge in Haysi using one-way controlled traffic signals through April 2026.
In Russell County, safety improvements are ongoing on Route 19 northbound near Rosedale with restricted lanes until November 2026.
Scott County’s project at the intersection of Routes 23/58 at Duffield will add turn lanes and modify signal supports; motorists should expect changing traffic patterns through June 2026.
Smyth County has begun work on a roundabout at Adwolfe Road along Route 11 with completion set for July 2027.
Tazewell County features multiple projects: intersection improvements at Routes 19/460 and 610 around Claypool Hill may cause shoulder/lane closures through December 2026; the replacement of the Route 61 bridge over Cove Creek restricts width during construction until September 2026; Front Street bridge over Clinch River remains closed in Richlands with signed detours provided through April 2026.
Washington County’s Thompson Drive/Stanley Street roundabout project continues into September 2027.
Wise County will begin replacing exit signs along Route 23 for Big Stone Gap and Norton this month; new sign numbers will reflect mileage-based exits when completed by March 2026.
Wythe County’s Progress Park Connector involves building a new road between Nye Road and E. Lee Trinkle Road plus related interchange improvements at I-77 exit 41—affecting portions of Lover’s Lane—which will remain closed during construction slated for completion by November 2026.
According to the official website, VDOT is responsible for building, maintaining, operating Virginia’s roads, bridges and tunnels as part of its mission to provide safe transportation infrastructure statewide. The agency manages one of America’s largest state highway systems spanning tens of thousands of lane-miles across Virginia. VDOT also offers services such as highway maintenance operations—including those listed above—and real-time traffic management via platforms like Virginia 511 (source). As a state agency headquartered in Richmond (source), VDOT oversees planning, construction, maintenance efforts across all state-controlled routes (source).
Motorists are reminded to pay attention to posted signs throughout these active work zones.
