The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has released an update on highway construction and maintenance projects for the week of May 5 through May 11, 2025, in southwestern Virginia. As motorists traverse work zones, VDOT emphasizes the importance of cautious driving and attentiveness to changing traffic patterns and potential slowdowns.
For updated travel information, drivers are encouraged to use VDOT’s 511 service or visit their website. Recent changes in construction zones are marked as “(NEW)” or “(UPDATE)”.
VDOT is currently widening sections of Interstate 81 in Washington County, with completion projected for November 2025. Meanwhile, improvements continue on I-81 southbound’s truck climbing lane at mile marker 34 in Smyth County, expected to be finalized by June 2025.
Among other ongoing projects, the City of Bristol is enhancing the Route 11 area near exit 5 of I-81, a project slated for completion by May 2026. Additionally, Wythe County’s Interstate 81 has seen the start of an auxiliary lane construction project, estimated to conclude by Fall 2026.
In Bland County, Interstate 77 is undergoing a bridge replacement at exit 62, with the work extending into late 2025. Various maintenance activities, including pothole patching and bridge repairs, continue along Interstates 81 and 77.
Specific projects across primary highways and high-traffic secondary roads are also progressing. In Buchanan County, bridge construction continues on Route 646 over Left Fork, while new traffic patterns have been implemented around Grundy for the Route 460/121 Poplar Creek Phases A and B.
Several projects focus on safety improvements, such as the Route 23/58 intersection enhancements in Scott County and Route 23 improvements near Indian Mountain Trade Center in Wise County.
The ongoing infrastructure work in these counties underscores VDOT’s focus on enhancing safety and traffic flow across southwestern Virginia.
