In Design: Interstate 81 Widening Exit 143 to Exit 150 Roanoke County and Botetourt County

The purpose of this project is to increase capacity and improve safety on I-81 between exits 143 and 150. These improvements are intended to reduce crashes, lessen delays and enhance crash response times and include:

• Adding one additional lane within the existing median in each direction of I-81
• Replacing the pairs of bridges over Route 1836 (Belle Haven Road), over Route 648 (Reservoir Road), over Tinker Creek and Norfolk Southern Railway, and over Route 220/Route 220 Alternate (Roanoke Road)
• Improving the vertical clearance beneath the bridge on Route 115 (Plantation Road) which may require a detour during construction
• Realigning the ramp from northbound Route 220 (Roanoke Road) onto southbound I-81 at exit 150 
• Realigning the southbound I-81 off ramp at exit 150 to connect with Route 220 at a new signal at Tinker Mountain Road
• Removing the ramp from southbound I-81 onto southbound Route 220 at exit 150 and rerouting southbound I-81 traffic to use realigned ramp at Tinker Mountain Road
• Constructing approximately 8,553 feet of sound barrier along the northbound lanes
• Eliminating existing concrete pavement between exit 146 and exit 150
• Adding interchange lighting at exits 143, 146 and 150
• Extending acceleration and deceleration lanes where needed
• Installing concrete barrier wall in narrow median sections

This segment of I-81 experiences frequent congestion and major delays related to significant crashes and incidents with 662 crashes occurring between 2015 and 2019. Traffic volumes range between 35,000 and 39,000 vehicles per day with 22-23 percent heavy trucks.

As part of the widening project, two ramps at exit 150 will be realigned and one will be removed.  As pictured below, the southbound off ramp will be realigned to connect with Route 220 at a new signal at Tinker Mountain Road. 

Public Hearing Information

A design public hearing was held on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Lord Botetourt High School, located at 1435 Roanoke Road, Daleville, VA 24083. 

VDOT will be accepting public comments by mail that can be sent to Craig Moore, Virginia Department of Transportation, 731
Harrison Avenue, Salem, VA 24153. Comments also can be emailed to [email protected]. The public comment period will close on September 29, 2023. 

Public Hearing Display Boards

Board 1 - MM 143.8 to 144.0
Board 2 - MM 144.4 to 144.8
Board 3 - MM 144.8 to 145.0
Board 4 - MM 145.4 to 145.9
Board 5 - MM 146.0 to 146.4
Board 6 - MM 146.5 to 146.9
Board 7 - MM 147.0 to 147.5
Board 8 - MM 147.5 to 148.0
Board 9 - MM 148.0 to 148.6
Board 10 - MM 148.6 to 149.1
Board 11 - MM 149.1 to 149.6
Board 11A - MM 149.1 to 149.6
Board 12 - MM 149.6 to 150.1
Board 13 - MM 150.1 to 150.7
Board 13A - Route 220 & New Exit 150A Ramp
Board 14 - MM 150.7 to 151.2

Benefits 

The purpose of this project is to increase capacity and improve safety on I-81 between exits 143 and 150 in an effort to reduce crashes, lessen delays and enhance crash response times.