VDOT Hopes to Ease Holiday Travel

• VDOT Press Release

Motorists in Virginia will find lane closures and road construction work zones temporarily suspended throughout the Memorial Day weekend to accommodate an expected surge in traffic over the holiday, the traditional start of summer travel season.

The Virginia Department of Transportation will lift lane closures from noon Friday, May 27, to noon Tuesday, May 31, for the majority of construction and maintenance projects.

Permanent construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place.

VDOT has adapted High Occupancy Vehicle lane schedules for the Memorial Day weekend to reflect historic traffic patterns, providing extra lane capacity where and when needed.

VDOT posts information in real time about traffic incidents and highway work zones through 511Virginia, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and RSS feeds. 

While most lane closures will be lifted, motorists may encounter work zones or travel delays Memorial Day weekend in the following locations:

NORTHERN VIRGINIA HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE (HOV) SCHEDULE

·       HOV restrictions on Interstates 66, 95 and 395 will be lifted on Monday, May 30.

·       Northbound/southbound schedule for the I-95/395 reversible lanes: Lanes will be southbound from 1 p.m., Friday, May 27, until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28; and northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28, through the rest of the holiday weekend.

·       Closure for Rolling Thunder: The I-95/395 HOV lanes will be closed to regular traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 29, for the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally.

More information on Northern Virginia HOV schedules can be found here.

HAMPTON ROADS HOV SCHEDULE, TUNNELS AND OTHER INFORMATION

Interstate 64 Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT): Motorists traveling to Virginia Beach are encouraged to use the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) as an alternative to the HRBT. To Virginia Beach, take I-664 south to the MMMBT. Then take the Portsmouth/Norfolk exit (exit 15A) to I-264 east to Virginia Beach.

Interstate 64 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes: On Monday, May 30, HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-64. The reversible roadway will be open to all westbound traffic from 1 a.m. until 11 a.m. and then to all eastbound traffic from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. HOV reversible lane directions may shift throughout the three-day weekend depending on road conditions and traffic volumes.

Travel to the Outer Banks, N.C.: Motorists going to the Outer Banks should use Interstate 664 and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel to save time. From I-664 south, take I-64 west to exit 292, Chesapeake Expressway/I-464/Route 17. Keep left to continue to the Chesapeake Expressway (Route 168), and take Nags Head/Great Bridge exit 291B to the Outer Banks.

Jamestown-Scotland Ferry: The summer schedule is in effect beginning Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The ferry schedule can be seen here.

WORK ZONES AND TRAFFIC ALERTS:

Alleghany County

Interstate 64: Median barrier construction will close one lane in each direction between mile markers 18.5 and 24.5. Speed limit is 45 mph. Loads up to 11 feet wide can proceed in both directions through the work zone

Wythe County 

Interstate 77/Interstate 81 overlap: High traffic volumes could slow or stop vehicles through this eight-mile stretch of interstate. Be alert to delays on northbound I-77 at the I-81 merge 

Roanoke County

Interstate 81: Southbound I-81 lanes are narrowed and shoulders closed on two bridges between mile markers 132 and 136. The bridges are over Route 777 (Fort Lewis Church Road) and Route 647 (Dow Hollow Road). Speed limit is reduced to 55 mph at each bridge. 

Stafford County/Fredericksburg

Interstate 95: Concrete barriers will remain in place blocking the southbound shoulder on the I-95 bridge over the Rappahannock River just south of Exit 133 (Route 17/Falmouth).

Caroline County

Interstate 95: Concrete barriers will remain in place along the northbound and southbound shoulders at mile marker 103.6 just south of Exit 104.

Amherst/Nelson county line

Route 29 over Tye River: Southbound lanes over the Tye River are closed to traffic. Northbound lanes will carry northbound and southbound traffic. Be alert to new traffic pattern and 45 mph speed limit. 

King William County

Route 33: Eastbound lanes are closed to traffic at West Point. The westbound lanes are open to traffic in both directions.

Carroll County

Route 58: Hillsville Bypass construction has reduced Route 58 to one lane in each direction just west of Hillsville. Speed limit is reduced to 35 mph.

Page County

Route 211, eastbound: Work on bridge over Pass Run, 4.6 miles west of the Rappahannock County line. Road reduced to single 11-foot lane.

Franklin County

Route 220: Northbound Route 220 traffic is reduced to one lane, and vehicles wider than 16 feet are prohibited because of work to replace the bridge deck over Blackwater River. The bridge is just north of Rocky Mount. Speed limit is reduced to 45 mph.

Rockingham County

Route 253/Port Republic Road: Widening project from Route 704 (Boyers Road) to Harrisonburg city limits. All work subject to change and weather permitting.