VDOT unveils package of I-81 upgrades to answer General Assembly study mandate

VDOT rolled out its proposed list of upgrades to help ease traffic on Interstate-81 on Wednesday.

In and near Staunton, VDOT proposes widening the interstate in spots, extending entrance and exit ramps and creating truck climbing lanes. Specific recommendations:

Northbound

- Widening the highway itself to three lanes between exits 222 and 225.

- Extending an acceleration lane at Mount Sidney rest area.

- Adding a truck climbing lane between mile markers 234 and 237.

Southbound

- Adding a truck climbing lane between mile markers 236 and 235.

- Extending acceleration and deceleration lanes at the Mount Sidney rest area.

- Extending the acceleration lane where Exit 225 enters the highway.

- Widening the highway itself to three lanes between exist 225-217.

Another suggestion to add an auxiliary lane between Exits 221 and 220 Southbound wasn't recommended for funding.

The proposals were first shown to the public during a 4 p.m. open house Wednesday at Blue Ridge Community College and then public comments were to be gathered at a 5 p.m. meeting.

An additional meeting will be held 5 p.m. Thursday at Shenandoah University's Brandt Student Center at 1460 University Drive, Shenandoah.

Full details of the proposal for the larger Staunton VDOT district are in the PDF file below.

The study was mandated by the General Assembly, which told the agency to look at what projects could be accomplished with funding that could be generated by truck tolls on the interstate. Earlier discussions had suggested an earmarked gas tax up and down the corridor as a potential funding source, but the General Assembly sidestepped that conversation.

Earlier:Virginia to study putting tolls on I-81 commercial traffic, HOV lanes

More:New bill to look at I-81 tolls for trucks