RICHMOND – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will help ease Fourth of July holiday weekend traffic by opening lanes that are temporarily closed for construction or maintenance on major roads. In general, lanes will clear from noon Friday, June 30 until noon Wednesday, July 5. Construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain up.

Motorists should watch for flooding on secondary roads across the state. As of noon, about 75 roads remained closed due to high water or flood damage. VDOT crews continue with emergency repair work. Though floodwaters are receding, motorists should use extreme caution in low-lying areas or on roads prone to flooding.

During the busy summer travel season, it is critical that drivers obey speed limits and pay attention to orange signs in highway work zones. They are there to guide you safely through construction. Speeding in a work zone can bring a $500 fine.

Motorists should also be aware of Highway Safety Corridors. They are on Interstate 81 in Salem and on Interstate 95 near Richmond and in northern Virginia. Motorists who speed, tailgate or drive recklessly there can be fined up to $2,500.

Services for motorists:
511 Virginia – Call 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org for information on conditions and incidents on Virginia’s interstates and other major roads. You can also learn about weather, tourist sites, food, lodging and emergency services. Dial 800-578-4111 outside Virginia. You can receive e-mail alerts on selected roads by creating an account online.

VDOT Highway Helpline – Call 800-367-ROAD to report problems or unsafe conditions on Virginia’s roads.

Other travel information – Go to www.VirginiaDOT.org. The direct link to road conditions is here, where you can see traffic cameras and a map of road construction and incidents.

Smart Tag/E-ZPass – Virginia’s electronic toll collection system is part of the E-ZPass network. Motorists can use either Smart Tag or E-ZPass at many toll facilities from Virginia to Massachusetts. For details, go to www.EZPassVA.com or call 877-762-7824.

VDOT Safety Service Patrols – They respond to crashes and help provide traffic control. They also provide basic automobile repair and first aid. The patrols operate on major highways in the northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, Culpeper, Hampton Roads and Salem regions.

Smart Traffic Centers – VDOT operates Smart Traffic Centers in northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, Staunton and Salem. These centers monitor road conditions with video cameras. They warn motorists about traffic back-ups, crashes and other conditions using electronic message boards and highway advisory radio.

Major work zones and other information:

Northern Virginia
I-95 - Fairfax County: The Springfield Interchange Improvement Project is under way from Springfield to the Capital Beltway. Visit www.springfieldinterchange.com for details.

I-95/495 - Alexandria: The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is under way from Telegraph Road in Virginia to the Maryland 210 interchange. The speed limit has been lowered to 50 mph in the 7.5-mile corridor. Visit www.wilsonbridge.com for details.

I-95/395 High occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes: Open southbound from 6 p.m. Friday, June 30 until 2 p.m. Saturday, July 1. The HOV lanes will be open northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, July 1 until 6 a.m. Monday, July 3.

I-95/395 HOV lanes: Restrictions are in place Monday, July 3.

I-95/395 HOV lanes: Open southbound from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, July 3. The lanes will be northbound from 11 p.m. Monday, July 3 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 4. HOV lanes will be open southbound from 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 4 until 1 a.m. Wednesday, July 5.

I-95/395 HOV lanes: Restrictions are in place Wednesday, July 5.

Fredericksburg
Route 33 - King and Queen County in West Point: Improvements continue at the new Lord Delaware Bridge over the Mattaponi River.

Richmond
Interstate 64 - Henrico County: There are 11-foot travel lanes between Staples Mill Road and Laburnum Avenue as VDOT rehabilitates the bridge over the ACCA Railroad Switching Yard. In addition, travelers from Interstate 195 north to I-64 west cannot exit at Staples Mill Road.

I-64 at Interstate 295 (west end of Richmond in Henrico County): Motorists can expect new signs and pavement markings for the I-295 flyover project. All lanes will be open to traffic.

Hampton Roads
I-64 - HOV lanes: On Tuesday, July 4, HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-64. The reversible roadway will be open to westbound traffic from 1 a.m. until 11 a.m., and to eastbound traffic from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. daily. HOV lanes will resume a normal schedule 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 5. NOTE: HOV lane directions may shift throughout the holiday weekend, depending on road conditions and traffic volume.

I-64 - Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel: Motorists going to Virginia Beach may want to use the Interstate 664 Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) instead of I-64’s Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The MMMBT is less traveled.

I-64 – Chesapeake (Exits 289-291): Construction is under way on the Battlefield Boulevard project. While there will be no temporary lane closures the week of July 2, motorists should expect delays between Greenbrier Parkway and Battlefield Boulevard. VDOT lifted the HOV restriction on I-64 eastbound from Indian River Road to Battlefield Boulevard. This lane is now open to all vehicles during all travel times throughout the project. Visit www.i64info.com for the latest.

Outer Banks: Motorists heading to the Outer Banks may want to take I-664 and the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel to avoid construction at Battlefield Boulevard in Chesapeake.

Route 164 East/West (Portsmouth): Traffic is being detoured off of a portion of Route 164, both east and westbound, until December 2006 for the construction of a new interchange near the APM Terminal in Portsmouth.

The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry will operate on a holiday schedule from Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4.

Shenandoah Valley
I-81 Buffalo Creek Bridges - Rockbridge County: Lane closures possible at night.

I-81 Maury River Bridges - Rockbridge County: Be alert for new traffic patterns. The Maury River Bridge replacement project is scheduled for completion in July 2006.

I-81 - Frederick County: Single lane closure possible during the day for maintenance on the Route 50 bridge over a section of I-81.

I-81 Virginia Welcome Center at Clear Brook - Frederick County: The welcome center is closed and relocated to the Winchester Old Town historic mall area. The restrooms are closed. The welcome center is being rebuilt with the reopening scheduled for spring 2007.

Southwest Virginia
I-77 - Wythe County: Bridges over the New River and Route 52 are being rebuilt. Motorists should slow down through the work zone.

I-77/I-81 overlap - Wythe County: Be alert to the possibility of slowed or stopped traffic in this area due to expected high traffic volumes.

I-77 East River and Big Walker Mountain tunnels: Be alert for delays due to restoration projects at both mountain tunnels.

Page last modified: July 7, 2006