Under Construction: Route 58 Widening - Lovers Leap in Patrick County (PPTA project)

This $300-million design-build project will widen 7.4 miles of Route 58 over Lovers Leap from two lanes to four lanes.  This section starts 0.7 mile north of Stuart and extends to 0.3 mile east of Route 610 (Cloudbreak Road) in Patrick County. 

This is the fourth phase of Route 58 widening between Hillsville and Stuart to be completed under a public-private partnership agreement with Branch Civil Inc. VDOT entered into the amended agreement for the Lovers Leap phase in November 2020.

GROUNDBREAKING EVENT 
A groundbreaking event was held on September 29, 2021. 

PARDON OUR DUST Meeting Held

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in conjunction with design-build contractor Branch Civil Inc. will held a “Pardon Our Dust” public information meeting in August 2021 to discuss construction impacts and traffic management for the upcoming project to widen 7.4 miles of Route 58 over Lovers Leap Mountain in Patrick County.

For more information, please review the following:

PROJECT VIDEO

PROJECT PRESENTATION

Presentation

PROJECT DISPLAYS

Project Overview

Eastern Segment

From Route 58/Route 640 Intersection to End of Project (Existing Stuart Bypass)

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Central Segment

From ¼ Mile East of Dehart Botanical Gardens to Route 58/Route 640 Intersection Separated Westbound and Eastbound Lanes

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Western Segment

From beginning of Project to ¾ Mile east of Lovers Leap Overlook and from ¾ Mile East of Lovers Leap Overlook to ¼ Mile East of Entrance to Dehart Botanical Gardens

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PPTA Agreement

In December 2003, VDOT signed a public-private partnership agreement with Branch Civil Inc. to develop and widen Route 58  from Hillsville to Stuart as funding became available.  The 36-mile corridor begins southwest of Hillsville and continues east through Carroll, Floyd, and Patrick counties to approximately one mile west of Stuart.

VDOT entered into the agreement in accordance with the Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA). In 1995, the General Assembly passed the PPTA allowing private entities to propose innovative solutions for designing, constructing, financing and operating transportation improvements.

Previous phases of widening completed under this agreement include

• A three-mile Blue Ridge Parkway crossing at Meadows of Dan that was completed in May 2006 and cost $20 million
• A 5.2-mile bypass in Carroll County built around the Town of Hillsville that was completed in August 2011 and cost $83 million
• An 8.3-mile section at Tri-County and Laurel Fork that was completed in October 2016 and cost $120 million  

Route 58 Corridor Development Program

The Route 58 Corridor from Hillsville to Stuart is the last remaining section to complete the widening of Route 58 from Virginia Beach to I-77. Once connected with I-77, the long anticipated benefits of the 1989 General Assembly legislated U.S. Route 58 Corridor Development Program will greatly be enhanced throughout the entire region.

Click here for an overview of the Route 58 corridor development program.

Remaining Widening Between Hillsville and Stuart

The two remaining sections of Route 58 to be widened between Hillsville and Stuart include projects at Vesta (four miles) and Crooked Oak (7.2 miles).  In addition, 1.7 miles of Route 669 in Carroll County will have to be improved as part of the Route 58 widening.

Benefits 

This project will widen Route 58 from two lanes to four lanes and improve safety on the mountainous portion of the roadway over Lovers Leap.