Aila Boyd
The Commonwealth Transportation Board has awarded a $237.75 million contract for a major Interstate 81 widening project in Roanoke County and Salem, marking another step in a long-term effort to expand and improve the heavily traveled corridor.
The contract, awarded during the board’s April 22 meeting in Fredericksburg, went to Triton Construction Inc. of Virginia for a 3.2-mile widening project between mile marker 133.8 and Exit 137. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027.
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, more than 50,000 vehicles travel that stretch of I-81 daily.
The project is funded through the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program, a statewide initiative aimed at improving safety, reducing congestion and supporting economic growth along the interstate corridor.
The widening project is part of a larger nine-mile improvement effort near Ironto that will expand I-81 from two lanes to three lanes in both directions between Exit 128 in Montgomery County and Exit 137 in Roanoke County and Salem.
The larger project is divided into three segments:
— Segment N: Mile marker 133.8 to Exit 137, with the contract now awarded.
— Segment M: Mile markers 131 to 133.8, with construction expected to begin in 2028.
— Segment S: Exit 128 to mile marker 131, with construction anticipated to begin in late 2027 or early 2028.
The full nine-mile project is expected to be completed by fall 2035.
In addition to widening the interstate, the project includes bridge replacements, ramp improvements, installation of concrete barrier walls and construction of sound walls in some areas.
“We are excited to begin the final design and construction of this critical portion of Interstate 81 to improve safety and reliability for motorists,” said Dave Covington, I-81 program delivery director for VDOT. “This three-mile segment is another key advancement as we continue to complete a three-lane interstate from Christiansburg to Troutville. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Triton/RDA team to deliver this project.”
Ken King, district engineer for VDOT’s Salem District, said the widening project will have long-term benefits for the region.
“We look forward to construction starting on the first of three segments on this section of I-81,” King said. “Widening this section is a major step forward for the Roanoke-Blacksburg region. This investment will make travel safer and help keep people and goods moving reliably for years to come.”
Other major I-81 Corridor Improvement Program projects currently underway in the Salem District include widening work between exits 137 and 141 in Roanoke County and Salem, which is scheduled for completion in late summer 2026, and widening between exits 143 and 150 in Roanoke and Botetourt counties, scheduled for completion in summer 2031.
The nearly $4 billion Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program includes 65 construction projects and operational improvements along the interstate in Virginia.
