CONGRESSMAN
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill, advancing $17 million for safety and capacity improvements along Interstate 81.
The funding, secured by Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., would support critical upgrades and potential widening along the I-81 corridor in Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District. The bill now awaits consideration in the U.S. Senate.
“For years, residents of Virginia’s Sixth District have told me how dangerous and congested I-81 has become,” Cline said. “This bill’s passage out of the House puts us one step closer to critical improvements that will make I-81 safer, more efficient, and better equipped to serve commuters, families and the truck drivers who keep our regional economy moving.”
Interstate 81 carries significant freight and passenger traffic, with more than 12 million commercial trucks traveling the corridor each year and transporting more than $300 billion in goods. As traffic volumes continue to increase, the need to modernize the highway has grown, according to federal and state officials.
Originally constructed more than 50 years ago, I-81 has struggled to keep pace with current traffic and freight demands. A 2018 state report identified urgent needs along the corridor, and while Virginia has taken steps to address those issues, additional federal investment has been cited as necessary to complete major improvements.
Travel delays along the interstate have become more frequent and unpredictable, affecting both commercial freight movement and personal travel. Virginia’s Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program includes plans to widen the highway from two to three lanes in key sections, a move aimed at reducing congestion, improving emergency response access and lowering crash risks.
Cline represents Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District.
-The Salem Times-Register
