The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) wants drivers to know that the Troutville Rest Area located on southbound Interstate 81 near mile marker 158 in Botetourt County will be closed from late May (after Memorial Day) until early September (prior to Labor Day). During the closure, a temporary concrete barrier wall will be installed in front of the facility, so motorists will not be able to enter the rest area or use the parking lot and restrooms.
While the Troutville Rest Area is closed, southbound I-81 drivers can use the Fairfield Rest Area at mile marker 195 in Rockbridge County or the Radford Rest Area at mile marker 108 in Montgomery County. Portable toilets and parking will be temporarily available for commercial vehicles at the Troutville Weigh Station located on southbound I-81 at mile marker 149.
The rest area will be closed due to work on a $4.9 million project to improve safety and traffic flow by extending the ramp into and the ramp out of the rest area. Because there will be so many construction activities within such a small area and within a short period of time, the rest area is being closed ensure the safety of the traveling public and workers.
The existing ramps at this rest area are very short. Extending them will improve safety by providing motorists more space to accelerate or decelerate. The off ramp into the rest area will be extended approximately 500 feet and the ramp onto southbound I-81 will be extended approximately 2,100 feet. The project also includes expanding the truck parking area at the facility by about 10-13 spaces. VDOT awarded the contract for the project was awarded to Branch Civil Inc. from Roanoke in February.
The Troutville Rest Area ramp extension project is a part of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in December 2018. The more than $2 billion package of focused improvements was funded by the Virginia General Assembly and signed into law in spring 2019.
Additional information about the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program is available at Improve81.org. The website includes interactive maps and schedules and details about upcoming and current projects that are designed to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth along the 325-mile I-81 corridor.
VDOT has produced a podcast and a video to provide more information about the Troutville Rest Area ramp extension project. These can be found on the News Multimedia page of Improve81.org.