Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 24, 1994                   TAG: 9407260004
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

ROADWATCH

# Indicates new information.

BEDFORD COUNTY

U.S. 221: The road is being widened from two lanes to five in Forest from Graves Mill Road into Lynchburg. Traffic is using a new mile-long section of the road, starting near the intersection of U.S. 221 and Virginia 501. Construction should be completed this summer.

Virginia 614: A bridge between Virginia 43 and 680 is closed during repairs. Detours are set up. Work should be completed in September.

U.S. 501: The road is being widened in selected locations from the Georgia-Pacific plant to the Snowden Bridge over the James River in Amherst County. Temporary traffic delays may occur. Construction is estimated to last into the fall.

BOTETOURT COUNTY

Alternate U.S. 220: The final 1.8 miles are being expanded to a four-lane divided highway, ending at U.S. 460 in Roanoke County. Be alert for signs and flaggers. Temporary delays may occur. Work should be completed in spring 1995.

U.S. 220: A 1.4-mile section south of the new bridge near Iron Gate is under construction to eliminate a sharp curve. Work runs from 0.3 miles north of Virginia 696 to 0.2 miles south of the CSX Railroad tracks. Work should be completed in the fall.

#Virginia 654 (Read Mountain Road): In the Cloverdale area, 1.8 miles are being widened from east of U.S. 11 to Alternate U.S. 220. The road is closed to through traffic until Aug. 16. Motorists should watch for signs and flaggers. Work will continue until spring 1995.

U.S. 11: The bridge at Buchanan over the James River and CSX Railroad is under repair with traffic reduced to one lane. Vehicles wider than 11 feet are prohibited. The work will last into late summer.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Virginia 605: In Henry, 0.7 miles are being widened starting at the west intersection of Virginia 606 with Virginia 769. Work will continue until fall.

GILES COUNTY

U.S. 460: Both westbound lanes between Narrows and Rich Creek are closed for repair of a retaining wall. Traffic has been shifted into the eastbound lanes. Vehicles wider than 10 feet are prohibited. Work should be completed in a few months.

HENRY COUNTY

U.S. 58: The 3.3 miles from Horsepasture to Spencer are being widened to four lanes. Construction will continue through the fall.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

U.S. 460: One lane of traffic will be open in each direction from the Blacksburg bypass to Prices Fork Road while pipes are replaced on both sides of Virginia 314. A detour is clearly marked. The bike trail and the unpaved road between Smithfield Plantation and Plantation Road are closed. Completion date is early August.

#I-81: The northbound lanes between exits 114 and 109 are being resurfaced. Motorists may experience delays.

#I-81: Crews are clearing brush along northbound lanes. The shoulder will be closed adjacent to the work area.

PATRICK COUNTY

VIRGINIA 680: In Patrick Springs, 0.6 miles north of U.S. 58 to 0.2 miles south of Virginia 691 is being widened. Estimated completion is September.

Virginia 774: The road is closed from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Virginia 600 for bridge replacement. The road should reopen next month.

PULASKI COUNTY

#I-81 Crews are clearing brush along southbound lanes. The shoulder will be closed adjacent to the work area.

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY

#I-81: The deck of the bridge just before I-64 interchange at exit 191 is being repaired. Northbound traffic is limited to a single lane until the end of August. Deck repairs on southbound lane are scheduled to begin after Labor Day.

#I-81: Interchange acceleration and deceleration lanes are being extended. Northbound and southbound traffic is limited to one lane between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays; both lanes are open on Friday afternoons. The project is expected to last several months.

#I-64: Work on Maury River bridge on both eastbound and westbound lanes. For week of July 25-29, traffic will be stopped for up to 15 minutes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. During the day for the next several weeks, traffic will be limited to one lane.

ROANOKE

Fifth Street: The Fifth Street bridge is being replaced between Salem and Gilmer avenues. Shenandoah Avenue is closed for reconstruction of the intersection with Fifth Street. Work should be completed this summer.

#Wells Avenue: The road is closed from First Street to Commonwealth Avenue while being widened to four lanes. A detour has been set up. The road will be closed until March 1995.

ROANOKE COUNTY

#I-81: The northbound lanes from Exit 137 at Salem to the Montgomery County line are being paved at night, with traffic reduced to one lane. Work should be completed in August.

U.S. 11/460: In the Dixie Caverns area, from Harborwood Road to near the Blue Jay Motel, the road is being widened.

U.S. 11: Williamson Road (U.S. 11) from Plantation Road one mile north is being widened. A new traffic pattern is in place, with one lane of traffic flowing in each direction. Vehicles wider than nine feet are prohibited from Plantation Road to Virginia 601. Estimated completion date is summer 1995.

U.S. 11/460: At the Montgomery County line, the bridge over the Roanoke River and Norfolk Southern tracks is under repair. Two-way traffic is using the eastbound lane while repairs are being made on the westbound side. Speed limit is reduced to 45 mph. Vehicles wider than 9 feet are prohibited. Work to replace the bridge's deck will last through spring 1995.

Virginia 615: The bridge on Starlight Lane over Back Creek is being replaced. Traffic is using a temporary detour. Completion of the bridge replacement is expected in late summer.

Virginia 618: Rutrough Road is being widened from Virginia 658 to Virginia 709. Motorists should expect delays. A temporary connection to Blue Ridge Parkway also is being built. Work should be completed by end of summer.

Virginia 639: Near the Spring Hollow Reservoir, a bridge is being replaced with a box culvert. One-third of a mile is being widened.

Virginia 830: Motorists should be alert to construction traffic along U.S. 11/460 near the intersection with Virginia 612, Poor Mountain Road. A new access road is being built at Valley Techpark in west Roanoke County.