Open session on I-81 improvements scheduled for Wednesday

The public is invited to weigh in on the future of one of Virginia’s busiest highways.

Press release:

The Interstate 81 Advisory Committee has scheduled a virtual meeting for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Members of the public are invited to participate by viewing the meeting online and submitting questions over the phone.

The virtual meeting can be streamed through Improve81.org, the dedicated website for the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program. A meeting agenda will also be posted at this link.

There will be a designated time for public comment during the meeting. Comments can be submitted by dialing 319-895-2103, followed by the PIN 808 401 455#. A caller may be placed on hold until others who have called in earlier have had the opportunity to speak. In the event there is an interruption in the broadcast of the meeting, please call 804-729-6495.

The I-81 Advisory Committee is charged with providing advice and making recommendations to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) regarding the development of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program and updates to the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan, as directed in Chapter 846 of the 2019 Acts of Assembly.

The committee has 15 voting members: seven Virginia lawmakers, three CTB members representing the Bristol, Salem and Staunton districts, and the five chairs of the planning district commissions. The commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation and the director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation serve on the committee ex officio in nonvoting capacities.

The I-81 Corridor Improvement Program was approved by the CTB in December 2018. The $2 billion package of targeted improvements was funded by the Virginia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Ralph Northam in spring 2019.

Additional information about the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program can be found at Improve81.org. The website includes interactive maps and timelines, and details about upcoming and current projects that are designed to improve safety, increase reliability and foster economic growth along the 325-mile corridor.

At 325 miles, Interstate 81 is the longest interstate in Virginia. It has 90 interchanges including connections with I-66, I-64, I-581, I-77, and I-381.

I-81 begins at I-40 in Dandridge, Tenn., and extends through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York to Canada. It is one of the top eight trucking routes in the U.S., serving as a major link between southern economic hubs and northeast markets.