Public hearing set for I-77/81 interchange improvements

Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·2 min read

Jun. 23—Area residents will have an opportunity to comment next month on planned improvements to the heavily travelled overlap where Interstate 77 toward West Virginia meets Interstate 81 at Wytheville in Virginia.

The proposed I-81/I-77 Interchange Safety Improvement Project seeks to alleviate traffic congestion along the heavily traveled corridor, according to Joey Barker, a communications specialist for the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The planned project includes extending the off ramp from I-81 north onto I-77 north; extending the off ramp from I-77 south onto I-81 south; constructing a lane between southbound I-77 exit 41 (Peppers Ferry Road) and the I-81 southbound off ramp; and replacing the I-81 bridges over Peppers Ferry Road and the I-81 northbound bridge over I-77 north.

"Basically the goal is by alleviating the congestion there it would improve the safety getting on and off," Barker said.

The public meeting will be held Tuesday, July 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Wytheville Meeting Center, which is located at 333 Community Boulevard in Wytheville.

Barker said it will be an open house format public meeting.

"So basically the format is open house which means they will have the plans on display and people can come in and look at the plans and see at that moment what the design is," he said. "There won't be a formal presentation per se. But people will have a chance to see what the design is."

VDOT has been working on the plan to alleviate congestion and improve safety along the I-77/I-81 overlap for several years now.

An initial corridor study was launched in 2018 and two bills regarding the I-77/81 overlap were introduced in the Virginia General Assembly a year later in 2019.

Residents who may be unable to attend the public hearing in Wytheville on July 11 still have several opportunities to provide input.

Comments regarding the project can be provided to VDOT until July 21, 2023, via the following methods:

—Call VDOT Project Manager Robert Leonard, P.E. at 276-696-3258.

—Email Robert.Leonard@vdot.virginia.gov. Please reference "I-81/I-77 Interchange Safety Improvements Wytheville" in the subject line.

—Complete an online survey available from the project page at https://www.publicinput.com/h7335.

—Traditional mail to VDOT Project Manager Robert Leonard, P.E., 2111 Bonham Road, Bristol, Virginia 24201

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens