June 2021
Archer Western to widen Interstate 81 in Salem, Virginia
SALEM, VA - Archer Western was recently awarded a contract for the widening of lanes on Interstate 81 in Roanoke County and the city of Salem by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. This design-build project will be the first as part of the Virginia Department of Transportation's Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program.
Both the northbound and southbound lanes will be widened from two lanes to three. Six bridge replacements, two bridge widenings, electrical and signage upgrades and other improvements along a 5.2-mile stretch of I-81 are also included in the scope of the project. These upgrades are all intended to increase capacity, lower crash rates, lessen delays, enhance crash clearance times, and improve the all-around safety for motorists along this stretch of highway.
"While many I-81 Corridor Improvement Program projects have already been delivered or are underway, this project is by far the largest to go to construction," said I-81 Program Delivery Director Dave Covington. "We are excited about the partnership with the Archer Western team and look forward to this section of I-81 being safer, less congested and more reliable than it is today."
The final design for the $179 million project is ongoing and construction is set to begin sometime in late 2021 or early 2022 with an expected completion date of early 2026.