Bridge repairs on Interstate 81 southbound near Shenandoah Caverns will cause lane closures
New Market, Virginia – Motorists traveling along Interstate 81 southbound in Shenandoah County should plan for significant travel impacts beginning Sunday, May 11, as the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) initiates critical bridge rehabilitation work. Due to expected poor weather conditions, the work schedule for the bridge located at mile marker 269, just south of Exit 269 near Shenandoah Caverns, has been revised.
Continuous Lane Closures Through Monday, Possibly Tuesday
Originally planned for earlier in the month, the next phase of repairs on the southbound bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River is now set to begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, and continue through Monday night, May 12. The work involves around-the-clock single lane closures and could extend into Tuesday morning, depending on weather and work progress.
“This work is weather dependent and may extend into Tuesday,” VDOT noted, emphasizing that optimal temperatures are necessary for high-quality concrete placement. The closure will affect the left lane of the southbound bridge, which remains unfinished.
Motorists traveling in oversized or wide-load trucks will need to find alternate routes, as they will not be permitted through the work zone during this phase. Virginia State Police will be present on site, and additional traffic management support will be provided by law enforcement from the Town of New Market.
Concrete Must Cure Within Specific Conditions
VDOT engineers have stressed that “the bridge concrete work must be completed within a specific temperature range to ensure the quality and durability of the repair.” The decision to schedule this work continuously over 72 hours allows the team to complete more of the deck surface during favorable spring temperatures. The goal is to finish as much work as possible before the anticipated spike in holiday and summer travel begins.
The right lane of the southbound bridge deck was completed earlier this month, with that section of the work wrapping up before noon on Tuesday, May 6. That phase began on the evening of Sunday, May 4, and also involved day and night single lane closures. The current configuration features a height difference between the newly finished right lane and the unfinished left lane, which will be corrected as crews complete this round of concrete placement. “Crews will survey the bridge deck elevations and precisely control the placement of the concrete surface needed for a smooth and safe ride.”
Post May 20 Work Will Shift to Night Hours
After May 20, all remaining work on the southbound bridge is expected to take place only during nighttime hours to reduce impacts on daytime travelers. No additional daytime closures are currently planned following this stretch of work.
In the weeks ahead, VDOT is also expected to announce repair plans for the northbound bridge, which runs parallel to the southbound span and crosses the same stretch of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Specific dates, work hours, and traffic details for that project will be shared once confirmed.
The bridges have both undergone multiple rounds of temporary patching, but those short-term repairs are no longer sufficient. “The patching cannot sustain permanent levels of interstate traffic and is approaching the end of its service life,” VDOT said. With new funding secured in spring 2025, the agency is now focused on executing a permanent rehabilitation to extend the bridges’ service life and avoid more extensive and disruptive future repairs.
Travelers are advised to monitor 511.vdot.virginia.gov for real-time updates and traffic alerts throughout the duration of the project.
