SHENANDOAH COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) – VDOT will continue bridge deck rehabilitation work on the southbound bridge over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, just south of exit 269 near Shenandoah Caverns, and north of New Market this weekend.

Single lane closures will occur continuously over approximately 72 hours beginning on Sunday night, May 11 and stretching to the evening on Tuesday, May 13. This will be around-the-clock work during nighttime and daytime hours. All work is weather permitting. Trucks with wide loads will not be allowed through the work zone and must find alternate routes.

Depending on work progress and temperatures, the lane closure may extend into Wednesday morning.

The bridge concrete work must be completed within a specific temperature range to ensure the quality and durability of the repair. The extended work hours take advantage of optimal temperatures while maximizing repair progress prior to holiday and summer vacation traffic.

The work on the bridge right lane was successfully completed prior to noon on Tuesday, May 6. That work began on Sunday evening, May 4 and featured the day and night continuous single lane closures. Currently on the bridge deck, motorists should expect the lane height of the completed right lane to differ from the still-to-be completed left lane. As VDOT completes the southbound deck work, crews will survey the bridge deck elevations and precisely control the placement of the concrete surface needed for a smooth and safe ride.

After May 20, work will continue only during the warmer nighttime hours, avoiding the need for further daytime lane closures.

Work is anticipated for the northbound bridge with work hours and traffic restrictions to be announced in the coming weeks.

The I-81 northbound and southbound bridges over the North Fork of the Shenandoah River have received repeated temporary deck patching. The patching cannot sustain permanent levels of interstate traffic and is approaching the end of its service life. Funding for permanent deck rehabilitation work became available in spring 2025. Executing this critical bridge deck rehabilitation now will extend the bridge service life, avoiding more extensive and disruptive repairs.

Updates will be posted on the news section of the VDOT website at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/.