The Latest News

Effective and Less Destructive Alternatives to Expanding I-81

added 1.29.10

SELC has continued to promote more effective and less destructive alternatives to expanding I-81, including improving rail lines in the corridor to reduce truck volume on the highway, upgrading road networks to route local traffic away from the interstate, and targeted improvements to enhance the safety and efficiency of the existing highway. For example, we have pressed state officials to conduct an honest, thorough analysis of the potential for multi-state rail improvements in the corridor. A draft truck-to-rail diversion study called for by the General Assembly, which was released in December 2009, has a number of flaws, but it does show the enormous potential for moving freight from the road to rails. Learn more about this case »

Previous Case Activity

SELC’s Objections to Oversized Climbing Lanes Yield Results

added 6.19.09

VDOT may have rejected a massive and destructive plan to add four lanes to the entire 325-mile length of I-81 in Virginia, but it is still pursuing plans that would result in substantial expansion of the interstate. These include “truck climbing lanes” that would be much wider and much longer than necessary.

Two such projects―in Montgomery County and in Rockbridge County―involve significant widening of I-81. SELC submitted detailed objections to these proposals, emphasizing that VDOT failed to conduct a meaningful analysis of the environmental impacts of the plans and made no attempt to develop a design that takes into account the special features of the surrounding terrain—the kind of context-sensitive design called for by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Thanks in part to our efforts, these projects have been redesigned, although further improvements are needed.