HD101 - Interim Report: Increased Enforcement on Interstate 81


Executive Summary:
Construction of Interstate 81 began in 1957. Initially small sections between cities and towns were opened to the public. It was not until 1987 the entire interstate was opened in Virginia from West Virginia to Tennessee. Interstate 81 spans 325 miles of Virginia and runs north and south along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.

The roadway was originally constructed as a four lane, divided, limited-access highway. Population growth along the corridor has taxed the limits of these lanes. In 2003, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration launched an I-81 Corridor Improvement Study. This study, when completed, will identify deficiencies along the interstate and consider opportunities for improvement. This study includes consideration for separate lanes for truck traffic, creating a pilot toll project, and constructing additional traffic lanes.

The Interstate 81 corridor has experienced significant population growth; not just in Virginia, but also in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Because Interstate 81 travels north and south, it is often used as an alternative to heavily congested Interstate 95.

This population explosion has resulted in an increase in demands for goods and services. The result has been a surge in passenger vehicle traffic along Interstate 81 as well as significant growth in commercial motor vehicle traffic. Over the years since the interstate was constructed, use of Interstate 81 has grown multiplicatively.

This increase in traffic has ultimately led to more congestion, more traffic crashes, and a significant increase in citizen complaints of poor driving behavior.