A sinkhole will slow traffic on Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County starting this weekend.
Repair work will shut down a lane of traffic headed north starting at 10 p.m. Sunday evening.
The lane is expected to be closed for most of the day Monday as well.
The work is being done at mile marker 212.3, which is between Exits 205 and 213.
This sinkhole is different than the one that snarled traffic in Rockbridge County last week.
Here's the press release from VDOT:
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STAUNTON - The left northbound travel lane will be closed at 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 15 on Interstate 81 for sinkhole repairs at mile marker 212.3 near the Augusta and Rockbridge County line. It is unknown when the left lane will be reopened to traffic but motorists should anticipate single lane traffic in this area for much of the day on Monday, May 16. This location is between exit 205 at Route 606 in the Raphine area of Rockbridge County and exit 213 at Route 11 in the Greenville area of Augusta County.
This sinkhole is not associated with the sinkhole repaired on I-81 northbound in Rockbridge County on May 5.
Because the sinkhole at mile marker 212.3 is located in the northbound ditch line next to the median, much of the work will occur on the left shoulder. To ensure the safety of workers in the area and allow for the necessary equipment to be used, the left travel lane will be closed in this area.
The Virginia Department of Transportation’s on-call contractor for these repairs is General Excavation Inc. of Warrenton. The sinkhole will be excavated and filled with stone and earth material to stabilize the hole. This work can take hours depending on how deep the sinkhole is, which cannot be determined until excavation begins.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org. For other assistance call the VDOT Customer Service Center, available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Citizens can dial 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623) from anywhere in the state to report road hazards, ask transportation questions, or get information related to Virginia’s roads.
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