In this episode of "The Valley Today," host Janet Michael sat down with Ken Slack, Communications Specialist for the Staunton District of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), to pull back the curtain on the region's most pressing road projects and the intricate web of planning, funding, and public engagement that makes them possible.
The conversation opened with a celebration: the long-awaited reopening of Rockland Road, now featuring a new bridge over the Norfolk Southern railway. For years, drivers endured lengthy delays as trains blocked the at-grade crossing, sometimes for up to 20 minutes. Ken explained how federal funding—specifically from a maritime economic development grant—helped transform this bottleneck into a smooth, elevated crossing. The project, while nearly complete, still has a few finishing touches, but the impact is already being felt by local commuters and emergency services.
Janet and Ken delved into the complexities of infrastructure funding, revealing that a single project can draw from a dozen different sources, including federal, state, and local grants. Ken described the "colors of money" that VDOT's programming section juggles, especially for large-scale projects like bridges and interstate improvements. The conversation highlighted how creative thinking and persistence are often required to secure the necessary resources, particularly for projects that don't fit neatly into traditional funding formulas.
A major focus of the episode was the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program, a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar initiative to address safety, congestion, and capacity issues along one of Virginia's most vital highways. Ken outlined how dedicated funding—sourced from gas taxes and trucking fees—has enabled VDOT to move from wishful thinking to breaking ground on real improvements. The program, which covers 325 miles from Winchester to Bristol, is guided by a "smart scale-ish" scoring system that weighs safety, traffic mitigation, accessibility, and environmental impact to prioritize projects.
Public input, Ken emphasized, is a cornerstone of VDOT's approach. Through online surveys, in-person meetings, and even one-on-one conversations with court reporters, the department gathers feedback from those who know the roads best: the people who drive them every day. Janet underscored the importance of this dialogue, noting that solutions are most effective when they're informed by real-world experiences and concerns.
The episode also touched on the challenges of construction—environmental restrictions, utility relocations, and the need to keep traffic moving even as bridges are replaced or widened. Ken shared anecdotes about the planning and execution required to minimize disruption, as well as the long-term vision behind building infrastructure designed to last for generations.
Innovative intersection designs, such as roundabouts and the unique quadrant roadway interchange in Front Royal, were discussed as examples of VDOT's willingness to try new solutions where they make sense. While change can be met with skepticism, Ken and Janet agreed that education and patience are key to helping communities adapt and ultimately benefit from safer, more efficient roads.
As the conversation wrapped up, Ken pointed listeners to resources like the Improve81.org website and VDOT's own pages on innovative intersections, encouraging the public to stay informed and engaged. With winter approaching, Janet joked about her preference for staying off the roads during snowstorms—a sentiment Ken, representing VDOT's snowplow crews, wholeheartedly endorsed.
