Route 220 Bridge Replacement

In a press release on January 6th, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced that construction will begin this month to replace the Route 220 (Potomac River Road) bridge over Strait Creek in Highland County. Contractors plan to install signs and concrete barriers beginning January 13th as they prepare for the roughly year-and-a-half project.

 

Once the work zone is fully established, Route 220 will be limited to a single lane with temporary traffic signals in operation 24/7. Motorists should be alert for stopped traffic as they approach the bridge. A vehicle-width restriction of 12 feet will be in place. Temporary closures and detours may be needed during certain phases of construction. The Virginia Department of Transportation will provide updates as needed.

 

The Route 220 project replaces a 1931 two-lane structure that has reached the end of its service life. The new bridge will also have two travel lanes but will provide wider shoulders. It will be built in the same location, which is just south of the intersection with Route 629 (Strait Creek Road).

 

In November 2025 VDOT awarded a $4.9 million construction contract to Fairfield-Echols LLC of Fishersville. Completion is scheduled for August 2027. All work is weather permitting.

Story By

Scott Smith

Scott Smith is the General Manager for Allegheny Mountain Radio and Station Coordinator and News Reporter for WVLS. Scott’s family has deep roots in Highland County. While he did not grow up here, he spent as much time as possible on the family farm, and eventually moved to Highland to continue the tradition, which he still pursues with his cousin. Unfortunately, farming doesn’t pay all the bills, so he has previously taken other jobs to support his farming hobby, including pressman/writer for The Recorder, and Ag Projects Coordinator for The Highland Center. He lives in Hightown with wife Michelle and son Ethan. In his spare time, he wishes he had more spare time, especially to ride his prized Harley-Davidson motorcycle. scott@amrmail.org

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