Traveling ‘New Market Mountain’ in May? Expect significant delays

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LURAY, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Staunton District has announced that upcoming roadway maintenance on U.S. 211 is expected to create significant delays between Page and Shenandoah Counties.

Milling and paving operations on the road (also known as East Lee Highway) will begin May 1 are expected to last for approximately 30 days.

The three-lane roadway is on a steep mountain stretch between the town of New Market and the Page County line. Because this is a complex, multi-phase operation, maintenance of this road will only allow for one lane of travel to be open at a time.

A single travel lane will serve both eastbound and westbound traffic. Digital message signs will provide work-zone warnings on both sides of the work zone. All work is weather permitting.

During construction hours, Route 211 motorists approaching New Market from Page County (and Page County from New Market) could be delayed for up to 20 minutes at a time. This will affect both morning and evening commutes. Pilot trucks will control both eastbound and westbound traffic Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Outside of these hours, traffic restrictions will be lifted.

Contractors will make every effort to level the pavement for travel on weekends. However, on weekdays during non-work hours, drivers should be alert for areas of uneven pavement.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.

For updated traffic alerts and traveler information, dial 511 or visit 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.

The VDOT Staunton District is on Facebook and Twitter. Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The VDOT Web page is www.VirginiaDOT.org.