Fuel tanker rollover sparks interest for guardrails on Route 220

Highland County Board of Supervisors will request VDOT safety inspection.

HIGHLAND COUNTY, Va. – More than 1,250 gallons of fuel went unrecovered, killing 870 fish in the Jackson River, after a fuel tanker rollover Friday.

Where Friday’s crash happened is a site of concern, as two crashes were reported in the same area last year.

Just half a mile south of the tanker crash lies another problematic curve.

Highland County Board of Supervisors requested guard rails in the fall for that area after receiving several complaints.

But after filing a report with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the area was deemed too narrow to install guardrails.

“The Jackson River, when it’s this time of year it, could have a good bit of water in it and we are concerned about people wrecking there and going down in the water,” Highland County Administrator Roberta Lambert said.

Lambert said she plans to file another report with VDOT in the next two weeks about both curves with the hopes to install guardrails.


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Alexus joined 10 News in October 2020.