ROANOKE, VA – Interstate 81 is known for crashes and congestion.
Reducing the danger isn’t a simple fix.
“If I told you you were gonna die today on Interstate 81 if you didn’t wear your seatbelt, would you wear your seatbelt?” Sergeant Rick Garletts said.
That’s Sergeant Rick Garletts with Virginia State Police.
For years - he’s had a front row seat to the problems.
“We’re on 81 right now, what are some of the biggest issues we see on 81?” 10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman asked.
“Well obviously you’re looking at it right now - the traffic. The traffic is always an issue,” Garletts said.
That’s just one of the reasons the Virginia Department of Transportation is enhancing safety measures - like widening the highway between exits 137 to 150.
Garletts says while widening the interstate is helpful - it doesn’t change dangerous habits like distracted driving.
“The normal stuff isn’t going to go away just because we have three lanes,” he said.
But he says right now - the construction is making drivers more aware.
In 2023, there were 400 crashes in our area on 81. This year, that number dropped to 286.
“Do you think we’re going to continue to see that number go down?” Coleman asked.
“I think so, once we get the construction crews out of here,” Garletts said.
Friday, the V-Dot Interstate 81 Advisory Committee met to discuss current and future 81 projects.
But we wanted to find out what drivers themselves wanted - and most of it didn’t have to do with the number of lanes.
“It might help, it should help but I mean, this gets into a sticky sort of area, but maybe we should start regulating how many tractor-trailers are actually on the highway,” one driver said.
“Do you think it’s going to help?” Coleman asked another driver.
“No,” they said.
However, Garletts says the improvements are helping.
The board voted Friday to recommend adding 5 new projects to the I-81 corridor improvement project.
The largest of which includes widening northbound and southbound lanes between mile markers 190-195 in Lexington.
But drivers we spoke with are still skeptical.
“I say more enforcement would make things better for everybody,” one said.
