Construction on Brocks Gap Road meant to reduce crashes

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - VDOT says the goal of the Brocks Gap Road safety project is to help minimize the typical collisions that happen on Route 259.

VDOT’S Communication Specialist, Ken Slack, says the contractors have finished the shoulder widening phase of the project and are right now working on replacing some outdated guardrails. The entire construction is a work in progress but the plan is to maximize safety and prevent crashes.

“It gives folks a little bit of extra cushion a little bit of room for error, so to speak so that they do run off the side of the road for any reason I’ve got a little bit of room to recover before they get into serious trouble,” VDOT Communication Specialist Ken Slack said.

Brocks Gap Road amounts to a 12-mile stretch from Rockingham County to the West Virginia state line.

VDOT is used to many routes having relatively high-speed roadways but understands drivers need some extra wiggle room on the curves. Crews are fixing guardrails which require one lane of travel in each direction for drivers to have more time to recover if they veer off the road.

“Where you’ve only got one lane of travel in each direction you do have to understand that, though there’s a little bit less wiggle room so that demands a little bit of extra caution and extra attention,” Slack said.

VDOT spokesperson Ken Slack says Brocks Gap Road requires the driver to be 100 percent focused. As of right now, VDOT does not have specific speed limits for going through an active work zone on this project but advises drivers to follow directions given on-site.

Slack says navigating through active work zones in the road projects safely takes a partnership with drivers keeping your speed down is crucial and being mindful of cones and barrels.

Slack says the project’s final stage will include rumble strips along the edge line. Everything is still on schedule for construction to be complete by Fourth of July weekend.

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