Rt. 11 reopens after crash in Fort Defiance

UPDATE (6:26 p.m.):

All lanes of Route 11 have reopened at the intersection with Dam Town Rd. in Fort Defiance after a crash temporarily shut the highway down.

According to VDOT, only the northbound right shoulder remains closed.

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Drivers who rely on Route 11 should be prepared for delays or to find alternate routes in the Fort Defiance area Thursday evening.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, a crash at the intersection of Route 11 and Dam Town Rd. has shut down all northbound and southbound lanes of the highway.

As of 5:55 p.m., VDOT had no estimate on when Route 11 (Lee-Jackson Hwy.) will reopen at the scene.

The intersection, near Fort Defiance High School, Stewart Middle School, and Clymore Elementary School, has seen its share of crashes over the years. No students are currently at any of the schools, however, given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any detour around the scene will be a fairly long one, with drivers from Dam Town Rd. using Knightly Lane to Knightly Mill Rd. to Butter Milk Rd. to reconnect to Rt. 11 and Rt. 11 drivers using Seawright Springs Rd. to head through Mount Sidney, connect to Morningside Dr., Lea Port Rd., and then to Willow Spout Rd. to reconnect to Rt. 11.