Bristol District: Route 58 widening wraps up in Washington County

BRISTOL, Va. – When the work zone barrels are removed this afternoon along Route 58 near Damascus in Washington County, a major milestone in the effort to widen Route 58 between Abingdon and Damascus will be achieved.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and its partner Kanawha Stone will wrap up the widening project this afternoon around 2 p.m. There will be some cleanup and finishing work over the next few weeks.

The project also included relocating a portion of Route 58 and building two new bridges over the South Fork Holston River in Washington County. The new bridges are located just to the north of the former bridge.

The 3.3-mile widening project, located from just east of Route 708 (Bethel Road) to .2-mile east of Route 858 (Hollyfield Road) in the Damascus area of Washington County, began in late fall 2021.

“This milestone means opening the gateway to Damascus and its natural beauty and recreational opportunities,” VDOT Bristol District Engineer Tabitha Crowder, P.E., said. “We also wish to thank those who drive the corridor daily for their patience during this effort.”

VDOT worked with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to make permanent a South Fork Holston access point for kayaks and canoes, located adjacent to the former Route 58 bridge crossing of the South Fork Holston River.

A temporary construction access road VDOT used to remove the former Route 58 bridge was left in place and DWR will improve the access road to include vehicle parking and river access for the public, and DWR will manage the site.

This over 20-year endeavor to widen Route 58 between Abingdon and Damascus provides a modern and safe four-lane highway along a highly traveled area for recreational traffic as well commuter traffic.

Construction of Route 58 in this area began near Abingdon in 2003:

• Phase I, 1.1 miles, from just east of Route 11 to west of Watauga Road. Completed Spring 2006.
• Phase II, 1.8 miles, from west of Watauga Road to just east of Route 638. Completed Fall 2012.
• Phase III, 2.6 miles, from just east of Route 638 to just east of Route 708 (Bethel Road). Completed Summer 2015.
• Phase IV, 3.3 miles, from just east of Route 708 (Bethel Road) to .2-mile east of Route 858 (Hollyfield Road).

The widening between Abingdon and Damascus was approximately nine miles and cost approximately $120 million.