Route 23 safety project in Wise County underway

Bristol, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and its contractor Jones Road & Bridge, Inc., Abingdon recently began a project on Route 23 in Wise County.

The project will improve safety and how traffic moves on a portion of Route 23 near Indian Mountain Trade Center by constructing multiple turn lanes and removing two median crossovers.

Construction highlights include adding south and northbound left turn lanes at the intersection of Route 23 and Carriage Lane, a southbound left turn lane at the northern entrance to Indian Mountain Trade Center, a northbound right turn lane at the trade center and a southbound left turn lane at Piggy Went a Smokin' BBQ.

Each turn lane also includes constructing an area for vehicles to queue while waiting to turn.

Other changes include:

• The median opening at the intersection of Route 23 and Dakota Road will be closed.
• Left turns will not be permitted onto Route 23 southbound from the trade center entrances. Trade center traffic accessing southbound Route 23 will travel north on Route 23 approximately .25 mile north of Carriage Lane to safely perform a u-turn onto Route 23 southbound.

This portion of Route 23 carries approximately 13,200 vehicles per day. During construction, motorists should anticipate north and southbound lane closures.

The contract for the project is valued at $4.6 million and the project is anticipated to be completed in late 2025.

VDOT presented the project to the public at a public hearing in December 2022.