Traffic Alert: Overnight detours and traffic shifts planned as part of new intersection work in Salem at Apperson Drive

SALEM – Weather permitting, starting Monday, March 16, road work will begin as part of safety improvements at the intersection of Apperson Drive and Orchard Drive in Salem.

Beginning the evening of Monday, March 16, Orchard Drive will be closed for drainage work between Apperson Drive and Tremont Road for three nights from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. A detour will be in place during this time, and the road is scheduled to be reopened by 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 19.

In addition, beginning Friday, March 20, traffic will be shifted on eastbound Apperson Drive (Route 11) going towards Route 419 (Electric Road) in Salem.

This traffic shift will be in place until May 15. Apperson Drive will remain open during the entirety of the project.

Electronic message boards and signs will be in place to alert drivers to the upcoming changes in traffic pattern. Message boards will be updated with the most current schedule.

The project entails installing a new traffic signal at the intersection of Apperson Drive and Orchard Drive and coordinating it with the nearby signal on Route 419. A new right turn lane from eastbound Apperson Drive onto southbound Orchard Drive also will be constructed. Eastbound Apperson Drive approaching its intersection with Orchard Drive will be reconfigured to provide a right turn lane, a through lane and a left turn lane. The project is estimated to be completed by late fall 2026.

For the latest road conditions in Virginia, use VDOT’s 511 free mobile app or the 511 website which can help travelers plan their routes accordingly.

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