Trees are already coming down along US 220 at Head of the James just south of Iron Gate.

That’s the first step in the first phase for widening about nine more miles of the challenging two-lane primary highway between Eagle Rock and the Alleghany County line, Faulconer Construction Co. Project Manager Mike Robic told residents in the area at a Thursday “Pardon Our Dust” meeting at Eagle Rock Elementary School.

Faulconer Construction was awarded a $64.9 million VDOT design/build contract in November to handle the three-phase project.

This work follows another safety improvement project on the southern end of the overall 10 miles of US 220 that’s being reconstructed. The project just completed was to replace two box culverts and make safety improvements on 0.8 mile from near the Rt. 43 intersection north. That $5.6 million project also involved widening the highway to the specifications that will match up with the rest of what are considered safety improvements— all in lieu of making the whole stretch four lanes.

The tree cutting just south of Iron Gate is so the contractor can begin widening the highway on the north end of the project area— Phase 1 of the project.

When the tree cutting is done, the contractor will start hauling fill from where there will be a realignment along US 220 just north of the Prices Bluff Road intersection. The fill will be used to build up the side of US 220 at Head of the James so it can be widened. When that’s done and paved, the company will work on upgrading what will be the southbound lane in that area just north of the James River bridge.

Expect a lot of dump trucks, slow traffic and flaggers, VDOT Project Manager Josh Lawrence told folks who attended last Thursday’s meeting.

Phase 2 will then begin, which includes widening shoulders, realigning some intersections, adding turn lanes, creating additional passing zones, and adding raised centerline pavement markings as well as rumble strips in the center and on the edge-line of the road. It also involves widening bridges and culverts— all from just south of the James River bridge at Iron Gate to the just completed project at Gala.

Phase 3 involves refinishing the culvert replacement project from Gala to the James River bridge at the Rt. 43 intersection at Eagle Rock.

The work is expected to be finished by August 2021. In the interim, Robic and Lawrence said there will be times when traffic control involves flaggers and/or temporary traffic signals.

He said motorist could expect some delays as long as 15 minutes, while Robic said there will be some situations that call for delays as long as 30 minutes. Johnson said signs would be posted to let motorists know what to expect.

While the long-anticipated work on US 220 is designed to make the highway safer, some on Craig Creek Road wondered if VDOT could put up speed limit signs to slow traffic that will use Roaring Run Road and Craig Creek Road as a detour between Alleghany County and US 220 to avoid the construction.

There’s no simple answer to that question, VDOT Assistant Resident Engineer Brian Blevins said.