BLAND COUNTY, Va. – On August 10, the workers at the Interstate 77 tunnel restoration project at Big Walker Mountain Tunnel received quite the surprise when an uninvited guest entered their work zone.

Two wide load carriers fromGeorgia ignored their hauling permits as well as the detour signs on I-77 and entered the tunnel work zone, which is restricted to 12-feet-wide during repair activities.

The entire incident - involving near misses of construction workers and equipment and the breakage of traffic signals attached to the tunnel walls - was captured on video, which law enforcement reviewed immediately after apprehending the errant drivers.

Those drivers’ bad judgment not only costs money out of their pockets and marks on their driving records, but it cost almost $9,000 for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to clean up the damages. In addition to repair costs, the cost of shutting down a work zone adds up. It is estimated that the daily rate for the tunnel contract is over $16,000.

“The damages and the cost of disrupting work are high, but our number one concern is that no one was injured in the incident,” Jim Cline, VDOT’s Statewide Land Use Program Manager said. “VDOT goes to great lengths to ensure our workers and our contractor’s workers remain safe in work zones, but the bulk of that responsibility falls on drivers being cautious and being within the parameters of the law.”

The $16.5 million project, scheduled for completion in summer 2008, includes:

• Replacement of tile on tunnellls

• Foundation and structural refurbishment

• Ventilation, drainage and sidewalk repairs.

Because the scope of work at the tunnels varies week-to-week, it is important for wide load haulers to follow the routes given to them by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The preferred detour route for the project is Route 460 between I-81 Exit 118 B near Christiansburg and Exit 9 in West Virginia.

In summer 2007, a bridge reconstruction project on Route 19 inshington County, Virginia, will wrap up and that will open another viable detour around the tunnel project.

“We would like to extend our thanks to the mobile home industry for their patience and cooperation during the tunnel project. We know those in the industry who are diligent in regards to safety greatly outnumber those who aren’t. We ask that everyone continue their commitment to safety throughout all their travels in Virginia, especially through our highway work zones,” Cline said.