Beginning Tuesday, April 3rd, through-truck traffic will no longer be allowed on a six-mile stretch of Route 627 (Reliance Road). The affected portion of Route 627 extends from the Interstate 81 northbound ramps at exit 302 (Middletown) in Frederick County to the intersection of Route 340/522 (Winchester Road) in Warren County.
Residents of the Reliance community, including Warren County North River District Supervisor Dan Murray, say this is good news that they have long waited to hear. “I’ve heard from folks constantly on this issue,” Murray in a telephone interview. “Their concerns mirrored my own. Citizens have been worried about getting killed coming out of their driveways. This situation has been a time bomb that could have exploded at any time.”
Murray said getting the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to grant the restriction was a community effort and that he and the residents along Reliance Road appreciate the work of everyone involved. He said that the importance of the issue was evident, as he was “contacted daily, almost everywhere,” including in church, at the grocery store and at his civic club meetings.
According to Warren County Administrator Doug Stanley, Warren and Frederick counties boards of supervisors requested the through-truck restriction after Mr. Murray brought up the issue to the Warren board in 2016 and the group reached out to Frederick County in 2017 to discuss the possibility of jointly approaching VDOT to request the restriction.
VDOT approved the request following a traffic-engineering study and a public comment period.
Truck drivers needing to access the Virginia Inland Port or other commercial and industrial sites can use Interstate 66 between I-81 and Route 340/522. The alternate route adds about three miles in driving distance.
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