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AFTON It s been over two weeks since a large rockslide shutdown a portion of U.S. 250 in Nelson County. Virginia Department of Transportation is will be weeks before the section will be stable enough to reopen.
Lou Hatter, spokesperson for VDOT Culpeper region, said the slide started May 3 and the 1.75 mile long portion of U.S. 250 between Va. 151 and Va. 6 was shutdown mid-day.
Hatter said there s no definitive source of what caused the slide, but there are a few contributing factors. That area is prone to ground movement because of the nature of the material that s there, he said.
The stretch of U.S. 250 between Route 6 and Route 151 on Afton Mountain has been closed since May 3, and there is no date for when it will be reopened.
Mid-day on Sunday (May 2nd, 2021), I crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains along U.S. Route 250. As I traveled up the mountain, just to the west of the Albemarle-Nelson county line, I noticed a modest pile of rock debris and tilted trees on the uphill side of the highway. A small mass wasting event had recently occurred this was no surprise as the southeastern slope of the Blue Ridge near Rockfish Gap is prone to mass movement because of its geology.
VDOT warning trucks to stay off Route 6 during U.S. 250 closure
VDOT warning trucks to stay off Route 6 during U.S. 250 closure By Andrew Webb | May 9, 2021 at 11:28 PM EDT - Updated May 10 at 10:45 AM
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - While a portion of U.S. 250 remains closed due to the rockslide, Virginia Department of Transportation is asking for people to follow all detours and use precaution on Route 6.
VDOT says trucks are not allowed on Route 6 and that local and state police are ticketing trucks that continue to use the route.
Lou Hatter with VDOT says they know it may add some time to the trip, but its the safest way to do it.
BRYAN MCKENZIE
The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress
It started with a few rocks dribbling onto the pavement from above and ended with tons of soil, rock and debris shutting the road down.
Rockfish Gap Turnpike, also known as U.S. 250, was shut down Monday as chunks of greenstone bedrock broke free and slid down the steep mountain side sandwiched between Interstate 64 and the turnpike.
Crews on the scene have been working all week to remove the original slide material and pulling down more rock, soil and vegetation to try to prevent a second slide.
The slide occurred near Route 750, known as Old Turnpike Road, just west of the Rockfish Gap Country Store. Thatâs about 600 feet downhill from the intersection of Route 6 and U.S. 250.