W-L Construction worked with VDOT to restore Route 58 in Washington County post-Hurricane Helene. Using big rocks and machines, they completed the project five months early for less than $10 million, preserving the scenic highway and local access.
Virginia Department of Transportation photo
After the hurricane, Route 58 looked more like a hiking trail than a road.
When Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury in late September 2024 many communities in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia were shredded under the onslaught of flooding and mudslides. In the wake of the storm's 140 mph winds, people needed food, water and shelter. The storm caused more than $75 billion in damage.
As the rains subsided, residents in those areas asked, "How can I resume my life?" In many places, like southwestern Virginia, the answer began with reliable transportation connections.
Route 58 in Washington County is one of those important connections. The area is close to the Tri-Cities and is a vital link for Damascus, Va., and Washington County residents. The road winds through the stunning scenery of the Jefferson National Forest and is home to spectacular trout fishing, biking and hiking.
Route 58 did not look so inviting after the hurricanes and rain had gouged away huge swaths of dirt and rock. Most of Route 58 looked more like the county's famous hiking trails rather than a highway.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) team began to assess the situation and estimated it might take as much as $47 million to repair the road. Fixing the road was a necessity for locals who were taking a one-hour detour in some cases. Locals could find these trips essential just to get groceries.
VDOT turned to W-L Construction & Paving to work under a force account to reconstruct the road. VDOT had worked before with W-L Construction on other projects. W-L Construction is led by Chris Blevins, senior vice president, and Ryan Overbay, general manager. The project was designed to minimize impact to the forest and Whitetop Laurel Creek while preserving access for future repairs to the Virginia Creeper Trail and maintaining continued access to trout fishing.
Big Rocks, Big Machines, Big Ideas
The team was given the project in October 2024 and plunged into the work even when temperatures registered single digits. W-L and VDOT's construction team, including help from VDOT Bristol Assistant Environmental Manager Dennis Sanders, used a strategy of big rocks, big machines and big ideas. Given one year to complete the work, the team is set to finish five months early at a price tag of slightly less than $10 million.
"The first order of business for the contractor was to clear the trees off the road," said Sanders of VDOT. "W-L Construction needed big equipment just for that job, including construction-grade shears. Some of the trees were 48 inches around and needed to be cleared before workers could get access to the road."
W-L decided to take the unusual step to "armor" the river by placing hundreds of huge boulders, 4-5 tons each, at the edge of the water. These rocks reinforced the slope and protected the swift-moving creek from eating away at the banks. The construction workers will place 33.5 tons of stone and 7.3 tons of base, intermediate and surface asphalt to construct the road. The roadway also was armored with Class III rip rap stone to redirect stream flow and protect the roadway from future flooding.
"The boulders we used were too big to fit into the bucket of the excavator, so we had to use a large Pemberton material grappler to grab the rocks and fit them into place," said Blevins. "We chose the boulders carefully so they would interlock and securely anchor the slope and provide an excellent base for the road."
The construction team tried using rock nearby for the job, but the stone crumbled when grasped by the grappler, meaning they were not strong enough to serve as the foundation for the road. The big idea-big machines concept faced another challenge: the workspace was so narrow that the trucks had no place to park or even turn around.
"In some cases, we had trucks drop off a piece of equipment, then the driver had to back up for about a half mile just to get out of the workspace," said Blevins.
In some areas, the team was working between a rock-faced slope and the river on the opposite side. The work team said it often felt like they were trying to build a road inside of a narrow hallway.
Tight Spaces
Much of the muscle came from the 48-ton Volvo excavator. The operator used the boom to place the rocks strategically, helped by a spotter near the water's edge.
"I admit that I slept better after we placed the big rocks," said VDOT's Sanders. "So many bad things can happen with rocks that heavy. But none of our workmen got hurt in the process."
"Some of the rocks weighed almost as much as the trucks carrying them," Blevins said. "In other places, the storm had washed away so much of the road that the area slanted downward. Workers used excavators to place rock, building a wall to secure the new road." CEG
(All photos courtesy of Virginia Department of Transportation. The display of images and/or reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Department of Transportation.)
Chuck MacDonald
Chuck MacDonald is an editor, blogger and freelance feature writer whose writing adventures have taken him to 48 states and 10 countries. He has been the editor for magazines on pavement construction, chemicals, insurance and missions. Chuck enjoys bicycling, kayaking and reading. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. Chuck lives in Annapolis, Md. with his wife Kristen. They have seven grandchildren.
Read more from Chuck MacDonald here.
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