Fighting a Plan to Widen I-81 in a Valley of Battlefields

Visitors view Civil War cannons at the New Market Battlefield in western Virginia as traffic rolls along adjacent Interstate 81. The state has proposed widening I-81 through Civil War battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley. (Photos By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)

Nearly a dozen Civil War battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley are facing a new threat, even as foundations rush to raise money to buy the historic grounds ahead of developers. The new concern is a proposal by the Virginia Department of Transportation to substantially widen Interstate 81, the major north-south highway that runs through the state from West Virginia to Tennessee.

Battlefield lands that have long been considered safe from development because of federal and state recognition as historic sites could be sliced through or lopped off by the addition of as many as eight lanes to the divided four-lane highway. A proposed bypass at Harrisonburg would cut into the Port Republic and Cross Keys battlefields.

The Shenandoah Valley, where three years of bloody campaigning led to more than 325 military engagements and the loss of nearly 4,000 lives, represents a major chapter in the history of the war. It was where Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson carried out his successful 1862 campaign, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee rode to take the war north to Gettysburg and Union Gen. Philip Sheridan torched agricultural resources in 1864 to undermine the Confederate Army base.

Last month, the Civil War Preservation Trust joined the fight on the side of preservationists, environmentalists and residents who oppose the state's remedy to accommodate increasing truck traffic along the 325 miles of the interstate through Virginia.

Local groups have proposed an alternative plan, named "Reasonable Solutions for I-81," that would encourage the state to make spot improvements where needed for truck safety, expand the highway into the existing median, increase law enforcement patrols and allow for an expanded role by the railroads to carry freight.

On March 1, Jim Lighthizer, the trust's president, held a news conference on the New Market Battlefield, flanked by the historic 1825 Bushong House and I-81. The New Market Battlefield is already split by I-81, with monuments on each side.

Lighthizer announced that his organization had included the Shenandoah Valley battlefields on its 2006 list of most endangered sites.

"I suggest that if the proposal is accepted, it is a travesty," Lighthizer said. "When Sheridan came through the valley and burned everything, if you liked that, you'll love this plan. The only difference is that after Sheridan, the valley did heal, but with this plan, it will never heal."

The trust has a good track record in rescuing battlefields. The 75,000-member organization, devoted to preserving battlefield land through purchases, conservation easements and partnerships with federal, state and local governments, has protected 22,300 acres at 95 sites in 19 states.

Lighthizer is putting the trust's support behind "Reasonable Solutions for I-81: A Six-Point Plan for the Future," which has been endorsed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, the Shenandoah Valley Network and the Valley Conservation Council.

Although the trust carries a great deal of weight in the field of preservation, Lighthizer is quick to say that the fight is not the trust's alone. Residents directly affected by decisions such as widening a road have to lead the fight by attending public hearings, writing their state representatives and voting for politicians who support their side.

It might not be battlefield preservation that motivates someone to stand up to the state; it could be concerns such as noise and pollution, he said.

"You don't have to care about history to care about quality of life," he said. "Let those politicians hear from you. If local folks stand up and say what they won't tolerate, they won't do it."

The affected battlefields are First, Second and Third Winchester, First and Second Kernstown, Cedar Creek, Fisher's Hill, Tom's Brook, New Market, Cross Keys and Port Republic.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has scheduled six public hearings and information meetings in the valley this month to discuss the Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This is the first step in a long process; the next is a vote by the Commonwealth Transportation Board on the statement.

The environmental impact statement and the schedule of meetings can be found at The environmental impact statement and the schedule of meetings can be found athttp://www.I-81.org . Click on "I-81 Tier 1 DEIS" for the statement and "I-81 Facts Sheets" for the schedule.

Linda Wheeler can be reached at 540-465-8934 orcwwheel@shentel.net.