New incentive plan for towing companies aims to reduce crash clearing on Interstate 81

Your average commute on Interstate 81 is likely to have some delays due to crashes but the Virginia Department of Transportation and State Police are implementing a new project to reduce drive times.

81 TRIP is now live throughout the 81 corridor and gives towing companies incentives of up to $3,500 to open a travel lane within 90 minutes of receiving the call from law enforcement.

A similar project in Richmond resulted in roadways being cleared of smashed vehicles within 62 minutes. Compare that with the figure offered by VDOT Commissioner Stephen Brich with the state economy taking a hit of up to $1,200 for every minute drivers spend in traffic.

Another VDOT official says Interstate 81 has the highest incident-related delays in the state.