The I-81 bridge over the New River in Radford, Virginia has been experiencing cracking issues in its deck panels. A study found that the composite slab-girder system of the bridge is not working as well as it should due to the deterioration of the deck. The presence of precast deck sections has made the deck less stiff than originally designed, leading to ongoing maintenance problems. To address this, replacing the material between the girders and the precast panels with more rigid steel shims or concrete is recommended to improve the support and reduce movement that causes cracking.