Crozet Prepares for Streetscape Project Construction

Albemarle County

“The town of Crozet is about to get a major facelift. Construction on a streetscape project is set to start in January. That means disruptions for traffic and businesses, but the county says communication is key to making the project as painless as possible.

‘The streetscape project is really the connection project,’ said Albemarle County spokesperson Lee Catlin. With a stormwater project, new library and improvements to Jarman's Gap Road done, all eyes are now on the $1.4 million streetscape project. Utility lines along Crozet Avenue will be removed; sidewalks, landscaping and furniture will be added.”

~Reports NBC29

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Greene County Group Aims to Divert Tractor Trailer Traffic from Stanardsville

Green County

“A group in Greene County is hoping a bridge construction project will help solve the problem of tractor trailers taking short cuts through downtown Stanardsville. Once the aging bridge that runs over the Conway River is under construction in Spring of 2016, trucks will be redirected to use other routes. Members from Stanardsville Area Revitalization (STAR) plan to ask the Virginia Department of Transportation to keep the trucks detoured off Route 230 after the project is complete.”

~Reports nbc29

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D.C. Region’s Transportation Forecast Shows that Congestion Remains, Despite Investment

Northern Virginia

“D.C. region’s transportation forecast shows that congestion remains, despite investment

If we could help create an environment in which people spent more time with friends and families and less time worrying about getting there, our contribution would be impressive. And it would be all the more impressive in a region that by many measures does the poorest job in the nation at getting people from place to place. James C. Dinegar, president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, put our travel goal this way when speaking Wednesday to the regional Transportation Planning Board: ‘To not be the worst.’”

~Writes Robert Thomson of the Washington Post

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I-95 Transforming the Commute

"One year from now, the 29-mile, $1 billion Interstate 95 Express Lanes project will be complete, ushering in a new era in the way Northern Virginia commutes. Construction on the express lanes reached its midway point this fall, with the all work on lanes stretching from Edsall Road in Alexandria to Garrisonville Road in Stafford expected to be wrapped up by late 2014. In early 2015, the days of high occupancy vehicle lanes open to all traffic, as they are now after 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., will be a thing of the past." ~Inside Nova

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New Bike Lanes in Richmond

City of Richmond 

"The City of Richmond has added bikelanes to the Second Street connector of US Bike Route 1  where the route enters downtown Richmond.  Though only .3 miles long, this  scenic section of the  route connects to  US 1/301 and crosses the James River, passing by the historic, Tredegar Iron Works, Belle Isle and the Virginia War Memorial." 

~Virginia Bicycling Federation
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Supervisors Consider Removing Bi-County Parkway from Comp Plan

Prince William County

“The controversial Bi-County Parkway will remain on Prince William County’s long-term comprehensive plan – at least for now. The proposed 10-mile, four-lane road that proponents say would make it easier to get to Loudoun County by extending Va. 234 north to U.S. 50 has faced strong opposition from residents who argue the project will spoil the now-protected western edge of Manassas National Battlefield Park, disrupt family farms and invite cargo truck traffic from Dulles International Airport.”

~Writes Jill Palermo of InsideNova

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Blue Ridge Tunnel Restoration Details Expected Next Month

Nelson County

“The foundation that oversees the restoration planned for the abandoned tunnel through the Blue Ridge expects to come up with a detailed agenda for the project next month. Bringing back to life the 5,000-foot Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel will take an estimated $4 million, including a $750,000 state grant awarded the project this year.”

~Writes Calvin Trice from newsletter.com

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I-64 widening project from Hampton to Richmond clears "major" hurdle

Hampton Roads
Interstate 64 Project
"RICHMOND-  The Federal Highway Administration has given it's stamp of approval on the "Final Environmental Impact Statement" for a project that would widen I-64 from I-95 in Richmond to I-664 in Hampton, according to a statement released by Governor Bob McDonnell's office Tuesday. The project would widen the highway to at least 6 lanes for the entire 75 mile stretch."
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~ABC13, WVEC

Update on the Gholson Bridge Project

"The Brunswick County Board of Supervisors received an update from Tommy Johnson, assistant residency administrator, South Hill Residency, Virginia Department of Transportation, on the Gholson Bridge, on Iron Bridge Road. The bridge, which crosses the Meherrin River, is listed for replacement in the Virginia Department of Transportation FY2014-2019 Six Year Improvement Program. In September the supervisors adopted a resolution to save the bridge. The Town of Lawrenceville also adopted a similar resolution."~Sylvia Allen, Brunswick Times Gizette

Delays with Silver Line

Northern Virginia
The Metro Silver Line
"The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is again pushing back its expected completion date for construction of the new Silver Line through Tysons Corner."
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Greene County

“Construction crews are in the final weeks of transforming the streets of downtown Stanardsville. The town's streetscape project is more than half way done and work is set to wrap up by the end of the month… Workers are installing new street lighting, benches and crosswalks, and trees and landscaping. The project cost about $800,000. A VDOT grant funded 80 percent of the cost. The other 20 percent came from community contributions. Mayor Gary Lowe says property owners have been supportive through the construction process.”

~Reports nbc29

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Toll Opponents File Petition

Hampton Roads

"It wasn't the tolls per se that violated the state's constitution, but the profit they will generate for a private company.

That's the gist of the argument that opponents of the Midtown Tunnel project are using to try to get the Supreme Court of Virginia to take another look at their case.

The plaintiffs filed a petition for a rehearing on Tuesday, less than four weeks after the Supreme Court unanimously issued a ruling that cleared the way for tolling of the Midtown and Downtown tunnels to begin Feb. 1. They cannot appeal the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court because there is no federal issue in play."

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~Writes David Forster from the Virginia Pilot

Funding for Silver Line in Loudon County

Loudoun County

"Loudoun's Board of Supervisors in the months ahead must decide whether to pursue a federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to help contain costs associated with Metro's Silver Line extension into Loudoun County."

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Board to decide in 2014 on Metro funding, parking garages

Loudoun County

“Loudoun's Board of Supervisors in the months ahead must decide whether to pursue a federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to help contain costs associated with Metro's Silver Line extension into Loudoun County. If the county moves ahead with seeking the federal dollars, it will have to include the cost of constructing parking garages in its overall share of the Silver Line project's tab.”

~Writes Trevor Baratko of the Loudoun Times

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Residents Updated on Stafford Project

Stafford County

“A Boswells Corner intersection project will eat up land from a half-dozen property owners around the intersection of U.S. 1 and Telegraph Road, according to details displayed at Thursday night’s meeting in North Stafford… Work is slated to start in the spring of 2014 and could be finished by the fall. The intersection is notorious for backups and accidents, especially since the Base Realignment and Closure, which has caused an increase in traffic in the area and at the nearby Marine Corps Base Quantico.”

~Writes Scott Shenk of the Free Lance Star

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Roanoke County

“While the City of Roanoke has been proactive in bike-friendliness (a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community), Roanoke County has lagged behind. Though incorporating bike-ped has been VDOT policy since 2004, the county was not necessarily onboard. (Is this a familiar story?) Well, no more. Two county supervisors who are also on the MPO board brought the bike-ped case to the county board, which unanimously agreed to, and passed, a bike-ped integration policy. Kudos to the Roanoke County supervisors for their vision and leadership.”

~Writes Virginia Bicycling Federation

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Work Begins on Corridor Study of Bike Route 76

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

"U.S. Bicycle Route 76, also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route, is a National Bike Route that spans from the Midwest to eastern Virginia. Along this path, the route passes through five of the localities in our region - Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson. As part of its FY14 Rural Transportation Program, the TJPDC staff will conduct a Corridor Study of the Route 76 segments within our region. The intent of this work ultimately is to increase safety, access and awareness of the bike route. The Rural Technical Committee has conducted a scoping meeting for this project to help guide the process and deliverables.

TJPDC staff included the Route 76 project in its FY13 Rural Transportation Work Program, but was unable to begin work because of the large volume of rural projects. The Rural Technical Committee and Commission carried over this project to the FY14 Work Program, intending it to be a high priority project. The original project scope included three main elements:

1.    An inventory of existing conditions;

2.    A promotional campaign to provide route information and online resources; and,

3.    Recommendations for roadway improvements that would increase bike safety."

~TJPDC News Brief

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Work Begins on Corridor Study of Bike Route 76

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

"U.S. Bicycle Route 76, also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route, is a National Bike Route that spans from the Midwest to eastern Virginia. Along this path, the route passes through five of the localities in our region - Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson. As part of its FY14 Rural Transportation Program, the TJPDC staff will conduct a Corridor Study of the Route 76 segments within our region. The intent of this work ultimately is to increase safety, access and awareness of the bike route. The Rural Technical Committee has conducted a scoping meeting for this project to help guide the process and deliverables.

TJPDC staff included the Route 76 project in its FY13 Rural Transportation Work Program, but was unable to begin work because of the large volume of rural projects. The Rural Technical Committee and Commission carried over this project to the FY14 Work Program, intending it to be a high priority project. The original project scope included three main elements:

1.    An inventory of existing conditions;

2.    A promotional campaign to provide route information and online resources; and,

3.    Recommendations for roadway improvements that would increase bike safety."

~TJPDC News Brief

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Charlottesville Seeks Safe Routes to School Grant for Jackson-Via Elementary

City of Charlottesville

“Charlottesville is seeking state funds to make it safer for pedestrians around one neighborhood school.  The city is applying for a $250,000 Virginia Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Grant for Jackson-Via Elementary. The proposed project would fill in gaps in sidewalks along Harris Road, install more visible crosswalks, and create a trail system to connect the school to the Belmont and Ridge Street neighborhoods.”

~Reports nbc29

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Sidewalk Project in Arlington County

Arlington County
Sidewalk Project
"Construction is on the way to the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Glebe Road. The Arlington County Board is expected to approve easement acquisitions to the northwest and southwest corners of the intersection at its meeting Saturday, which will allow the county to widen sidewalks and install bus shelters at the intersection." 
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Cost of Halting Western Bypass a $50-Million Question

Albemarle County

“For Albemarle County’s incoming supervisors, it’s the $50-million question. That group could help pull the plug on the long-debated Western Bypass of U.S. 29, but at what cost? So far, more than $50 million in state and federal money has been invested in the project, and the state could demand that money back, said Sarah Rhodes, the program coordinator for the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization. But where that money might come from, or whether the state would even make the demand, is still unclear, Rhodes said.”

~Writes J. Reynolds Hutchins of the Daily Progress

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Courtland Interchange Project up for Bid Next Fall

Southampton County
Courtland Interchange Project

"COURTLAND—An interchange that would place a bridge over U.S. 58 at Route 742 is set to go up for bidding next fall, said Jennifer Gwaltney, Virginia Department of Transportation public information officer. The purpose is to improve traffic flow by eliminating a signal on U.S. 58. Loops, a ramp and a spur will be added to create the interchange, and a right-turn lane will also be added to accommodate businesses along the 58 eastbound lane, she said. The project is estimated to cost $26.5 million, and is fully funded in the FY 2015 Six-Year Improvement Program, said Gwaltney. A maintenance of traffic plan will be developed prior to construction to help minimize the inconvenience to motorists."

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~From TidewaterNews.com

Bicycle Crashes, Injuries and Deaths by Locality

Statewide Statistics

“The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles tracks the total number of bicycle crashes, injuries and deaths each year. Below are the 2011 data for central Virginia. If a locality is not listed, there were no reported bicycle crashes.”

~Writes the Richmond Times Dispatch

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