Rural bridge is model for Richmond Dam Walk

Richmond:

“A majestic pedestrian bridge that brushes through the treetops of Cumberland and Prince Edward counties offers a panoramic preview of the potential of a low-slung walkway above the James River torrents in downtown Richmond.

High Bridge and Brown’s Island are both steeped in Civil War history. The former railroad bridge was a strategic battleground near the end of the Civil War. Brown’s Island was the site of an 1863 explosion that killed at least 41 people, mostly women and children, at a Confederate munitions factory.

High Bridge towers 125 feet above the Appomattox River valley, spanning nearly half a mile. The original wooden bridge, built in 1853, was replaced in 1914 with a steel structure. Two years ago, it was renovated and widened to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and horses, and incorporated into a 31-mile multiuse trail that runs through Cumberland, Nottoway and Prince Edward counties.

The Brown’s Island Dam Walk, only about 17 feet above the James River, would create a 1,600-foot span for pedestrians and cyclists from Brown’s Island to Manchester, as part of a 20-mile cycling network. It would be built above a former Virginia Power dam that is disconnected from a popular footbridge extending about 60 yards from Brown’s Island.”

~Writes Michael Paul Williams of the Richmond Times Dispatch

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Belmont Bridge replacement designs previewed

City of Charlottesville:

“Charlottesville officials have two new design concepts to mull as replacements for the Belmont Bridge. Local engineers from MMM Design presented the options Friday to a city design task force. The bridge proposals feature bike lanes and wide sidewalks and would provide space for new development.

‘The things that we heard at that meeting were to try to make the bridge shorter, keep it two lanes, integrate bike and pedestrian use well, and to try to bring the buildings along the street up to create a street edge in the future,’ said Jim Tolbert, the city’s director of Neighborhood Development Services.

The new work is the latest in a process that dates back to November 2010, when a design effort to replace the existing 1960s-era structure began. The Commonwealth Transportation Board has allocated $14.5 million to replace the bridge, which carries Route 20 over two city roads and railroad tracks. The original design created by MMM Design was not well received by some in the Belmont neighborhood, but fell within parameters laid out by the city.”

~Writes Charlottesville Tomorrow

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460 Connector, CFX construction projects moving forward in SWVa.

Dickenson County:

“Tucked away in a valley high above Grassy Creek in Dickenson County, the region’s first cantilever bridges are taking shape, foot by balanced foot. When they are completed, the twin bridges, both 265 feet above the ground and 1,728 feet long, will be the highest in the state, and will help bring four lanes of roadway all the way from Virginia Beach into Kentucky.

The bridges, concrete giants stretching into the sky, will represent half of the U.S. 460 Connector, also called Corridor Q. Kentucky is continuing to work on its side of the road, too, so that the two projects are in sight of one another. The project — one of two construction projects that state officials say are needed to break the isolation of the coalfields region of Southwest Virginia and opponents say are just mining in disguise that will bypass local communities — is moving along in Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise counties.”

~Writes Allie Robinson Gibson of the Bristol Herald Courier

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Influx of money kicks Virginia Beach roadwork into high gear

Virginia Beach:

“Streams of federal and state money have revived languishing road projects - from the widening of Princess Anne Road near the Virginia Beach Municipal Center to new on-off ramps at London Bridge Road. And the efforts to ease congestion are not done yet as the landscape for drivers in Virginia Beach continues to evolve. But the outlook wasn't always so good.

In 2008, the Great Recession gripped the region, and funding for transportation shrank. When President Barack Obama announced a federal stimulus package in 2009 that promised money for roads, and jobs to build them, time was of the essence. ‘Shovel-ready’ projects - meaning those where construction could begin quickly - took priority. The state received $694.5 million for its roads, with $40 million landing in Virginia Beach. The money helped pay for the construction of Interstate 264 ramps at London Bridge Road and the widening of parts of Princess Anne and Witchduck roads.

The city's good fortune during hard times had only just begun… Four new projects, fueled by the regional taxes, are ready to begin. Virginia Beach will be connected to Chesapeake with the Lynnhaven Parkway expansion now under way, and the Lesner Bridge will be replaced with a wider, taller bridge in a few years. Also, parts of Witchduck and Holland roads will be expanded.”

~Writes Stacy Parker of the Virginian-Pilot

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Roanoke City could make changes to Memorial Bridge

City of Roanoke

“If the city receives VDOT's approval, it plans to make changes to layout of Memorial Bridge. The city would extend the sidewalk on the downstream side of the bridge from 6ft to 14ft making it safer for walkers. It will also pave a pathway from the bridge to Vic Thomas Park. That connection will extend the greenway from the Tinker Creek Greenway to Ghent Hill Park which is about a seven mile stretch.

Project Manager, Luke Pugh, says the connection is something that will make the region a better place to live. He says, ‘The Grandin Village and Wasena area are certainly one of our heavy residential areas that use the greenway and this really provides a formal connection for those folks to use the greenway.’

If the project is approved, the city would use federal money to pay for construction. The project was opened for bids on Friday. Multiple bids have been placed since then. The lowest bid is $320,000. The city hopes to begin construction in late spring.”

~Writes Jade Hanson of WSLS 10

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Historic Waterloo Bridge suffers from neglect and deterioration

Culpeper County

“VDOT District Administrator John Lynch said that closing the bridge temporarily may be a decision reached this week. Standing as a testament to time and history, the one-lane Waterloo Bridge has seen a cast of characters cross its wooden planks over the decades. Still strong, but by current standards, not quite strong enough, the bridge, and its needed repairs, were on the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors agenda as they gathered for their first meeting of 2014.

Virginia Department of Transporation (VDOT) representatives had requested an opportunity to share with the board a number of options regarding the future of the bridge which is in need of substantial repairs.”

~Writes Anita Sherman of the Culpeper Times

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Three bridges on 2014 fix list

Rappahannock County

“Rappahannock County is getting in shape for 2014, as the supervisors approved three bridge replacements… The first bridge scheduled is one McCarthy said is ‘pretty far up Harris Hollow’ on Route 622. Nesbit said the bridge currently has an efficiency rating of only 53.9, but will be a relatively quick repair and likely only be closed ‘for about a week.’

The second to-be-replaced bridge on Route 622 is located on Rock Mills Road and crosses over the Covington River, and will be a bit more substantial — requiring it to be closed for one to three weeks. Both replacements are scheduled for the summer, McCarthy noted.

The third and final bridge is on Fodderstack Road, just beyond the Washington town borders. Nesbit said the replacement will likely be the most time-consuming of three, and require residents to take a detour for two to three weeks. Repairs are scheduled for the fall, McCarthy noted, somewhat dismayed, which will also require a bus rerouting if the project isn’t handled over the summer. All three repairs were approved unanimously, 5-0.”

~Writes Matt Wingfield of the Rappahannock News

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Eco-Logical Pilot Project - Free Bridge Congestion Relief

Charlottesville/Albemarle Region

“The US 250 link across the Rivanna River known locally as Free Bridge. This bridge is a key connection for local and regional traffic, but continued use of this link will result in more congestion, economic development and public safety issues that must be addressed. Regarding congestion, there are currently 53,000 vehicles per day on Free Bridge and the overall level of service is an F. The MPO's travel demand model estimates that Free Bridge will have a daily traffic volume of approximately 70,000 vehicles a day in 2040, making Free Bridge's already failing level of service 25 percent worse.

The Eco-Logical process is an ecosystem based approach to developing infrastructure project alternatives. The approach differs from the typical approach by encouraging the evaluation of environmental considerations during the planning phase of a project prior to the point at which a project would normally go through NEPA review*. The process fosters interagency cooperation, as well as stakeholder involvement, in the development of new infrastructure. The goal of the process is to collaboratively develop project ideas in an effort to address significant impacts early on in the project development process.”

~TJPDC

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