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Started by Alex, February 04, 2009, 12:22:16 AM

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Takumi

That's a good start, along with the ongoing widening between Williamsburg and Jefferson Avenue in Newport News. Hope the rest gets widened before terribly long.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.


plain

Now we can officially get to rolling on this thing. Best part is when finished at least the capacity will be good enough to get people to the US 60 option at Bottoms Bridge until the widening extends east.
Newark born, Richmond bred

Beltway

#2477
Quote from: 74/171FAN on July 24, 2017, 10:28:53 PM
VDOT's Website: COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR I-64 WIDENING PROJECT IN HENRICO AND NEW KENT
QuoteThe project will widen Interstate 64 between Interstate 295 (Exit 200) in Henrico and Bottoms Bridge (Exit 205) in New Kent. When completed, the project is expected to provide immediate congestion relief and enhanced safety to the roadway corridor. Improvements include adding a 12-foot wide travel lane and a 10-foot wide shoulder in both directions in the median of the existing roadway, widening the bridges over the Chickahominy River and improving the acceleration and deceleration lanes at the truck weigh station.
As a design-build project, the project team will begin construction before design work is completed, which greatly reduces the overall time necessary to complete the project.
Following the award, a notice to proceed will be issued in August 2017. The estimated completion date for the project is late summer 2019.

These 4 current I-64 widening projects (Phase III at Williamsburg will begin in near future) are "congestion relief" projects per the info released, and that basically means that they are adding a new lane and full shoulder each way in the median and with little or no improvements outside of the existing roadways, in order to reduce the costs and reduce the needed environmental studies.  These 4 projects were originally planned to be widening to 8 lanes (4 each way).  The outside widening and interchange upgrades will occur sometime in the future (bet on at least 10 years, IMHO).  Existing pavements in these 4 projects will be heavily rehabbed and overlaid with asphalt.

Not to complain too much, these will be huge improvements.

This is still only about 40% of the length of the 4-lane sections between Richmond and Newport News that will have widening under construction.   
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

LM117

Quote from: 74/171FAN on July 24, 2017, 10:28:53 PM
VDOT's Website: COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR I-64 WIDENING PROJECT IN HENRICO AND NEW KENT

QuoteThe project will widen Interstate 64 between Interstate 295 (Exit 200) in Henrico and Bottoms Bridge (Exit 205) in New Kent. When completed, the project is expected to provide immediate congestion relief and enhanced safety to the roadway corridor. Improvements include adding a 12-foot wide travel lane and a 10-foot wide shoulder in both directions in the median of the existing roadway, widening the bridges over the Chickahominy River and improving the acceleration and deceleration lanes at the truck weigh station.

As a design-build project, the project team will begin construction before design work is completed, which greatly reduces the overall time necessary to complete the project.

Following the award, a notice to proceed will be issued in August 2017. The estimated completion date for the project is late summer 2019.

Much needed.
“I don’t know whether to wind my ass or scratch my watch!” - Jim Cornette

WillWeaverRVA

Quote from: Beltway on July 25, 2017, 12:27:52 AM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on July 24, 2017, 10:28:53 PM
VDOT's Website: COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR I-64 WIDENING PROJECT IN HENRICO AND NEW KENT
QuoteThe project will widen Interstate 64 between Interstate 295 (Exit 200) in Henrico and Bottoms Bridge (Exit 205) in New Kent. When completed, the project is expected to provide immediate congestion relief and enhanced safety to the roadway corridor. Improvements include adding a 12-foot wide travel lane and a 10-foot wide shoulder in both directions in the median of the existing roadway, widening the bridges over the Chickahominy River and improving the acceleration and deceleration lanes at the truck weigh station.
As a design-build project, the project team will begin construction before design work is completed, which greatly reduces the overall time necessary to complete the project.
Following the award, a notice to proceed will be issued in August 2017. The estimated completion date for the project is late summer 2019.

These 4 current I-64 widening projects (Phase III at Williamsburg will begin in near future) are "congestion relief" projects per the info released, and that basically means that they are adding a new lane and full shoulder each way in the median and with little or no improvements outside of the existing roadways, in order to reduce the costs and reduce the needed environmental studies.  These 4 projects were originally planned to be widening to 8 lanes (4 each way).  The outside widening and interchange upgrades will occur sometime in the future (bet on at least 10 years, IMHO).  Existing pavements in these 4 projects will be heavily rehabbed and overlaid with asphalt.

Not to complain too much, these will be huge improvements.

This is still only about 40% of the length of the 4-lane sections between Richmond and Newport News that will have widening under construction.   

Every little bit helps.
Will Weaver
WillWeaverRVA Photography | Twitter

"But how will the oxen know where to drown if we renumber the Oregon Trail?" - NE2

VTGoose

VDOT is pushing ahead with its "solution" to the U.S. 460 intersection with N. Main Street in Blacksburg, with one of its "public input" sessions (I'll be out of town that day so will miss it).

Bruce in Blacksburg


QuoteNorth Main Street at Route 460 Intersection Improvements Design Public Hearing
Thursday, Aug. 31, 5-7 p.m.
Blacksburg Community Center
725 Patrick Henry Dr.
Inclement Weather Date: Tuesday, Sept. 5, 5-7 p.m.
Find out about a project to improve safety at the intersection where North Main Street connects with Route 460 and Farmingdale Lane in Blacksburg. The project will modify the intersection to add and lengthen turn lanes and restrict left turns from North Main Street and Farmingdale Lane onto Route 460. The project also includes improvements to facilitate U-turns on Route 460. Closing the connection of Bishop Road to Route 460 also is being considered.
The hearing will be held in an open house format and VDOT representatives will be present to answer questions.
Review the project information and the National Environmental Policy Act document in the form of a Categorical Exclusion at the public hearing or after the hearing at VDOT's Salem District Office located at 731 Harrison Ave., Salem, 540-387-5353, 800-367-7623, TTY/TDD 711. Please call ahead to ensure the availability of appropriate personnel to answer your questions.
Property impact information, relocation assistance policies and tentative construction schedules are available for your review at the above address and will be available at the public hearing.
Give your written or oral comments at the hearing or submit them by Sept. 10, 2017, to Tim Dowdy, Project Manager, 731 Harrison Ave., Salem, VA 24153. Comments also can be emailed to tim.dowdy@vdot.virginia.gov. Please reference "North Main Street Blacksburg Public Comment"  in the subject heading.
VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information in regards to your civil rights on this project or need special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact Tim Dowdy at the phone numbers listed above.
Length: 0.9 mile
From: 0.3 Mile South of North Main Street To: 0.6 Mile North of North Main Street
State Project: 0460-150-262, P101 Federal Project: NHPP-5150(197) UPC: 108900
"Get in the fast lane, grandma!  The bingo game is ready to roll!"

Jmiles32

http://www.fauquier.com/news/with-buckland-bypass-a-no-go-officials-consider-new-ways/article_dd5a560c-79ee-11e7-b0cd-1b169076a052.html
Now that the controversial Buckland Bypass appears to be dead, hopefully the "new ways" VDOT and the NVTA will seek to alleviate traffic on the US-29 corridor will be:
1. Widening US-29 from 4 to 6 lanes from at least US-15 to Virginia Oaks Drive(preferably all the way from Warrenton but I can see why thats a long shot).
2. Widening the rest of US-15 from 2 to 4 lanes from US-29 to VA-55
3. Possibly building interchanges at Berverlys Mill Road(SR-600), Vint Hill Road(VA-215), US-15, Old Carolina Road, and Somerset Crossing Drive.

Doubt #3 will happen because of cost and how it would almost certainly bring back talks of making US-29 an interstate, which as we already know, is pretty strongly opposed.
Aspiring Transportation Planner at Virginia Tech. Go Hokies!

Beltway

Quote from: Jmiles32 on August 07, 2017, 08:06:42 PM
http://www.fauquier.com/news/with-buckland-bypass-a-no-go-officials-consider-new-ways/article_dd5a560c-79ee-11e7-b0cd-1b169076a052.html
Now that the controversial Buckland Bypass appears to be dead, hopefully the "new ways" VDOT and the NVTA will seek to alleviate traffic on the US-29 corridor will be:
1. Widening US-29 from 4 to 6 lanes from at least US-15 to Virginia Oaks Drive(preferably all the way from Warrenton but I can see why thats a long shot).

It shouldn't be a "long shot", at a minimum US-29 should be reconstructed to six lanes (three each way) between the Warrenton Bypass and Gainesville.  Eight lanes would be better.  Both roadways should be reconstructed, as in profile flattened to a modern rural arterial highway standard.

Quote from: Jmiles32 on August 07, 2017, 08:06:42 PM
2. Widening the rest of US-15 from 2 to 4 lanes from US-29 to VA-55
3. Possibly building interchanges at Berverlys Mill Road(SR-600), Vint Hill Road(VA-215), US-15, Old Carolina Road, and Somerset Crossing Drive.
Doubt #3 will happen because of cost and how it would almost certainly bring back talks of making US-29 an interstate, which as we already know, is pretty strongly opposed.

Two or three interchanges on US-29 would help a lot.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

froggie

If they're going to burn right-of-way, I'd rather it be on frontage roads and/or interchange ramps than on 8 lanes.

Beltway

Quote from: froggie on August 07, 2017, 11:26:35 PM
If they're going to burn right-of-way, I'd rather it be on frontage roads and/or interchange ramps than on 8 lanes.

If they are going to build frontage roads, then they might as well make the right-of-way limited access.  In that case a six-lane expressway could handle a lot of traffic well.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

D-Dey65

Quote from: JJBers on July 02, 2017, 04:18:08 PM
I can't believe we've manged to get 99 pages of discussion on a state...
Takumi brought it to 100 pages.


cpzilliacus

Quote from: JJBers on July 02, 2017, 04:18:08 PM
I can't believe we've manged to get 99 pages of discussion on a state commonwealth...

FTFY.  ;-)
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

1995hoo

Quote from: D-Dey65 on August 11, 2017, 05:46:51 PM
Quote from: JJBers on July 02, 2017, 04:18:08 PM
I can't believe we've manged to get 99 pages of discussion on a state...
Takumi brought it to 100 pages.



50 pages, if you set the forum to display the maximum number of posts per page instead of whatever the default is.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

cl94

Quote from: 1995hoo on August 12, 2017, 01:13:25 PM
Quote from: D-Dey65 on August 11, 2017, 05:46:51 PM
Quote from: JJBers on July 02, 2017, 04:18:08 PM
I can't believe we've manged to get 99 pages of discussion on a state...
Takumi brought it to 100 pages.



50 pages, if you set the forum to display the maximum number of posts per page instead of whatever the default is.

Only ~600 replies to go until Virginia takes the lead from New York  :-D
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

CanesFan27

Sign folks weigh the pros and cons of this sign

20170813_163049 by Adam Prince, on Flickr

Pros:
Outline around the shield
US inside the shield

Cons:
Not a cutout
Clearview

JJBers

Quote from: cl94 on August 12, 2017, 07:15:30 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on August 12, 2017, 01:13:25 PM
Quote from: D-Dey65 on August 11, 2017, 05:46:51 PM
Quote from: JJBers on July 02, 2017, 04:18:08 PM
I can't believe we've manged to get 99 pages of discussion on a state...
Takumi brought it to 100 pages.



50 pages, if you set the forum to display the maximum number of posts per page instead of whatever the default is.

Only ~600 replies to go until Virginia takes the lead from New York  :-D
So 2100
:bigass:
*for Connecticut
Clinched Stats,
Flickr,
(2di:I-24, I-76, I-80, I-84, I-95 [ME-GA], I-91)

Takumi

Quote from: CanesFan27 on August 26, 2017, 01:45:10 PM
Sign folks weigh the pros and cons of this sign

20170813_163049 by Adam Prince, on Flickr

Pros:
Outline around the shield
US inside the shield

Cons:
Not a cutout
Clearview
California contractor, maybe?
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

froggie

I want to say I've seen a few of these stylized US shields on small guide signs elsewhere in the Hampton Roads area, but I can't remember where I would've seen them...

cpzilliacus

I am not saying it has never happened before, but this type of corruption is unusual at VDOT.

Washington Post: Virginia officials charged in snow-clearing bribery scheme

QuoteTwo Virginia Department of Transportation officials were arrested Thursday for allegedly taking $140,000 in bribes from snow-removal contractors, according to prosecutors and court documents.

QuoteThe bribery scheme started in the 2013-2014 snow season and involved more than $9.1 million in contracts, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

QuoteThe state officials steered snow-clearing work to contractors in exchange for bribes and the officials often got a cut of the contractor's payment from the commonwealth, prosecutors said.

QuoteAnthony Willie, superintendent at the Burke-area maintenance headquarters, and his deputy, Kenneth Adams, secretly sought "to enrich themselves by corruptly demanding . . . and agreeing to receive and accept bribes . . . in exchange for being influenced in the performance of official acts in their roles as public officials,"  according to the indictment.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Beltway

Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 31, 2017, 10:48:56 PM
I am not saying it has never happened before, but this type of corruption is unusual at VDOT.
Washington Post: Virginia officials charged in snow-clearing bribery scheme
QuoteTwo Virginia Department of Transportation officials were arrested Thursday for allegedly taking $140,000 in bribes from snow-removal contractors, according to prosecutors and court documents.
QuoteThe bribery scheme started in the 2013-2014 snow season and involved more than $9.1 million in contracts, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
QuoteThe state officials steered snow-clearing work to contractors in exchange for bribes and the officials often got a cut of the contractor's payment from the commonwealth, prosecutors said.
QuoteAnthony Willie, superintendent at the Burke-area maintenance headquarters, and his deputy, Kenneth Adams, secretly sought "to enrich themselves by corruptly demanding . . . and agreeing to receive and accept bribes . . . in exchange for being influenced in the performance of official acts in their roles as public officials,"  according to the indictment.

I don't understand how an area headquarters Maintenance Superintendent  would have anything to do with the issuance of contracts for hired equipment for snow removal.  Too low of a position.

I would have thought that would be handled at the Residency or District Office level by an engineer-level person.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

cpzilliacus

Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2017, 11:44:42 PM
I don't understand how an area headquarters Maintenance Superintendent  would have anything to do with the issuance of contracts for hired equipment for snow removal.  Too low of a position.

According to the federal indictment, the two VDOT staff persons had a lot of authority to identify snow plowing contractors and assign them work (presumably delegated down to them by the Northern Virginia District?).

Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2017, 11:44:42 PM
I would have thought that would be handled at the Residency or District Office level by an engineer-level person.

The number of people working at VDOT's Northern Virginia District (and probably other VDOT districts as well) has been trending downward.  The Great Recession of 2008
resulted in a big drop in highway user taxes collected for VDOT, which in turn led to a lot  of people being laid-off.  As a result, maybe delegating to the maintenance headquarters staff became inevitable?
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Beltway

#2496
Quote from: cpzilliacus on September 01, 2017, 01:09:16 PM
Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2017, 11:44:42 PM
I don't understand how an area headquarters Maintenance Superintendent  would have anything to do with the issuance of contracts for hired equipment for snow removal.  Too low of a position.
According to the federal indictment, the two VDOT staff persons had a lot of authority to identify snow plowing contractors and assign them work (presumably delegated down to them by the Northern Virginia District?).
Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2017, 11:44:42 PM
I would have thought that would be handled at the Residency or District Office level by an engineer-level person.
The number of people working at VDOT's Northern Virginia District (and probably other VDOT districts as well) has been trending downward.  The Great Recession of 2008
resulted in a big drop in highway user taxes collected for VDOT, which in turn led to a lot  of people being laid-off.  As a result, maybe delegating to the maintenance headquarters staff became inevitable?

Those layoffs (reduction to 7,000 staff) were due to Governor Tim Kaine's grandstanding in 2009 as part of his attempt (including the closing of many Interstate rest areas) to hornswoggle the General Assembly into enacting large tax increases, which failed.

VDOT's total budget never did decline during that period, and the maintenance budget was kept well-funded.

In the last 4 years VDOT has done lots of hiring and is up to over 7,500 today.  There should be no reason why any over-delegating should have happened.

If employees engaged in corruption then they should be held liable in the legal process.

As I said above I just need an explanation of how area headquarters staff would have any power to select contractors.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Mapmikey

Here is a job description of that kind of position which doesn't outright say they award contracts but is it possible they have several contractors authorized by VDOT to do snow removal and the superintendent has the ability to pick which of those is called in for a particular snow event?

http://www.virginiadot.org/jobs/resources/Maintenance_Superintendent.docx

Beltway

Quote from: Mapmikey on September 01, 2017, 02:21:26 PM
Here is a job description of that kind of position which doesn't outright say they award contracts but is it possible they have several contractors authorized by VDOT to do snow removal and the superintendent has the ability to pick which of those is called in for a particular snow event?
http://www.virginiadot.org/jobs/resources/Maintenance_Superintendent.docx

"Monitor maintenance and hired equipment contracts for compliance with required specifications."

That would mean to inspect the work and verify that it has been done properly.  The issuance of contracts and the assignment of contractors would be a higher level task assigned to a contract administrator, and that is a Residency Office or District Office function.

People who know me know that I am skeptical in general of the output of newspapers, as far as the expertise and accuracy of their reportage.  I just want to get an accurate picture of what has happened in this case.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

EricJV95

I just noticed a NEW BIGGER guide overhead sign on 95 South at EXIT 84A at I-295 (Richmond/Petersburg Bypass). Looks pretty nice. PLUS they did it right!!! EXIT 84A is signed as  SOUTH 295 to EAST 64 Williamsburg-Norfolk- Va Beach (Which Replaced Richmond Int'l Airport / Rocky Mount, NC) good move. And it also has for 95 itself the following: SOUTH 95 to 295 and WEST 64 Richmond - Charlottesvile. Very good. However, Only one small detail. The arrows should be pointing DOWN. Those arrows are TACKY !!!! VERY TACKY!!! Other than that; Very good signage. And they should have at least added either Petersburg or Emporia on the 95 SOUTH overhead with Richmond - Charlottesville.



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