Virginia

[cpzilliacus]

Agreed, the diamond interchange at VA-286(Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway) is very outdated. Considering the limited amount of right of way in the proximity of the interchange, a split-level(3 level) diamond interchange would definitely be an improvement.

A 3-level diamond would indeed be ideal for that interchange but would be very difficult and costly to pull off. VA 286 would have to rise at least another 16 feet.. that construction alone would definitely interrupt the traffic flow on that road. Plus there is very little room for ramps to/from VA 286 south, which is needed for such an interchange (still room available in the northern part of the interchange though).

One possibility that might work in the tight space there is a three-level stack interchange.  I have only seen one of those, at the junction of U.S. 29 and MD-200 in the Silver Spring area of Montgomery County, Maryland, and it works well (though the traffic volumes on MD-200 are not (yet) as high as on VA-286 or VA-267).

[Beltway]

Right, but how much traffic utilizes those ramps?  Is there a congestion issue?  The other nearby arterials with interchanges with the Toll Road provide a relief factor.  Within 2 miles to the east are the interchanges with Reston Parkway and Wiehle Avenue, and 1 1/2 miles to the west is the interchange with Centreville Road.   IOW, four interchanges with arterials within about 3 1/2 miles, plus parallel (to the tollroad) arterials (Sunrise Valley Drive to the south, and Sunset Hills Road and Herndon Parkway and Worldgate Drive to the north) that provide off-tollroad traffic distribution in that whole area.

Thousands of vehicles a in the traditional peak-flow directions over the course of five hours. It impacts traffic on the mainline of VA-286 every weekday morning and afternoon, and it got worse after VA-286 was completed from VA-267 to VA-7, because then it became (for some drivers) part of a way to shunpike the Dulles Greenway and its high tolls (especially for travel less than the full length), using VA-286 and VA-7.
Beyond that, there is a lot of employment in Reston and Herndon near the interchange too - which means that not all traffic follows that traditional AM eastbound and PM westbound travel any longer, though that's where the congestion was the  last time I looked at it closely.

You seem to be sidestepping the question of just how much actual congestion and possible backups occur at that interchange and how often, and if there is how recently has it become an issue?

Like I said the access to the Toll Road in the Reston area is spread over 4 arterial interchanges.

[Beltway]

Agreed, the diamond interchange at VA-286(Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway) is very outdated. Considering the limited amount of right of way in the proximity of the interchange, a split-level(3 level) diamond interchange would definitely be an improvement.

A 3-level diamond would indeed be ideal for that interchange but would be very difficult and costly to pull off. VA 286 would have to rise at least another 16 feet.. that construction alone would definitely interrupt the traffic flow on that road. Plus there is very little room for ramps to/from VA 286 south, which is needed for such an interchange (still room available in the northern part of the interchange though).

One possibility that might work in the tight space there is a three-level stack interchange.  I have only seen one of those, at the junction of U.S. 29 and MD-200 in the Silver Spring area of Montgomery County, Maryland, and it works well (though the traffic volumes on MD-200 are not (yet) as high as on VA-286 or VA-267).

As you can see on the ICC site that took a lot more right-of-way than is available on this DTR site.  It takes long distance on semi-directional ramps to make acceptable grades on a 3-level interchange.

[Beltway]

I wonder how the residents feel about it?  Hundreds of houses along that section of VA-653, if I lived there I might be opposed.

Why would they be opposed? Is the Courthouse Rd name being dropped in favor of Huguenot Rd? I could see that being an issue but if not then there shouldn't be a problem.

Yeah, I don't see any reason for opposition for it. It's just changing funding allocations and a few dozen shields. (And yes, I agree that extending it to 288 is also sensible, but it wasn't proposed.)

What is the benefit for making it VA-147?  It is not some major long distance route.

It's a very busy corridor, one which I frequently use going to the Midlothian area.

That doesn't seem to be a compelling reason for extending the VA-147 designation for 4 miles.  Existing VA-147 is a fairly short route itself.

[cpzilliacus]

You seem to be sidestepping the question of just how much actual congestion and possible backups occur at that interchange and how often, and if there is how recently has it become an issue?

Like I said the access to the Toll Road in the Reston area is spread over 4 arterial interchanges.

I have seen the congestion there with my own eyes - repeatedly - especially bad as I suggested above, VA-286 southbound to VA-267 eastbound, which subjects northbound VA-286 to long waits thanks to the left-turning traffic.  The other roads that intersect VA-267 (and have interchanges) are minor arterials.  VA-286 is not. 

[cpzilliacus]

As you can see on the ICC site that took a lot more right-of-way than is available on this DTR site.  It takes long distance on semi-directional ramps to make acceptable grades on a 3-level interchange.

It was built that way precisely because there was inadequate space for what had been envisioned when the land was put in reservation in the 1960's or early 1970's - and because there still had to be stormwater controls in the interchange (which were not required when the land was reserved either).

[1995hoo]

Agreed, the diamond interchange at VA-286(Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway) is very outdated. Considering the limited amount of right of way in the proximity of the interchange, a split-level(3 level) diamond interchange would definitely be an improvement.

A 3-level diamond would indeed be ideal for that interchange but would be very difficult and costly to pull off. VA 286 would have to rise at least another 16 feet.. that construction alone would definitely interrupt the traffic flow on that road. Plus there is very little room for ramps to/from VA 286 south, which is needed for such an interchange (still room available in the northern part of the interchange though).

Less room than it may appear. There's a wetlands issue complicating development adjacent to the northwest portion of that interchange (indeed that's probably why that land hasn't already been developed).

[Mapmikey]

That doesn't seem to be a compelling reason for extending the VA-147 designation for 4 miles.  Existing VA-147 is a fairly short route itself.

It met all the decision criteria set by the CTB in their study of the 30 secondary routes in the NHS system for potential move to the primary system.  Traffic counts to include truck/bus volumes are one of the main criteria.  Because the VA 147 extension would not be in an independent city, there would be more funding per lane-mile and the state would also get to choose the priority of upgrades/maintenance instead of Chesterfield County.

[Beltway]

You seem to be sidestepping the question of just how much actual congestion and possible backups occur at that interchange and how often, and if there is how recently has it become an issue?
Like I said the access to the Toll Road in the Reston area is spread over 4 arterial interchanges.

I have seen the congestion there with my own eyes - repeatedly - especially bad as I suggested above, VA-286 southbound to VA-267 eastbound, which subjects northbound VA-286 to long waits thanks to the left-turning traffic.  The other roads that intersect VA-267 (and have interchanges) are minor arterials.  VA-286 is not. 

The connecting and parallel arterials that I detailed provide considerable capacity to connect to the Toll Road in the Reston area.  We need to quantify how bad is "bad" and how long is "long waits".  Also how extensive in terms of hours.

The Reston area is a congested area just in general and probably always will be.

Since Fairfax County was a major participant in building the Fairfax County Parkway, why didn't they protect the right-of-way so that these interchanges could be expanded to full cloverleafs in the future if needed?  Instead they allowed large business buildings to be built in these areas.

In any event, enough info has come forth here and in my inquiry to VDOT, that I will most likely drop my advocacy for redesignating VA-267 as I-595.

[Jmiles32]

You seem to be sidestepping the question of just how much actual congestion and possible backups occur at that interchange and how often, and if there is how recently has it become an issue?
Like I said the access to the Toll Road in the Reston area is spread over 4 arterial interchanges.

I have seen the congestion there with my own eyes - repeatedly - especially bad as I suggested above, VA-286 southbound to VA-267 eastbound, which subjects northbound VA-286 to long waits thanks to the left-turning traffic.  The other roads that intersect VA-267 (and have interchanges) are minor arterials.  VA-286 is not. 

The connecting and parallel arterials that I detailed provide considerable capacity to connect to the Toll Road in the Reston area.  We need to quantify how bad is "bad" and how long is "long waits".  Also how extensive in terms of hours.

The Reston area is a congested area just in general and probably always will be.

Since Fairfax County was a major participant in building the Fairfax County Parkway, why didn't they protect the right-of-way so that these interchanges could be expanded to full cloverleafs in the future if needed?  Instead they allowed large business buildings to be built in these areas.

In any event, enough info has come forth here and in my inquiry to VDOT, that I will most likely drop my advocacy for redesignating VA-267 as I-595.

Your likely correct that Fairfax County probably didn't worry much about preserving any right-of-way for possible future interchanges along the Fairfax County Parkway due to all the multiple other four-lane parallel roads in close proximity to it. VA-28 only a couple miles west, has been a much more prominent focus.

[Beltway]

Since Fairfax County was a major participant in building the Fairfax County Parkway, why didn't they protect the right-of-way so that these interchanges could be expanded to full cloverleafs in the future if needed?  Instead they allowed large business buildings to be built in these areas.
In any event, enough info has come forth here and in my inquiry to VDOT, that I will most likely drop my advocacy for redesignating VA-267 as I-595.

Your likely correct that Fairfax County probably didn't worry much about preserving any right-of-way for possible future interchanges along the Fairfax County Parkway due to all the multiple other four-lane parallel roads in close proximity to it. VA-28 only a couple miles west, has been a much more prominent focus.

I agree, and VA-28 ultimately will be an 8-lane freeway between I-66 and VA-7; and if ever there is a connecting freeway to I-270/I-370, it will most likely seamlessly connect to VA-28 and not to the Fairfax County Parkway.

[Beltway]

That doesn't seem to be a compelling reason for extending the VA-147 designation for 4 miles.  Existing VA-147 is a fairly short route itself.

It met all the decision criteria set by the CTB in their study of the 30 secondary routes in the NHS system for potential move to the primary system.  Traffic counts to include truck/bus volumes are one of the main criteria.  Because the VA 147 extension would not be in an independent city, there would be more funding per lane-mile and the state would also get to choose the priority of upgrades/maintenance instead of Chesterfield County.

That would be logical then, although I wonder why they wouldn't extend it to VA-288 at Five Points.

Courthouse Road used to be all 2 lanes, and they widened to 4 lanes the segment at VA-76 when that was built in the mid-1980s, and the rest in the early 1990s between US-360 and US-60.  They may want to widen the rest to 6 lanes in the near future.

The bridge at Falling Creek was built wide enough for a future 6 lanes --
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4544719,-77.5879834,62m/data=!3m1!1e3

Having a primary road intersecting may give higher state funding priority to building the loops at the VA-76 interchange.  This interchange is one of the projects that I designed in the early 1980s when I worked in VDOT Location & Design, and the loops and connecting C-D roadways were designed then but deferred to a future stage, to save on construction costs.  The outer connector ramps connect to signalized intersections for the left turns.  The bridge over VA-76 is wide enough for the auxiliary lanes between the loops.
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4653065,-77.5947753,987m/data=!3m1!1e3

Interesting interchange with the mainline toll plaza and the C-D roadways that have local toll plazas for each connection.

[Mapmikey]

That would be logical then, although I wonder why they wouldn't extend it to VA-288 at Five Points.

It appears that the route is not in the NHS south of US 360, per https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/virginia/richmond_va.pdf

This was the first selection criteria used by the CTB...

[Beltway]

That would be logical then, although I wonder why they wouldn't extend it to VA-288 at Five Points.

It appears that the route is not in the NHS south of US 360, per https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs_maps/virginia/richmond_va.pdf
This was the first selection criteria used by the CTB...

Looks like the only county secondary road on that map that is in the NHS.

[cpzilliacus]

Less room than it may appear. There's a wetlands issue complicating development adjacent to the northwest portion of that interchange (indeed that's probably why that land hasn't already been developed).

Though the presence of that stream (Sugarland Run) did not deter the construction of the  screwy interchange north of VA-267 at VA-675 (Sunset Hills Road).  And at least one of the streams that feeds into that wetland comes from the south side of the VA-267 (and friends) right-of-way near the Sprint building.  It also appears that there is at least one structure holding-up a high-voltage transmission line smack in  the middle of the wetland.

Aside: Sugarland Run was badly impacted by a petroleum product pipeline rupture near the site of Reston Hospital in the 1990's, long before VA-286 was extended north of the Toll Road. Details here.
Reston, Virginia

From a book that provides a summary  of pipeline issues is this:

On March 28, 1993, Colonial Pipeline Company's 36-inch pipeline ruptured in Reston, Virginia, causing the release of about 407,700 gallons of diesel fuel into Sugarland Run, a tributary of the Potomac River. The release caused significant environmental damage and threatened water supplies in parts of Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. According to NTSB, the probable cause of the break was excavation damage that had taken place at some undetermined time. During the 6-year period before the rupture, more than 200 contractors and groups had worked in the vicinity of the section of pipeline that ruptured, constructing a medical complex.

Getting back to the interchange, I am not saying that it is easy or cheap, but I think MWAA could hire a consulting engineer (maybe with some help from VDOT) to come up with some concepts to improve the interchange. 

[1995hoo]

This is new. Wonder what prompted this. I recall people disliked it when Virginia tried putting an emissions sticker in this spot back in the early 1980s.

http://twitter.com/deedeverell/status/938465618520616962

[LM117]

This is new. Wonder what prompted this. I recall people disliked it when Virginia tried putting an emissions sticker in this spot back in the early 1980s.

http://twitter.com/deedeverell/status/938465618520616962

Good! Stickers in the bottom center look like shit, IMO. NC used to have them in the bottom left corner too before they did away with stickers altogether and went electronic.

[WillWeaverRVA]

This is new. Wonder what prompted this. I recall people disliked it when Virginia tried putting an emissions sticker in this spot back in the early 1980s.

http://twitter.com/deedeverell/status/938465618520616962

Supposedly it's due to technological advances in motor vehicles, namely crash avoidance technology. Those systems use the center of the windshield, and placing stickers there could interfere with it.

Here's VSP's press release:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10It4363L2wMlkBm6uXF5mgB4Qq6dgJ1v/view

[Takumi]

IIRC West Virginia already puts them there.

[1995hoo]

IIRC West Virginia already puts them there.

I believe most states that use stickers do. (Begs the question of whether we need stickers. I'm all for the inspection. It keeps serious junkers off the road. But I'm not convinced the sticker is really needed.)

[Beltway]

Getting back to the [VA-267/VA-286] interchange, I am not saying that it is easy or cheap, but I think MWAA could hire a consulting engineer (maybe with some help from VDOT) to come up with some concepts to improve the interchange. 

If nothing else a very high capacity diamond interchange upgrade such as what I said earlier about I-95 at Melbourne, FL.

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.9985359,-80.6305788,274m/data=!3m1!1e3

[froggie]

^^ Ours (Vermont) are in the upper middle of the windshield...usually (depending on the vehicle) just under the rear view mirror such that said mirror partially blocks seeing the sticker from the driver's point of view.

[plain]

I think having it at the bottom left of the windshield also makes it easier for cops driving in the opposite direction to see if it's expired or not smdh

[Beltway]

CTB AWARDS FOUR CONTRACTS WORTH $374.7 MILLION
Contracts awarded for widening of eastbound I-66 Inside the Beltway and I-64 Segment III
http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/statewide/2017/ctb_awards_four_contracts121584.asp

Eastbound I-66 Inside the Beltway will be widened between the Dulles Connector Road and Fairfax Drive --
An $85.7 million contract was awarded to Lane Construction Corp. of Chantilly to add a through lane along approximately four miles of eastbound Interstate 66 between the Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) and Fairfax Drive (Route 237) in Fairfax and Arlington counties, in VDOT's Northern Virginia District.

I-64 will be widened to three lanes for more than eight miles in York County --
A $178.3 million contract was awarded to Shirley Contracting Co. LLC of Lorton for I-64 Capacity Improvements Segment III. The project will extend the three lane section of Interstate 64 for about 8.2 miles west of the I-64 Capacity Improvement Segment II endpoint in VDOT's Hampton Roads District.

A new I-264 interchange will be constructed at Witchduck Road in the City of Virginia Beach --
A $105.4 million contract was awarded to The Lane Construction Corp. of Cheshire, Connecticut for the Interstate 264 / Witchduck Road Interchange and Ramp Extension Project in VDOT's Hampton Roads District.

[VTGoose]

CTB AWARDS FOUR CONTRACTS WORTH $374.7 MILLION

A new I-264 interchange will be constructed at Witchduck Road in the City of Virginia Beach --
A $105.4 million contract was awarded to The Lane Construction Corp. of Cheshire, Connecticut for the Interstate 264 / Witchduck Road Interchange and Ramp Extension Project in VDOT's Hampton Roads District.

Really? Is there a massive need for yet another interchange in Virginia Beach? Meanwhile, improving an unsafe intersection (there is at least one wreck per week) in Montgomery County was flatly turned down in favor of a bandaid "R cut" that only moves the problem to different locations on U.S. 460. The residents of Blacksburg who have been fighting this problem for years will be so happy to know that Virginia Beach is being taken care of so well. Merry Christmas and screw you Southwest Virginia.

Bruce in Blacksburg