Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[sprjus4]

I understand US-58 is technically "complete" between Stuart and I-64, but I wish they could dedicate some of those annual funds towards further upgrades on the portion east of I-95, specifically constructing a new alignment between Holland and Suffolk, and upgrading US-58 between the Suffolk Bypass and Bowers Hill to interstate standards. A wish list would say upgrade the entire segment east of I-95 to interstate standards, but the segment east of Holland needs to be addressed sooner rather than later and is not even a real project at this point - merely spot improvements to the existing, non-limited-access, traffic signal infested roadway - and a widening project closer to Suffolk which is not a long-term solution for a major freight corridor. Shows the planning efforts on Virginia's part.

[Jmiles32]

I understand US-58 is technically "complete" between Stuart and I-64, but I wish they could dedicate some of those annual funds towards further upgrades on the portion east of I-95, specifically constructing a new alignment between Holland and Suffolk, and upgrading US-58 between the Suffolk Bypass and Bowers Hill to interstate standards. A wish list would say upgrade the entire segment east of I-95 to interstate standards, but the segment east of Holland needs to be addressed sooner rather than later and is not even a real project at this point - merely spot improvements to the existing, non-limited-access, traffic signal infested roadway - and a widening project closer to Suffolk which is not a long-term solution for a major freight corridor. Shows the planning efforts on Virginia's part.

Not to get too off topic here but yeah I definitely think that the choice to widen that portion of US-58 west of Suffolk rather than build a bypass was a mistake.

[Strider]

Back in May 2020, VDOT has revised the preferred alternative of the Martinsville Southern Connector project to connect with the US-220 bypass further west of the Joseph Martin Hwy interchange, a location IMO that is more logical and would have less right-of-way impact. It also opens up the possibility to have continuity between the US-220 bypass north and the new Martinsville Southern Connector south.

This new routing will be evaluated in the Final EIS projected to be complete by October 2020.



https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/Salem/Martinsville-Connector/Route_220_MAY_2020_Newsletter_FINAL.pdf
https://www.virginiadot.org/Projects/Salem/asset_upload_file57_143753.pdf

I would hope that the following changes occur in the Final EIS from the Draft EIS -
- Further west tie in
- Continuity between Martinsville Southern Connector with traffic continuing on US-58 East and vice versa having to exit/enter to/from the right.
- Design speed of 70 mph or 75 mph as opposed to 60 mph to permit a posted 70 mph speed limit.

If this highway is to conceptually become apart of I-73 in the future, these features would be standard on a rural interstate facility, and even though the project is technically an independent arterial bypass, it should be designed to be apart of an I-73 that follows MSC and the existing US-220 bypass north.

VDOT released a new update regarding the projects, indicating that they have submitted a Joint Permit Application (JPA) for the modified preferred alternative of the Martinsville Southern Connector project.

Digging through, I was able to find schematics of the new alignment and how they have decided to tackle the US-58 / US-220 interchange, and it seems they have decided to properly redesign it to include full continuity between the Martinsville Southern Connector and US-220 to the north, with the cross section significantly widening south of the interchange area to match the wide median of the existing US-220 bypass.

With the southern interchange remaining the same, the current design of the Martinsville Southern Connector will have full continuity to US-220 on either end, a bonus if it is to become apart of Interstate 73 in the future to avoid a TOTSO situation.

The only other feature that still has not been updated is the proposed design speed of 60 mph, which would indicate they still intend posting a 55 mph speed limit on this rural, interstate-standard freeway. Specifically, the curve the highway will take to diverge from US-220 on the southern end of the project is designed at 60 mph, not 70 mph. Hopefully this will be addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

That is the first I heard of the updated northern interchange. Where did you find these photos? I couldn't find it everywhere.. not even on the VDOT's MSC page...

[sprjus4]

^ Sorry for the late response. I recall seeing those somewhere on VDOT’s MSC page, though the links may have now been removed.

[sprjus4]

I-73 Corridor in Virginia could receive funding from Infrastructure Bill

ROANOKE, Va, — Congress is just days away from passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would give Virginia over $7 billion for roads and bridges.

One major road project in Southwest Virginia is the Interstate 73 corridor which has been in the works for decades. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says although Congress is passing the bill for funding. It will be up to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to prioritize what projects will benefit from the money.

“So they will be looking at well, do we do new projects that weren’t on the five-year plan or do they accelerate projects that were on the five-year plan and complete them sooner so that they can add new projects,”  said Senator Kaine.

[LM117]

I-73 Corridor in Virginia could receive funding from Infrastructure Bill

ROANOKE, Va, — Congress is just days away from passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would give Virginia over $7 billion for roads and bridges.

One major road project in Southwest Virginia is the Interstate 73 corridor which has been in the works for decades. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says although Congress is passing the bill for funding. It will be up to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to prioritize what projects will benefit from the money.

...which doesn't bode well for I-73, given the political muscle what it has to compete against.

[Jmiles32]

I-73 Corridor in Virginia could receive funding from Infrastructure Bill

ROANOKE, Va, — Congress is just days away from passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would give Virginia over $7 billion for roads and bridges.

One major road project in Southwest Virginia is the Interstate 73 corridor which has been in the works for decades. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says although Congress is passing the bill for funding. It will be up to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to prioritize what projects will benefit from the money.

...which doesn't bode well for I-73, given the political muscle what it has to compete against.

Yeah if this money gets put into smart scale then I-73 is getting nothing. Would love to at least see the Martinsville Southern Connector get done.

[LM117]

I-73 Corridor in Virginia could receive funding from Infrastructure Bill

ROANOKE, Va, — Congress is just days away from passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill that would give Virginia over $7 billion for roads and bridges.

One major road project in Southwest Virginia is the Interstate 73 corridor which has been in the works for decades. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine says although Congress is passing the bill for funding. It will be up to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to prioritize what projects will benefit from the money.

...which doesn't bode well for I-73, given the political muscle what it has to compete against.

Yeah if this money gets put into smart scale then I-73 is getting nothing. Would love to at least see the Martinsville Southern Connector get done.

I'd be shocked if even the MSC gets built at this point, tbh.

[Roadsguy]

They've released the Final EIS for the MSC. Detailed diagrams of the preferred alternative can be found in the Alternatives Analysis technical report.

[Strider]

Yeah, there is also another document where it is over 500 pages, but it also shows the map of MSC's path like spjrus4 mentioned a few posts back.  The following map(s) of the path of MSC shows three interchanges: 2 diamond and 1 modified T directional interchanges:

Traditional diamond interchange with current US 220 where MSC leaves on a new terrain to curve back and cross US 220
Traditional diamond interchange with Soapstone Rd. (the road that leads to current US 220 and Ridgeway)
modified T interchange with current US 58/US 220 Bypass (the road used to have TOTSO, but now modified to have MSC as a direct route and US 58/220 Bypass exit off)

It is still unknown what number the route will be. It could be a new US 220 Bypass, a new route number even I-73 (which will require a separate study).

There will be a lot of bridges built on the path, however.

The link is here: https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/Salem/Martinsville-Connector/Final_EIS_FOR_POSTING/Route220_Martinsville_Southern_Connector_Final_Environmental_Impact_Statement_-_Appendix_D_1.pdf

[Roadsguy]

It is still unknown what number the route will be. It could be a new US 220 Bypass, a new route number even I-73 (which will require a separate study).

VDOT doesn't seem to use Bypass routes as much as NCDOT. (Are there any in Virginia at all?) I predict US 220 will be rerouted onto the MSC, with the existing road becoming a southern extension of Business 220. Since NCDOT won't upgrade US 220 to I-73 up to the state line until VDOT upgrades their segment, VDOT will probably apply for and sign I-73 up to the current bypass, since where else is it going to go? 220 will probably be left on the connector unless they pull a US 117 and reroute it back on its original alignment through the town, eliminating Business 220 altogether, which is unlikely.

[hbelkins]

Virginia typically routes the main route onto a new alignment and signs the old route with a "Business" banner.

[74/171FAN]

It is still unknown what number the route will be. It could be a new US 220 Bypass, a new route number even I-73 (which will require a separate study).

VDOT doesn't seem to use Bypass routes as much as NCDOT. (Are there any in Virginia at all?) I predict US 220 will be rerouted onto the MSC, with the existing road becoming a southern extension of Business 220. Since NCDOT won't upgrade US 220 to I-73 up to the state line until VDOT upgrades their segment, VDOT will probably apply for and sign I-73 up to the current bypass, since where else is it going to go? 220 will probably be left on the connector unless they pull a US 117 and reroute it back on its original alignment through the town, eliminating Business 220 altogether, which is unlikely.

And Ridgeway, VA, already has its own business route so that may affect things here.  VDOT could do a Danville or Lynchburg and make a third state route number for the current business route in Ridgeway though (or even make a VA 87 BUS or ALT).

[Mapmikey]

Virginia sometimes signs with bypass banners with the through-town route with a business banner.

There is one instance where the bypass banner is signed and the route through town is bannerless - VA 156 at Hopewell.

[cpzilliacus]

Virginia sometimes signs with bypass banners with the through-town route with a business banner.

There is one instance where the bypass banner is signed and the route through town is bannerless - VA 156 at Hopewell.

When it first opened, the VA-234 bypass mostly to the west of Manassas was called "Manassas  Bypass"  and signed VA-234, as H.B. described above.  Then the name was changed to Prince William Parkway, which follows VA-294 east of Manassas.

The "old" VA-234 is (at least in theory) Business VA-234 through the City of Manassas but the business banners seem to mostly have been forgotten.

[Strider]

Virginia sometimes signs with bypass banners with the through-town route with a business banner.

There is one instance where the bypass banner is signed and the route through town is bannerless - VA 156 at Hopewell.

When it first opened, the VA-234 bypass mostly to the west of Manassas was called "Manassas  Bypass"  and signed VA-234, as H.B. described above.  Then the name was changed to Prince William Parkway, which follows VA-294 east of Manassas.

The "old" VA-234 is (at least in theory) Business VA-234 through the City of Manassas but the business banners seem to mostly have been forgotten.

Isn't Business VA 234 named Sudley Rd. through City of Manassas? I remembered that name while I lived there in 2012.

[Mapmikey]

Virginia sometimes signs with bypass banners with the through-town route with a business banner.

There is one instance where the bypass banner is signed and the route through town is bannerless - VA 156 at Hopewell.

When it first opened, the VA-234 bypass mostly to the west of Manassas was called "Manassas  Bypass"  and signed VA-234, as H.B. described above.  Then the name was changed to Prince William Parkway, which follows VA-294 east of Manassas.

The "old" VA-234 is (at least in theory) Business VA-234 through the City of Manassas but the business banners seem to mostly have been forgotten.

Isn't Business VA 234 named Sudley Rd. through City of Manassas? I remembered that name while I lived there in 2012.

VA 234 Business does use the majority of Sudley Rd north of Manassas downtown; uses Grant Ave through downtown and Dumfries Rd south of there.

Incidentally, there are a lot more business banners on shields than there used to be....

[cpzilliacus]

Isn't Business VA 234 named Sudley Rd. through City of Manassas? I remembered that name while I lived there in 2012.

North of the downtown area of Manassas, as far as I-66, Business 234 is Sudley Road.  North of I-66, 236 takes the Sudley Road name north (and then west) to U.S. 15.

[74/171FAN]

Virginia sometimes signs with bypass banners with the through-town route with a business banner.

There is one instance where the bypass banner is signed and the route through town is bannerless - VA 156 at Hopewell.

When it first opened, the VA-234 bypass mostly to the west of Manassas was called "Manassas  Bypass"  and signed VA-234, as H.B. described above.  Then the name was changed to Prince William Parkway, which follows VA-294 east of Manassas.

The "old" VA-234 is (at least in theory) Business VA-234 through the City of Manassas but the business banners seem to mostly have been forgotten.

Isn't Business VA 234 named Sudley Rd. through City of Manassas? I remembered that name while I lived there in 2012.

VA 234 Business does use the majority of Sudley Rd north of Manassas downtown; uses Grant Ave through downtown and Dumfries Rd south of there.

Incidentally, there are a lot more business banners on shields than there used to be....

Yes, I cannot remember if I saw any shields without business banners when I clinched VA 234 BUS in July.

[sprjus4]

Finally got a chance to glance at some of the environmental documents.

The project looks good overall, with the new facility being a full freeway design with full continuity on either end to continue onto US-220 without any TOTSO movements.

Here is a schematic of the project, provided through the Alternative Analysis Technical Report.



My only gripe, and was during the Draft EIS process, is the document indicated the project would be designed with a 60 mph design speed limit, and a 55 mph posted speed limit. Given VDOT's data already indicates the 85th percentile speed is in excess of 65 mph on the existing, substandard US-220 that's also 55 mph, there's no logic for retaining that speed on the bypass which will be a modern, four lane fully controlled access facility with standard lane widths, wide shoulders, large clearsides, and gentle curvature. The design speed, for a proper rural freeway facility, should be 70 mph or 75 mph, and a posted speed limit of at least 65 mph, ideally 70 mph.

Obviously, this could change, and I would not be surprised if, when the facility is ever constructed, the speed limit is quickly raised to 65 mph or 70 mph regardless of the "design" speed, with advisory speeds of 60 mph where needed (due to failure now to properly design wider curve radii that can handle 70 mph). Either that, or it becomes a speed trap with an artificially low limit.

[plain]

That looks pretty impressive given the terrain involved. It's definitely going to cost a bit but it looks like they're trying to do their best to keep the snaking to a minimum.

[Strider]

That looks pretty impressive given the terrain involved. It's definitely going to cost a bit but it looks like they're trying to do their best to keep the snaking to a minimum.

It does cost a little bit more, but not as bad as thought to be.

If it gets approved and funded, their first plan is to rebuilt US 220 from NC border to the first exit where US 220 will leave and the MSC begins its new alignment. Hopefully that will allow NC to extend I-73 towards VA border at least or towards that first exit in VA. But, I am not sure if the MSC will be constructed in sections or one full project.

[LM117]

My only gripe, and was during the Draft EIS process, is the document indicated the project would be designed with a 60 mph design speed limit, and a 55 mph posted speed limit. Given VDOT's data already indicates the 85th percentile speed is in excess of 65 mph on the existing, substandard US-220 that's also 55 mph, there's no logic for retaining that speed on the bypass which will be a modern, four lane fully controlled access facility with standard lane widths, wide shoulders, large clearsides, and gentle curvature. The design speed, for a proper rural freeway facility, should be 70 mph or 75 mph, and a posted speed limit of at least 65 mph, ideally 70 mph.

Agreed. Hell, most of US-29 between Lynchburg and Blairs is 60mph, and it's not even a freeway. The Danville bypass could easily be 70mph if it wasn't for the at-grade at Elizabeth Street.

Obviously, this could change, and I would not be surprised if, when the facility is ever constructed, the speed limit is quickly raised to 65 mph or 70 mph regardless of the "design" speed, with advisory speeds of 60 mph where needed (due to failure now to properly design wider curve radii that can handle 70 mph). Either that, or it becomes a speed trap with an artificially low limit.

Probably the latter.