Berkeley Springs (US 522) Bypass

[lepidopteran]

At this past weekend's road meet, we all got a good look at the progress of the US-522 bypass around Berkeley Springs, WV.  The overpasses/underpasses appear to be complete, and most if not all of the roadway has been paved.  No striping yet (could just be the first asphalt layer), and signage has yet to make an appearance.

But here is my question, as there seems to be very little online about this project.

When is the northern end of the bypass going to be constructed?  While the southern tie-in to mainline 522 was nearly complete (it's with a larger roundabout, BTW), there was no evidence(*) of construction for a connection at the other end of town.  Aerial photos show the new road grade coming to an abrupt end a few hundred yards north of the Fairfax St. overpass, with no parallel roadway nearby to continue on. That means when the bypass section under construction is completed, which appears to be soon, motorists can only take it as far as the interchange with Route 9.  You would then have to turn left and go almost a mile to re-join 522, a move which would defeat the purpose of taking the bypass in the first place. (To be fair, it would benefit those heading east on 9.)

Additionally, they could leave the Fairview Rd. detour in place as an at-grade intersection (Fairfax St. has no interchange), so one could take that and Route 2/Independence St. to meet 522 further north than Route 9.  But that would only send traffic through a residential neighborhood.

Anyone know for sure what the plan is?

(*) There was a temporary orange "Blasting Zone" warning sign posted in each direction, north of town.  Not sure, though, if that was for bypass construction, or if there are just some routine blasting operations going on at the sand quarry.

[Mr. Matté]

I speculate that based on the outward taper of the pavement at Fairfax, there's going to be right turn lanes coming off the new road allowing a pair of right in/right out intersections with the through minor movement being the new bridge. The pavement in the median here would then be removed allowing a continuous drainage swale.

[74/171FAN]

This article may be behind a paywall, but it seems clear to me that through trucks will be directed to stay on US 522 through Berkeley Springs until the bypass is fully complete.

A secondary question on my end is whether WVDOH will give the open bypass a temporary WV Route designation like we have with WV 108 on the King Coal Hwy from US 52/US 460 to WV 123 in Bluefield.

[Mapmikey]

cars will be able to use Fairview away from downtown and meet back up with US 522 at the Potomac River.  Google says the time is the same.

[vdeane]

Does any image of the full bypass plan still exist?  It looks like WVDOT took down their project information page.

I speculate that based on the outward taper of the pavement at Fairfax, there's going to be right turn lanes coming off the new road allowing a pair of right in/right out intersections with the through minor movement being the new bridge. The pavement in the median here would then be removed allowing a continuous drainage swale.

There's precedent for having such a junction and leaving the space in the media.  See NY 15A and Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road.  The fact that Fairview Drive has its own name (and maybe it's own number?) certainly suggests to me that something like that might happen here, especially since the same dynamic my example has with Clay Road exists with Fairfax Street.

cars will be able to use Fairview away from downtown and meet back up with US 522 at the Potomac River.  Google says the time is the same.

How can Google say anything about the time when the road isn't on Google Maps?

[Mapmikey]

How can Google say anything about the time when the road isn't on Google Maps?

I have my ways...

google.com/maps/dir/39.6262245,-78.2118361/39.6907131,-78.1860465/@39.6592273,-78.238221,13505m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e0?entry=ttu

[carbaugh2]

But here is my question, as there seems to be very little online about this project.

When is the northern end of the bypass going to be constructed?  While the southern tie-in to mainline 522 was nearly complete (it's with a larger roundabout, BTW), there was no evidence(*) of construction for a connection at the other end of town.

(*) There was a temporary orange "Blasting Zone" warning sign posted in each direction, north of town.  Not sure, though, if that was for bypass construction, or if there are just some routine blasting operations going on at the sand quarry.

The design-build contract was awarded in late 2022. See At this past weekend's road meet, we all got a good look at the progress of the US-522 bypass around Berkeley Springs, WV.  The overpasses/underpasses appear to be complete, and most if not all of the roadway has been paved.  No striping yet (could just be the first asphalt layer), and signage has yet to

At this past weekend's road meet, we all got a good look at the progress of the US-522 bypass around Berkeley Springs, WV.  The overpasses/underpasses appear to be complete, and most if not all of the roadway has been paved.  No striping yet (could just be the first asphalt layer), and signage has yet to make an appearance.

But here is my question, as there seems to be very little online about this project.

When is the northern end of the bypass going to be constructed?  While the southern tie-in to mainline 522 was nearly complete (it's with a larger roundabout, BTW), there was no evidence(*) of construction for a connection at the other end of town.  Aerial photos show the new road grade coming to an abrupt end a few hundred yards north of the Fairfax St. overpass, with no parallel roadway nearby to continue on. That means when the bypass section under construction is completed, which appears to be soon, motorists can only take it as far as the interchange with Route 9.  You would then have to turn left and go almost a mile to re-join 522, a move which would defeat the purpose of taking the bypass in the first place. (To be fair, it would benefit those heading east on 9.)

Additionally, they could leave the Fairview Rd. detour in place as an at-grade intersection (Fairfax St. has no interchange), so one could take that and Route 2/Independence St. to meet 522 further north than Route 9.  But that would only send traffic through a residential neighborhood.

Anyone know for sure what the plan is?

(*) There was a temporary orange "Blasting Zone" warning sign posted in each direction, north of town.  Not sure, though, if that was for bypass construction, or if there are just some routine blasting operations going on at the sand quarry.

This article provides additional information beyond the WVDOT press release, specifically stating that it is a design-build contract.

https://www.morganmessenger.com/2023/01/04/state-awards-35-million-contract-for-northern-end-of-bypass/

[Bitmapped]

I speculate that based on the outward taper of the pavement at Fairfax, there's going to be right turn lanes coming off the new road allowing a pair of right in/right out intersections with the through minor movement being the new bridge. The pavement in the median here would then be removed allowing a continuous drainage swale.

I'm pretty sure this is going to be RIRO. WVDOH uses the same configuration at some locations on the Charles Town bypass. Although not originally planned as such, the River Hill Road intersection on the US 50 Parkersburg bypass was converted to a similar RIRO a couple years after the bypass opened.

[vdeane]

How can Google say anything about the time when the road isn't on Google Maps?

I have my ways...

google.com/maps/dir/39.6262245,-78.2118361/39.6907131,-78.1860465/@39.6592273,-78.238221,13505m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e0?entry=ttu

Oh, I thought you were saying that the time to use the bypass and connect back to 522 was the same as just staying on 522.

[Mapmikey]

Drove through Berkeley Springs today. The new road is being posted as US 522 Bypass.

[Bitmapped]

Drove through Berkeley Springs today. The new road is being posted as US 522 Bypass.

WVDOH also did the same thing in Beckley with US 19, which I was hoping was going to be a one-off. I guess not.