Virginia

[WillWeaverRVA]

I haven't seen any news articles about this but ...

Repaving of the Powhite Parkway Extension has been completed, between VA-150 and west of VA-288. 

This 10-mile extension opened in 1988 and has continuously reinforced concrete pavement.   Substantial amounts of concrete patching have been needed in the last 10 to 12 years or so due to deterioration.

Needed extensive concrete patching was performed in the last 2 years, and several projects for asphalt resurfacing have been performed, about 1.5 inch overlay.  Now all work is complete and the pavement looks very good and rides smoothly and much more quietly.

I can definitely vouch for that. VA 76 was quite a bumpy drive for a while, almost as bad as VA 288 was before it was repaved south of US 360.

[Beltway]

I haven't seen any news articles about this but ...
Repaving of the Powhite Parkway Extension has been completed, between VA-150 and west of VA-288. 
This 10-mile extension opened in 1988 and has continuously reinforced concrete pavement.   Substantial amounts of concrete patching have been needed in the last 10 to 12 years or so due to deterioration.
Needed extensive concrete patching was performed in the last 2 years, and several projects for asphalt resurfacing have been performed, about 1.5 inch overlay.  Now all work is complete and the pavement looks very good and rides smoothly and much more quietly.

I can definitely vouch for that. VA 76 was quite a bumpy drive for a while, almost as bad as VA 288 was before it was repaved south of US 360.

Yes indeed, the last rehab project on southern VA-288 was completed earlier this year.

Same original pavement type as the Powhite Extension, same rehab process, very nice ride now!

[Beltway]

I am still working with VDOT on my advocacy of getting Interstate designations for VA-895 and VA-288.

They did a detailed study on the 6 highways that I submitted, and there were multiple design issues on the others that are lower than Interstate standards.  VA-267, VA-164, VA-195.  Things like geometrics and shoulder widths, at least in certain places.  Interstate spurs IMHO have lower priority than outer loops (like Routes 288 and 895) that clearly have inter-state traffic roles in addition to local and regional roles.  Routes 288 and 895 do meet all Interstate standards.

[cpzilliacus]

I am still working with VDOT on my advocacy of getting Interstate designations for VA-895 and VA-288.

They did a detailed study on the 6 highways that I submitted, and there were multiple design issues on the others that are lower than Interstate standards.  VA-267, VA-164, VA-195.  Things like geometrics and shoulder widths, at least in certain places.  Interstate spurs IMHO have lower priority than outer loops (like Routes 288 and 895) that clearly have inter-state traffic roles in addition to local and regional roles.  Routes 288 and 895 do meet all Interstate standards.

I have driven all of them but the one I know best is VA-267.  I suspect some of the interchanges might not be up to snuff, perhaps especially the one at VA-286 (Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway). 

What were they thinking when they built that as a simple, almost rural, type of diamond interchange?

There are also places where VA-267 has narrower-than-standard shoulders (a legacy of what is now an 8-lane freeway on what once a 4-lane freeway) and there's a least one low bridge, VA-702 (Beulah Street)  over the westbound lanes is signed 13' 9" and 14' 9" eastbound.

[Beltway]

I am still working with VDOT on my advocacy of getting Interstate designations for VA-895 and VA-288.
They did a detailed study on the 6 highways that I submitted, and there were multiple design issues on the others that are lower than Interstate standards.  VA-267, VA-164, VA-195.  Things like geometrics and shoulder widths, at least in certain places.  Interstate spurs IMHO have lower priority than outer loops (like Routes 288 and 895) that clearly have inter-state traffic roles in addition to local and regional roles.  Routes 288 and 895 do meet all Interstate standards.

I have driven all of them but the one I know best is VA-267.  I suspect some of the interchanges might not be up to snuff, perhaps especially the one at VA-286 (Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway). 
What were they thinking when they built that as a simple, almost rural, type of diamond interchange?

The Fairfax County Parkway is mostly a surface arterial, there are closely spaced interchanges with other arterials in that area, the interchange dates back to when the Dulles Toll Road had 4 lanes (2 each way), most importantly it looks like maybe $200 million in right-of-way costs to expand to a high capacity interchange.  Diamond ramps can be widened to 3 or 4 lanes wide and handle a ton of traffic, FDOT did that on several interchanges on I-95 in the Melbourne area where there was insufficient room to expand the interchange without large scale right-of-way impacts.

There are also places where VA-267 has narrower-than-standard shoulders (a legacy of what is now an 8-lane freeway on what once a 4-lane freeway) and there's a least one low bridge, VA-702 (Beulah Street)  over the westbound lanes is signed 13' 9" and 14' 9" eastbound.

Right.  The VDOT study cited 8-foot wide paved right shoulders in some areas.  Same with VA-164.  I draw the line with paved right shoulders that are less than 10 feet wide, with regard to Interstate standards.  Need to widen them to 10 feet first, IMHO.

[cpzilliacus]

I am still working with VDOT on my advocacy of getting Interstate designations for VA-895 and VA-288.
They did a detailed study on the 6 highways that I submitted, and there were multiple design issues on the others that are lower than Interstate standards.  VA-267, VA-164, VA-195.  Things like geometrics and shoulder widths, at least in certain places.  Interstate spurs IMHO have lower priority than outer loops (like Routes 288 and 895) that clearly have inter-state traffic roles in addition to local and regional roles.  Routes 288 and 895 do meet all Interstate standards.

I have driven all of them but the one I know best is VA-267.  I suspect some of the interchanges might not be up to snuff, perhaps especially the one at VA-286 (Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway). 
What were they thinking when they built that as a simple, almost rural, type of diamond interchange?

The Fairfax County Parkway is mostly a surface arterial, there are closely spaced interchanges with other arterials in that area, the interchange dates back to when the Dulles Toll Road had 4 lanes (2 each way), most importantly it looks like maybe $200 million in right-of-way costs to expand to a high capacity interchange.  Diamond ramps can be widened to 3 or 4 lanes wide and handle a ton of traffic, FDOT did that on several interchanges on I-95 in the Melbourne area where there was insufficient room to expand the interchange without large scale right-of-way impacts.

VA-286 (Fairfax County Parkway) is an expressway.  Not a freeway, but more than an arterial.   

VA-267 has an AAWDT of about 116,000 (VDOT, 2016).

VA-286 has an AAWDT of about 70,000 (also VDOT, 2016). 

Putting in an diamond interchange between two roads which carry that much traffic is folly (and I realize that this interchange dates back to the early 1990's, over 20 years ago) - but even so, the projected traffic for 20 years into the future should have informed the design process and resulted in something more-robust than a diamond interchange.

[WillWeaverRVA]

I can definitely see how parts of VA 164 would be substandard, particularly in the Port Norfolk area, but I can't imagine it would be prohibitively expensive to upgrade that segment to Interstate standards, especially if the main issue is shoulder width.

Same with VA 195, although the VDOT-maintained portion of VA 195 between VA 146/VA 76 and the end of state maintenance is in major need of resurfacing.

On another note, I'm a little curious about what happened to the plans to upgrade Chesterfield County SR 653 and Fairfax County SR 613 to primary status. A study was done a few years ago and found that upgrading was warranted, but it doesn't look like any action was taken. SR 653 really should be primary from US 60 to US 360...or perhaps down to VA 288 (including a portion of SR 604).

[Beltway]

The Fairfax County Parkway is mostly a surface arterial, there are closely spaced interchanges with other arterials in that area, the interchange dates back to when the Dulles Toll Road had 4 lanes (2 each way), most importantly it looks like maybe $200 million in right-of-way costs to expand to a high capacity interchange.  Diamond ramps can be widened to 3 or 4 lanes wide and handle a ton of traffic, FDOT did that on several interchanges on I-95 in the Melbourne area where there was insufficient room to expand the interchange without large scale right-of-way impacts.

VA-286 (Fairfax County Parkway) is an expressway.  Not a freeway, but more than an arterial.   
VA-267 has an AAWDT of about 116,000 (VDOT, 2016).
VA-286 has an AAWDT of about 70,000 (also VDOT, 2016). 
Putting in an diamond interchange between two roads which carry that much traffic is folly (and I realize that this interchange dates back to the early 1990's, over 20 years ago) - but even so, the projected traffic for 20 years into the future should have informed the design process and resulted in something more-robust than a diamond interchange.

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.

[Beltway]

I can definitely see how parts of VA 164 would be substandard, particularly in the Port Norfolk area, but I can't imagine it would be prohibitively expensive to upgrade that segment to Interstate standards, especially if the main issue is shoulder width.

Urban Interstates can have a design speed as low as 50 mph, so the Port Norfolk area should be ok, plus I believe the right shoulders are 10 feet wide.  The tunnels would be lower design but they are a special case, as in the similar designs in the I-264 Downtown tunnels.

It is the Western Freeway west of Port Norfolk that has the 8-foot shoulders.

Same with VA 195, although the VDOT-maintained portion of VA 195 between VA 146/VA 76 and the end of state maintenance is in major need of resurfacing.

They completely replaced the concrete pavement several years ago, in dozens of overnight single lane section jobs.  Given that that procedure can't provide pavement that is very smooth, either it needs diamond-bit grinding or an asphalt overlay.  I thought that was what they were going to do, but for some reason they did not.

[1995hoo]

....

On another note, I'm a little curious about what happened to the plans to upgrade Chesterfield County SR 653 and Fairfax County SR 613 to primary status. A study was done a few years ago and found that upgrading was warranted, but it doesn't look like any action was taken. SR 653 really should be primary from US 60 to US 360...or perhaps down to VA 288 (including a portion of SR 604).

Fairfax County 613 was dropped from consideration. I asked Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay about it at a community meeting a year or two ago and he said Fairfax County had decided to oppose upgrading it for several reasons. While the CTB isn't bound by that, he said they usually defer to what the county prefers.

Edited to correct myself: It was three years ago. See my prior post linked below.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9283.msg2020528#msg2020528

[Takumi]

The 360/653 intersection was upgraded a couple years ago. I figured the primary designation would happen then, but it didn't. I'd also advocate Robious Road and Huguenot Trail east of 288 to become/return to being primary.

[1995hoo]

This just appeared.

http://twitter.com/vadotnova/status/936655094959009792

[Beltway]

The 360/653 intersection was upgraded a couple years ago. I figured the primary designation would happen then, but it didn't.

An extension of VA-147 ?

[Mapmikey]

The 360/653 intersection was upgraded a couple years ago. I figured the primary designation would happen then, but it didn't.

An extension of VA-147 ?

Yes. 

See https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9283.0

[Beltway]

The 360/653 intersection was upgraded a couple years ago. I figured the primary designation would happen then, but it didn't.

An extension of VA-147 ?

Yes. 
See https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9283.0

Why stop at US-360 and not extend to VA-288?

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.

[Mapmikey]

CTB to consider truncating VA 237 east to Glebe Rd.

Technically 2 blocks off US 50 is not included in this proposal.

See page 785 of the December agenda - http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2017/dec/action_agenda.pdf

The workshop and meeting in December also starts up the motion on Virginia's participation with the US 301 Nice Bridge replacement -  Virginia is being requested to expend $14.2M.

[plain]

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.

[Jmiles32]

http://www.dailypress.com/news/traffic/dp-nws-widening-ceremony-20171120-story.html

Almost two years after first breaking ground on the Interstate 64 widening project, officials returned to Newport News on Friday morning to cut the ribbon on Segment I, marking the completion of the $122 million project.

The 5.6-mile stretch has a new 12-foot-wide travel lane and shoulder in both directions. The stretch, which spans just west of Jefferson Avenue to east of Yorktown Road, also has six repaired bridges and two culverts

About 100,000 cars move through the 5-mile stretch daily, according to state Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne.

One I-64 segment down, a lot more to go. Hopefully VDOT will be able to get the funding to six-lane the rest of I-64 between Williamsburg and Richmond in the near future.

[Takumi]

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.)

[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.

[cpzilliacus]

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.

[Jmiles32]

I have driven all of them but the one I know best is VA-267.  I suspect some of the interchanges might not be up to snuff, perhaps especially the one at VA-286 (Exit 11, Fairfax County Parkway). 
What were they thinking when they built that as a simple, almost rural, type of diamond interchange?

The Fairfax County Parkway is mostly a surface arterial, there are closely spaced interchanges with other arterials in that area, the interchange dates back to when the Dulles Toll Road had 4 lanes (2 each way), most importantly it looks like maybe $200 million in right-of-way costs to expand to a high capacity interchange.  Diamond ramps can be widened to 3 or 4 lanes wide and handle a ton of traffic, FDOT did that on several interchanges on I-95 in the Melbourne area where there was insufficient room to expand the interchange without large scale right-of-way impacts.

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.

[plain]

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.

Now that part I actually agree with anyway. What's really weird about this extension is the fact that VA 147 is (and is signed as) an E-W route. Really the only good thing about the existing VA 147 designation is it gives people a route number to follow into central Richmond as an alternate to US 60 or the toll roads.

[plain]

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).

[Takumi]

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.