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[Takumi]

I don’t think this has been posted here yet, but a couple years ago the city of Suffolk voted to replace the demolished Kings Highway Bridge with a new bridge to the south, crossing the river at an extension of Five Mile Road where it would go due west to VA 10/32. This was chosen over the original location, despite being more expensive, due to potential traffic concerns on the west side of the river. Presumably VA 125 would be rerouted if this ever comes to fruition.
https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/suffolk/suffolk-city-staff-recommends-rebuilding-kings-highway-bridge-on-new-route/

https://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2021/10/20/council-approves-fund-search-for-new-kings-highway-bridge/

As of today it appears to still be unfunded.

I'm honestly surprised VA 125 hasn't just been decommissioned as it doesn't really serve much of a purpose, and I'm not sure how useful it would still be if the bridge is replaced, given that you can pretty much use Crittenden Road to make the same connection.

The rationale according to the city’s public works director was redundancy if there’s an accident on 664 or 17, and their traffic estimate was 10-12000 vehicles a day, enough to keep it in the primary system. That said, it should definitely be dropped north of the river.

[Takumi]

The AP Hill monument in the middle of the Hermitage Rd (VA 161) and Laburnum Ave (VA 197) intersection in north Richmond has been removed and the site paved over, but the result is a weirdly configured intersection where lots of accidents occur (granted, this was also a major problem when the monument was still there). This intersection would probably benefit from a roundabout (and the ROW exists for it) but Richmond City Council passed an ordinance in the mid-2000s prohibiting a roundabout from being built here. That ordinance probably needs to be repealed.

I've also seen ideas about prohibiting left turns at this intersection, but the side roads are inadequate for making the missing connections.

A lot of the time, the monument made the intersection function like a roundabout anyway. As it is, it just looks chaotic.

In other area news, another one of Chesterfield’s traffic calming projects went live yesterday, with the intersection of Branders Bridge Road and Lakeview Avenue west of Colonial Heights being turned into a 4-way stop. Before, Lakeview traffic had the right of way. I don’t recall there ever being any accidents at this intersection, but I do think this helps Branders Bridge traffic, because it could often get backed up if someone was waiting to make a left turn onto Lakeview. I’ve heard the ultimate plan is to convert the intersection into a roundabout, but it appears to be unfunded.

[74/171FAN]

In other area news, another one of Chesterfield’s traffic calming projects went live yesterday, with the intersection of Branders Bridge Road and Lakeview Avenue west of Colonial Heights being turned into a 4-way stop. Before, Lakeview traffic had the right of way. I don’t recall there ever being any accidents at this intersection, but I do think this helps Branders Bridge traffic, because it could often get backed up if someone was waiting to make a left turn onto Lakeview. I’ve heard the ultimate plan is to convert the intersection into a roundabout, but it appears to be unfunded.

Yeah I agree with you with my limited remembrance of that intersection.

[famartin]

Any number of things would fix that, like a normal turn signal with left turn only lanes.

[plain]

The AP Hill monument in the middle of the Hermitage Rd (VA 161) and Laburnum Ave (VA 197) intersection in north Richmond has been removed and the site paved over, but the result is a weirdly configured intersection where lots of accidents occur (granted, this was also a major problem when the monument was still there). This intersection would probably benefit from a roundabout (and the ROW exists for it) but Richmond City Council passed an ordinance in the mid-2000s prohibiting a roundabout from being built here. That ordinance probably needs to be repealed.

I've also seen ideas about prohibiting left turns at this intersection, but the side roads are inadequate for making the missing connections.

https://twitter.com/ImBrendanKing/status/1613850204435894272

Left turn signals (EDIT: and left turn lanes) with a simple lead-lag operation at this intersection would work wonders.

[Mapmikey]

2 of the 4 quadrants at one time had neighborhood clovers utilizing 3 rights to turn left:  197 WB to 161 SB and 161 SB to 197 EB.

[jakeroot]

Would it be possible to add some markings like this?


VA-197 @ VA-161 Edited by Jacob Root, on Flickr

[sprjus4]

Why not just add simple turning lanes and configure it into a normal intersection? All of this innovative stuff just seems confusing.

[Rothman]

Would it be possible to add some markings like this?


VA-197 @ VA-161 Edited by Jacob Root, on Flickr

See the current state of the Bridgeport, NY roundabout on NY 31.  Blech.

[jakeroot]

Why not just add simple turning lanes and configure it into a normal intersection? All of this innovative stuff just seems confusing.

If they don't need two through lanes, that would be fine.

My concept just paints a box where traffic should yield, and gets them out of the way of through traffic. Not really that innovative.

See the current state of the Bridgeport, NY roundabout on NY 31.  Blech.

Was this reply meant for me? I don't see what that completed roundabout has to do with what I drew up.

[plain]

It needs two thru lanes (especially on Laburnum Ave) but there's room in the median to add the turn lanes on both streets. The utility poles in the median on the north leg would have to be moved but it's very doable.

[Rothman]

Why not just add simple turning lanes and configure it into a normal intersection? All of this innovative stuff just seems confusing.

If they don't need two through lanes, that would be fine.

My concept just paints a box where traffic should yield, and gets them out of the way of through traffic. Not really that innovative.

See the current state of the Bridgeport, NY roundabout on NY 31.  Blech.

Was this reply meant for me? I don't see what that completed roundabout has to do with what I drew up.

It's hardly "complete" and is an example of why minimalistic approaches to markings don't work out very well. 

[sprjus4]

If they don't need two through lanes, that would be fine.

My concept just paints a box where traffic should yield, and gets them out of the way of through traffic. Not really that innovative.

It works until you have more than one car turning left, blocking up the left thru lane.

And I’d be willing to bet, to the average driver, those intersection markings will cause more confusion then help.

Why not add turn lanes in the median? There’s adequate space.

[froggie]

Why not add turn lanes in the median? There’s adequate space.

Longer-term, sure.  But that would require some construction which would trigger environmental review and, depending on who's funding it, competing with other SmartScale projects.

Paint/striping can be done much more quickly.

[sprjus4]

It seems the intersection shouldn’t have been redone at all unless they were going to properly add turn lanes to begin with.

[jakeroot]

See the current state of the Bridgeport, NY roundabout on NY 31.  Blech.

Was this reply meant for me? I don't see what that completed roundabout has to do with what I drew up.

It's hardly "complete" and is an example of why minimalistic approaches to markings don't work out very well.

Meh. Looks just fine to me.

[jakeroot]

If they don't need two through lanes, that would be fine.

My concept just paints a box where traffic should yield, and gets them out of the way of through traffic. Not really that innovative.

It works until you have more than one car turning left, blocking up the left thru lane.

And I’d be willing to bet, to the average driver, those intersection markings will cause more confusion then help.

From my layman's perspective, at least two, maybe three normal-sized cars should be able to squeeze into the left turn box, out of the way of through traffic.

I don't think the extra markings are confusing. They are all markings used in the MUTCD.

[amroad17]

Do the engineers who designed this intersection think this is Europe?  This is stuff one sees in foreign countries.

[74/171FAN]

(For I-64, US 17, and VA 171)  CONSTRUCTION SET TO BEGIN ON OYSTER POINT RAMP ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT IN NEWPORT NEWS

The project, starting as early as Jan. 10, will widen the Interstate 64 east on-ramps located at the interchanges of J. Clyde Morris Boulevard (Route 17) and Oyster Point Road (Route 171) from single-lane ramps to two-lane ramps. These improvements will add capacity to the on-ramps, streamline flow to the interstate and provide congestion relief from overflow onto local streets during peak travel periods. Each of the on-ramps will be widened to two lanes, with traffic then merging to a single lane before entering the interstate.

(For I-64, I-85, and I-95)  FIVE OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEMS ADDED ON RICHMOND DISTRICT INTERSTATES

The new detection systems will flag overheight vehicles at the following locations:

I-95 north at mile marker 41.5 (Templeton) in Prince George County
I-64 west at mile marker 207.4 (two miles east of Bottoms Bridge) in New Kent County
I-95 south mile marker 88.7 (just south of Lewistown Road) in Hanover County
I-64 east at mile marker 172.6 (just west of Rockville) in Goochland County
I-85 north at mile marker 60 (one mile south of Route 460) in Dinwiddie County

“We have seen 54 bridge strikes on interstate overpasses in the City of Richmond since 2018,”  said Tanveer Chowdhury, PE, Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “Many of the overpasses within city limits have existing low vertical height clearances, and most have Richmond city utilities such as gas and water running beneath the bridge decks. The same concerns extend to bridges in Colonial Heights and Petersburg.”

I noticed the one on I-95 SB north of Richmond back in December.

[jakeroot]

Do the engineers who designed this intersection think this is Europe?  This is stuff one sees in foreign countries.

It's just a four way intersection with no turn lanes, it's pretty common. Unless you're referring to the original design with the monument in the middle.

[sprjus4]

(For I-64, I-85, and I-95)  FIVE OVERHEIGHT VEHICLE DETECTION SYSTEMS ADDED ON RICHMOND DISTRICT INTERSTATES

The new detection systems will flag overheight vehicles at the following locations:

I-95 north at mile marker 41.5 (Templeton) in Prince George County
I-64 west at mile marker 207.4 (two miles east of Bottoms Bridge) in New Kent County
I-95 south mile marker 88.7 (just south of Lewistown Road) in Hanover County
I-64 east at mile marker 172.6 (just west of Rockville) in Goochland County
I-85 north at mile marker 60 (one mile south of Route 460) in Dinwiddie County

“We have seen 54 bridge strikes on interstate overpasses in the City of Richmond since 2018,”  said Tanveer Chowdhury, PE, Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “Many of the overpasses within city limits have existing low vertical height clearances, and most have Richmond city utilities such as gas and water running beneath the bridge decks. The same concerns extend to bridges in Colonial Heights and Petersburg.”

I noticed the one on I-95 SB north of Richmond back in December.

I noticed this on I-64 east of Richmond heading west recently as well.

[amroad17]

Do the engineers who designed this intersection think this is Europe?  This is stuff one sees in foreign countries.

It's just a four way intersection with no turn lanes, it's pretty common. Unless you're referring to the original design with the monument in the middle.

No, this current design.  Maybe there needs to be dashed lane lines through this intersection like this: https://goo.gl/maps/KyXzBPuLBMYD7HTAA

[Dirt Roads]

Maybe there needs to be dashed lane lines through this intersection like this: https://goo.gl/maps/KyXzBPuLBMYD7HTAA

Quite amusing, since the one car in the intersection did not stay on the correct side of the line.

[sprjus4]

Maybe there needs to be dashed lane lines through this intersection like this: https://goo.gl/maps/KyXzBPuLBMYD7HTAA

Quite amusing, since the one car in the intersection did not stay on the correct side of the line.

Which car, exactly?

[Dirt Roads]

Maybe there needs to be dashed lane lines through this intersection like this: https://goo.gl/maps/KyXzBPuLBMYD7HTAA

Quite amusing, since the one car in the intersection did not stay on the correct side of the line.

Which car, exactly?

That's the white car making the left turn from eastbound Highlands Pike onto northbound Madison Pike.  It is completely on the right side of the line, whereas it is supposed to stay left of the dashed line until it is beyond the intersection markings.  I highly suspect that both the red car and dark truck ahead of this white car also made the same maneuver and came across the line too soon.  [Sorry, I didn't notice a white car making a hard right turn from eastbound Highlands Pike, or the other dark pickup that has inched over the stop bar into the intersection].