Virginia

[sprjus4]

After more than 3 years of construction, Atkinson Boulevard is open in Newport News

In the late 1980s, Newport News had the idea to extend Atkinson Way to create another connection between Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard. After years of planning, saving and construction, Atkinson Boulevard opened Tuesday.

Construction on the four-lane road began in August 2017. The 1.2-mile roadway also features a 1,740-foot bridge over Interstate 64 and the CSX Railway and a path for pedestrians and cyclists.

Project manager Vincent Urbano previously told the Daily Press it's the biggest construction project Newport News has ever managed. It was a joint venture between Bryant Contracting, Inc. and Basic Construction Company, LLC.

The city secured $69 million in funding for the project, but the actual cost ended up around $66 million with the city paying $5 million of the total, according to city spokesperson Kim Lee. The other funding came from state and federal sources.

The new road should make traveling around in the north end of the city easier and reduce commuter travel times by alleviating congestion on two of the city's major roads.

Newport News celebrated the opening with a drive-thru ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon that allowed community members to be the first to drive the new road. Atkinson Boulevard opened in both directions to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians after the event.

[plain]

After more than 3 years of construction, Atkinson Boulevard is open in Newport News

In the late 1980s, Newport News had the idea to extend Atkinson Way to create another connection between Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard. After years of planning, saving and construction, Atkinson Boulevard opened Tuesday.

Construction on the four-lane road began in August 2017. The 1.2-mile roadway also features a 1,740-foot bridge over Interstate 64 and the CSX Railway and a path for pedestrians and cyclists.

Project manager Vincent Urbano previously told the Daily Press it's the biggest construction project Newport News has ever managed. It was a joint venture between Bryant Contracting, Inc. and Basic Construction Company, LLC.

The city secured $69 million in funding for the project, but the actual cost ended up around $66 million with the city paying $5 million of the total, according to city spokesperson Kim Lee. The other funding came from state and federal sources.

The new road should make traveling around in the north end of the city easier and reduce commuter travel times by alleviating congestion on two of the city's major roads.

Newport News celebrated the opening with a drive-thru ribbon cutting Tuesday afternoon that allowed community members to be the first to drive the new road. Atkinson Boulevard opened in both directions to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians after the event.

Pfft.

Newport News is by far the SLOWEST agency in VA. Projects that would normally be completed in a year tops takes this city years to complete, like the Jefferson Ave rehab in the southeastern part of the city. They're currently rebuilding the VA 105 bridge over the reservoir. There's no telling how long that's going to take.

When US 60 was 6-laned from VA 312 to Nettles Dr, that project took a ridiculously long time to complete.

Neighboring Hampton completed the 4-laning of Saunders Rd from the intersection of Big Bethel Rd & VA 172 to the NN/Hampton line in just over a year's time. I don't think Newport News even have a timetable for there portion to US 17 yet.

[roadman65]

Just out of curiosity, when did Norfolk rid US 58 of its Service Roads near Military Circle Mall? Even at Newtown Road the service roads is gone as the former Shoney's used to have the road in front that was two ways as we used to enter the restaurant from Newtown.

I am guessing the restaurant was where Captain D's is now situated where VA Beach Blvd is now frontage road less.

[froggie]

Aerial imagery shows they were gone in front of the mall by 1990.  By Newtown Rd was no later than 1994.

[1995hoo]

This is the only Virginia primary route I have yet to clinch in the immediate Northern Virginia area east of the mountains.

https://twitter.com/VaDOT/status/1339970078524256261

[cpzilliacus]

This is the only Virginia primary route I have yet to clinch in the immediate Northern Virginia area east of the mountains.

https://twitter.com/VaDOT/status/1339970078524256261

Great pictures.  That is a pretty ride, but beware (as usual in Virginia) of speed limit
enforcement by LCSO and VSP along the VA-287 corridor.  Nice and scenic ride.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I was a regular through this location 1988-91.  IIRC, the house in the background is the old toll House for the previous bridge.

[seicer]

You'd not even know a bridge was there judging from the streetview today.

[ARMOURERERIC]

The old 1890s toll Bridge was lower and narrower, made a 90 degree bend on the MD side and touched down near the EB MARC platform and at the surface, made another 90 degree bend to become Maple Str.

[roadman65]

https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer
I was going through Historic Aerials website and found the old flyover that allowed NB US 258 to NB Coliseum Driven in Hampton, VA back in 1982, but was there in 2007, but in 2008 gone. 

I know road improvements are essential but how is removing a flyover that improves flow at a busy intersection helpful.  Unless the flyover failed inspection with Hampton not having money to replace, would be the only issue that this would be done.

Then again NJDOT rid an interchange for an intersection.  Also FDOT just eliminated a diamond interchange for an intersection that US 258 at Coliseum Drive used to have.

[froggie]

That flyover was taken out in part because it was no longer needed.  The city of Hampton tore down and redeveloped the old Coliseum Mall that the flyover used to serve.

[Thing 342]

It's also because the flyover fed cars into another left turn off of Coliseum Dr into the Mall, whereas the current intersection lets drivers directly into PTC on Kilgore Dr. The flyover was also pretty much useless for traffic coming off of I-64 after the Exit 263 project finished up in ~2006. Add in what I think were some structural deficiencies and it made sense to knock it down and replace with with a two-phase signal. The intersection currently flows pretty much the same to how it did back in 2007.

[1995hoo]

A new twist!

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1341815073967382528

[LM117]

A new twist!

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1341815073967382528

Driver saw the jam and was like "I ain't about this life"!

[froggie]

Driver saw the jam and was like "I ain't about this life"! got stupid.

FTFY

[Jmiles32]

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/supervisors-approve-funding-for-powhite-parkway-extension/

The extension of Powhite Parkway from its current terminus to Hull Street Road will require only 10 to 12 miles of pavement, but its projected cost — upward of $500 million — has for many years prevented Chesterfield County from making it anything more than a dotted line on a long-range transportation map.

Thanks to a dedicated funding source created earlier this year by the General Assembly, that's slowly beginning to change.

Following a public hearing last Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $117.2 million plan for spending the county's anticipated share of sales and gasoline tax revenue to be collected over the next six years by the new Central Virginia Transportation Authority.

That includes $27.7 million, or about half of the estimated cost for the initial phase of the long-awaited Powhite Parkway project: widening the last existing section of roadway from two to four lanes, extending it from Little Tomahawk Creek to Woolridge Road, creating a grade separation at its intersection with Charter Colony Parkway and constructing an overpass on Brandermill Parkway.

"This is a fantastic day in Chesterfield County because we are putting lots of investment into [transportation] infrastructure and that's one of the things every member of this board has heard about,"  said Clover Hill District Supervisor Chris Winslow, who has advocated for the Powhite extension since being elected in 2015 and sees it as a vital element of the county's plan to relieve congestion in the fast-growing western Hull Street Road corridor. "It's a big, big win for the county."

County transportation officials contend that connecting Powhite Parkway and Hull Street Road will significantly reduce daily traffic volume in the Route 360/288 interchange by allowing motorists to bypass that area, particularly during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.

With new single-family homes going up by the day in Magnolia Green and other western Chesterfield communities, and demand for housing in the county reaching unprecedented levels, alleviating peak-hour backups on eight-lane Hull Street Road has become the top local transportation priority.

The plan approved by the Board of Supervisors last week allocates $20.7 million for several transportation priorities over the final six months of fiscal year 2021: $5 million for the extension of Nash Road from Beach Road to state Route 10; $3.9 million to extend Woolridge Road from Old Hundred Road to state Route 288; $3.2 million for the Powhite Parkway extension; and $2.5 million to widen Woolridge Road from two to four lanes between Genito Road and Watermill Parkway

Doesn't appear to be a timetable yet on when this first phase of the Powhite Parkway extension (or future phases) will be completed. However, it's worth noting that the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority recently acquired 2,057 acres of upper Magnolia Green property in which a large section of the right of way needed for the extension of the Powhite Parkway to Hull Street Road and several important intersections currently exists. Not one hundred percent clear to me either yet whether or not this extension will be tolled (although my guess is that it won't be).

[D-Dey65]

Similar freeway bus stop facilities exist in the L.A. area.  Here's one at US 101 @ Vermont Ave.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0799602,-118.2907413,3a,37.5y,298.33h,84.85t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdGzNO6WWW9sfj5srLfGoTw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Here's a view from the street (which runs above the freeway) to the stairs that one would take to get to the bus stop.  As the stops are not used any more, they are now gated off.  The freeway express buses that stopped here were removed when L.A.'s subway was built in the area.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0792858,-118.2917322,3a,15y,65.77h,83.3t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYscY-BmWjxNt8tpwq5V6PQ!2e0!5s20190301T000000!7i16384!8i8192

It looks like the outer stops are still used. Commuter Express 422? Looks like that route has more than a few freeway stops. Nearby Western Ave has a couple more.

That inside stop is definitely long closed, though (what was that used for anyways?). These stairs being open suggest that outer stops are still in use, although certainly not by anyone in a wheelchair!

Got another shot of them here.

When I saw some of you discussing this, I thought you were talking about the LACMTA Orange or Silver Lines.

[WillWeaverRVA]

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/supervisors-approve-funding-for-powhite-parkway-extension/

The extension of Powhite Parkway from its current terminus to Hull Street Road will require only 10 to 12 miles of pavement, but its projected cost — upward of $500 million — has for many years prevented Chesterfield County from making it anything more than a dotted line on a long-range transportation map.

Thanks to a dedicated funding source created earlier this year by the General Assembly, that's slowly beginning to change.

Following a public hearing last Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $117.2 million plan for spending the county's anticipated share of sales and gasoline tax revenue to be collected over the next six years by the new Central Virginia Transportation Authority.

That includes $27.7 million, or about half of the estimated cost for the initial phase of the long-awaited Powhite Parkway project: widening the last existing section of roadway from two to four lanes, extending it from Little Tomahawk Creek to Woolridge Road, creating a grade separation at its intersection with Charter Colony Parkway and constructing an overpass on Brandermill Parkway.

"This is a fantastic day in Chesterfield County because we are putting lots of investment into [transportation] infrastructure and that's one of the things every member of this board has heard about,"  said Clover Hill District Supervisor Chris Winslow, who has advocated for the Powhite extension since being elected in 2015 and sees it as a vital element of the county's plan to relieve congestion in the fast-growing western Hull Street Road corridor. "It's a big, big win for the county."

County transportation officials contend that connecting Powhite Parkway and Hull Street Road will significantly reduce daily traffic volume in the Route 360/288 interchange by allowing motorists to bypass that area, particularly during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.

With new single-family homes going up by the day in Magnolia Green and other western Chesterfield communities, and demand for housing in the county reaching unprecedented levels, alleviating peak-hour backups on eight-lane Hull Street Road has become the top local transportation priority.

The plan approved by the Board of Supervisors last week allocates $20.7 million for several transportation priorities over the final six months of fiscal year 2021: $5 million for the extension of Nash Road from Beach Road to state Route 10; $3.9 million to extend Woolridge Road from Old Hundred Road to state Route 288; $3.2 million for the Powhite Parkway extension; and $2.5 million to widen Woolridge Road from two to four lanes between Genito Road and Watermill Parkway

Doesn't appear to be a timetable yet on when this first phase of the Powhite Parkway extension (or future phases) will be completed. However, it's worth noting that the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority recently acquired 2,057 acres of upper Magnolia Green property in which a large section of the right of way needed for the extension of the Powhite Parkway to Hull Street Road and several important intersections currently exists. Not one hundred percent clear to me either yet whether or not this extension will be tolled (although my guess is that it won't be).

As long as it gets built. That area desperately needs a freeway-grade relief route. Traffic along the Hull Street Road corridor between Courthouse Road and Magnolia Green is absolutely out of control, and that segment is an 8-lane facility for most of its length.

[froggie]

^ Perhaps Chesterfield County should have worked with VDOT to make the Hull St Rd corridor more limited-access and less commercial-hell.  Traffic lanes are more effective when you don't have side roads and driveways every 5 feet.  They (and the state of Virginia in general) have only themselves to blame.

[sprjus4]

^

Not to mention, the continuous development that is still being built out there, thousands of new homes, only more and more cars on the road.

Either way, at the current rate, a new freeway facility extending westward from VA-288 is needed.

[plain]

https://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/articles/supervisors-approve-funding-for-powhite-parkway-extension/

The extension of Powhite Parkway from its current terminus to Hull Street Road will require only 10 to 12 miles of pavement, but its projected cost — upward of $500 million — has for many years prevented Chesterfield County from making it anything more than a dotted line on a long-range transportation map.

Thanks to a dedicated funding source created earlier this year by the General Assembly, that's slowly beginning to change.

Following a public hearing last Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved a $117.2 million plan for spending the county's anticipated share of sales and gasoline tax revenue to be collected over the next six years by the new Central Virginia Transportation Authority.

That includes $27.7 million, or about half of the estimated cost for the initial phase of the long-awaited Powhite Parkway project: widening the last existing section of roadway from two to four lanes, extending it from Little Tomahawk Creek to Woolridge Road, creating a grade separation at its intersection with Charter Colony Parkway and constructing an overpass on Brandermill Parkway.

"This is a fantastic day in Chesterfield County because we are putting lots of investment into [transportation] infrastructure and that's one of the things every member of this board has heard about,"  said Clover Hill District Supervisor Chris Winslow, who has advocated for the Powhite extension since being elected in 2015 and sees it as a vital element of the county's plan to relieve congestion in the fast-growing western Hull Street Road corridor. "It's a big, big win for the county."

County transportation officials contend that connecting Powhite Parkway and Hull Street Road will significantly reduce daily traffic volume in the Route 360/288 interchange by allowing motorists to bypass that area, particularly during the morning and late afternoon rush hours.

With new single-family homes going up by the day in Magnolia Green and other western Chesterfield communities, and demand for housing in the county reaching unprecedented levels, alleviating peak-hour backups on eight-lane Hull Street Road has become the top local transportation priority.

The plan approved by the Board of Supervisors last week allocates $20.7 million for several transportation priorities over the final six months of fiscal year 2021: $5 million for the extension of Nash Road from Beach Road to state Route 10; $3.9 million to extend Woolridge Road from Old Hundred Road to state Route 288; $3.2 million for the Powhite Parkway extension; and $2.5 million to widen Woolridge Road from two to four lanes between Genito Road and Watermill Parkway

Doesn't appear to be a timetable yet on when this first phase of the Powhite Parkway extension (or future phases) will be completed. However, it's worth noting that the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority recently acquired 2,057 acres of upper Magnolia Green property in which a large section of the right of way needed for the extension of the Powhite Parkway to Hull Street Road and several important intersections currently exists. Not one hundred percent clear to me either yet whether or not this extension will be tolled (although my guess is that it won't be).

Probably will be tolled when completed all the way to US 360.

Either way this extension was needed like 20 years ago. At least they're finally making some traction with it.

[WillWeaverRVA]

^ Perhaps Chesterfield County should have worked with VDOT to make the Hull St Rd corridor more limited-access and less commercial-hell.  Traffic lanes are more effective when you don't have side roads and driveways every 5 feet.  They (and the state of Virginia in general) have only themselves to blame.

Pretty much.

There are some plans to convert portions of Hull Street Rd to a superstreet, but honestly it's too little, too late at this point. I think the plans have stalled anyway.

[Jmiles32]

^ Perhaps Chesterfield County should have worked with VDOT to make the Hull St Rd corridor more limited-access and less commercial-hell.  Traffic lanes are more effective when you don't have side roads and driveways every 5 feet.  They (and the state of Virginia in general) have only themselves to blame.

Pretty much.

There are some plans to convert portions of Hull Street Rd to a superstreet, but honestly it's too little, too late at this point. I think the plans have stalled anyway.

There are also plans to build a Bailey Bridge Road connector (probably should have have had its own interchange with VA-288 to begin with) via the Commonwealth Centre Pkwy. This should hopefully help relieve the Hull Street corridor as well by taking off at least some of the cars heading to the sprawling communities south of US-360. Speaking of sprawl, it will be very interesting to see how this area continues to develop especially around where the Powhite extension is supposed to go through. At the moment, the abrupt change from suburban hell to rural nothingness on US-360 is IMO on the same level as I-66 west of Haymarket and I-64 west of Short Pump. 

[NJRoadfan]

A new twist!

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1341815073967382528

I've actually done that move before, but the ramp was from a local 2-lane road.

[D-Dey65]

^

Not to mention, the continuous development that is still being built out there, thousands of new homes, only more and more cars on the road.

Either way, at the current rate, a new freeway facility extending westward from VA-288 is needed.

I recently started thinking I-295 should've been extended to VA 288 and merge with it as a wye interchange south of US 250, but too much development in Short Pump and vicinity got in the way of that.