Virginia

[jb_va23]

Contacted VDOT regarding missing on signs on US 258/US 17/VA 32 at the US 60 interchange in Newport News. In VDOT's the response, they say that the City of Newport News maintains all signage at this interchange. I contact the city.... according to them, I need to contact VDOT. I decide to contact VDOT over the phone and speak to a person. The customer service agent was very kind and answered my questions, the city maintains all of this interchange as well as the signage. He wasn't sure why the city was trying to send me off to VDOT. Now, I am simply waiting for the response from the City of Newport News.

GMSV Link: https://goo.gl/maps/RA1qvBwphRYkuroC8

[WillWeaverRVA]

Contacted VDOT regarding missing on signs on US 258/US 17/VA 32 at the US 60 interchange in Newport News. In VDOT's the response, they say that the City of Newport News maintains all signage at this interchange. I contact the city.... according to them, I need to contact VDOT. I decide to contact VDOT over the phone and speak to a person. The customer service agent was very kind and answered my questions, the city maintains all of this interchange as well as the signage. He wasn't sure why the city was trying to send me off to VDOT. Now, I am simply waiting for the response from the City of Newport News.

GMSV Link: https://goo.gl/maps/RA1qvBwphRYkuroC8

I'm glad the customer service agent steered you right, because this signage is supposed to be maintained by the city, although I'm sure when they replace it they'll contract it out to VDOT.

[jb_va23]

Contacted VDOT regarding missing on signs on US 258/US 17/VA 32 at the US 60 interchange in Newport News. In VDOT's the response, they say that the City of Newport News maintains all signage at this interchange. I contact the city.... according to them, I need to contact VDOT. I decide to contact VDOT over the phone and speak to a person. The customer service agent was very kind and answered my questions, the city maintains all of this interchange as well as the signage. He wasn't sure why the city was trying to send me off to VDOT. Now, I am simply waiting for the response from the City of Newport News.

GMSV Link: https://goo.gl/maps/RA1qvBwphRYkuroC8

I'm glad the customer service agent steered you right, because this signage is supposed to be maintained by the city, although I'm sure when they replace it they'll contract it out to VDOT.

That is what I thought.... it's commonplace for independent cities in Virginia to maintain all roads (even signed highway), except for interstates. I honestly only contact VDOT because this interchange is near the James River Bridge, and I thought VDOT might maintain that. I was surprised the city tried to pawn me off back to VDOT, but after speaking with the agent and the city again, the city did respond and said they will investigate and (hopefully) replace the signs. There needs to be something there, especially because there is no sign for US-60 East, and it's too easy to miss the ramp!

[FLAVORTOWN]

Looks like VDOT is installing new traffic poles on Glebe + Randolph in Arlington. Not really sure why they couldnt modify the existing traffic lights and had to plop down new ones?

[bluecountry]

Exit 98 is the exit for Kings Dominion. If bluecountry is saying something about traffic there, I'd guess the amusement park is the reason.

I was presuming that bluecountry was talking about the merge from VA 207 WB onto I-95 SB at Exit 104.

I'd be the last person to ask about Kings Dominion congestion as I probably have not been there since high school.

I think he was talking about Exit 104. Most traffic use VA 207 to access US 301 to bypass Washington, Baltimore and etc. and to pick up I-95 when heading south. It is also the last exit for drivers to access US 301 from I-95.

I am sorry, yes I meant exit 104.  So is that the reason why the nice 'break' in congestion from 126 south stops at 104?  Because of traffic that used 301 to get to MD/points north?

[bluecountry]

I-64 expansion, drove it for the first time in years from I-295 to the HR beltway.
I am mixed, while there did need to be an expansion, I really liked the landscaped tree median before, and unfortunately it has been lost.
While the capacity is increased, I wish they could have kept that median, because now the vision is not as good which I cannot help but think reduces the improvement.

Unfortunately, they are not going to acquire more right of way in order to retain the forested median. I do agree though, it was nice to have.

It will likely all be gone soon... the 29 mile gap will be fully widened to 6 lanes by 2030 as three major projects begin to ramp up over the next year or so.

Yea and I mean while obviously there is more physical capacity from 2 to 3 lanes, I feel like the improvement is somewhat limited and cancelled out by the forested median being removed as that tree buffer did block the opposite side traffic from interfering.

[sprjus4]

I-64 expansion, drove it for the first time in years from I-295 to the HR beltway.
I am mixed, while there did need to be an expansion, I really liked the landscaped tree median before, and unfortunately it has been lost.
While the capacity is increased, I wish they could have kept that median, because now the vision is not as good which I cannot help but think reduces the improvement.

Unfortunately, they are not going to acquire more right of way in order to retain the forested median. I do agree though, it was nice to have.

It will likely all be gone soon... the 29 mile gap will be fully widened to 6 lanes by 2030 as three major projects begin to ramp up over the next year or so.

Yea and I mean while obviously there is more physical capacity from 2 to 3 lanes, I feel like the improvement is somewhat limited and cancelled out by the forested median being removed as that tree buffer did block the opposite side traffic from interfering.

It is not limited nor cancelled out by that... again while nice to have, I much more enjoy traveling at 78-80 mph on the 6 lane portion near Williamsburg vs. the stop-and-go 30-60 mph slog with the forested median. Traffic will move much smoother and conditions will be safer overall.

The tree median being removed is a slight downside but it is not on the magnitude of "cancelling out"  the improvements being built by the widening.

[bluecountry]

I-64 expansion, drove it for the first time in years from I-295 to the HR beltway.
I am mixed, while there did need to be an expansion, I really liked the landscaped tree median before, and unfortunately it has been lost.
While the capacity is increased, I wish they could have kept that median, because now the vision is not as good which I cannot help but think reduces the improvement.

Unfortunately, they are not going to acquire more right of way in order to retain the forested median. I do agree though, it was nice to have.

It will likely all be gone soon... the 29 mile gap will be fully widened to 6 lanes by 2030 as three major projects begin to ramp up over the next year or so.

Yea and I mean while obviously there is more physical capacity from 2 to 3 lanes, I feel like the improvement is somewhat limited and cancelled out by the forested median being removed as that tree buffer did block the opposite side traffic from interfering.

It is not limited nor cancelled out by that... again while nice to have, I much more enjoy traveling at 78-80 mph on the 6 lane portion near Williamsburg vs. the stop-and-go 30-60 mph slog with the forested median. Traffic will move much smoother and conditions will be safer overall.

The tree median being removed is a slight downside but it is not on the magnitude of "cancelling out"  the improvements being built by the widening.

I think if one was traveling at midnight, it would be easier if it was 2 lanes with trees.

[sprjus4]

I-64 expansion, drove it for the first time in years from I-295 to the HR beltway.
I am mixed, while there did need to be an expansion, I really liked the landscaped tree median before, and unfortunately it has been lost.
While the capacity is increased, I wish they could have kept that median, because now the vision is not as good which I cannot help but think reduces the improvement.

Unfortunately, they are not going to acquire more right of way in order to retain the forested median. I do agree though, it was nice to have.

It will likely all be gone soon... the 29 mile gap will be fully widened to 6 lanes by 2030 as three major projects begin to ramp up over the next year or so.

Yea and I mean while obviously there is more physical capacity from 2 to 3 lanes, I feel like the improvement is somewhat limited and cancelled out by the forested median being removed as that tree buffer did block the opposite side traffic from interfering.

It is not limited nor cancelled out by that... again while nice to have, I much more enjoy traveling at 78-80 mph on the 6 lane portion near Williamsburg vs. the stop-and-go 30-60 mph slog with the forested median. Traffic will move much smoother and conditions will be safer overall.

The tree median being removed is a slight downside but it is not on the magnitude of "cancelling out"  the improvements being built by the widening.

I think if one was traveling at midnight, it would be easier if it was 2 lanes with trees.

Overnight sure... but during the day, three lanes is a significant improvement.

Also, the median width being 50 ft or greater in many areas even with 6 lanes, it's not as bad even with oncoming lights. They're further away.

[hbelkins]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

[Rothman]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

I've yet to have a deer jump out in front of me on an Interstate.  If anything, the deer I see along the Thruway and elsewhere around here (and I've seen many as they've become more populous) know their place...rather oddly.

[plain]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

I've yet to have a deer jump out in front of me on an Interstate.  If anything, the deer I see along the Thruway and elsewhere around here (and I've seen many as they've become more populous) know their place...rather oddly.

I barely missed a deer on I-85 near Dewitt. It can happen...

[1995hoo]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

I've yet to have a deer jump out in front of me on an Interstate.  If anything, the deer I see along the Thruway and elsewhere around here (and I've seen many as they've become more populous) know their place...rather oddly.

I came very, very close (add a few more "verys") in May 2012 on I-66 between Broad Run and Exit 31 (Great Meadow and The Plains), and it wasn't even nighttime–it was late afternoon on a Saturday and we were en route to a restaurant in Middleburg. A deer was standing on the right shoulder just west of the overpass over VA-55 and its position, and the bend of its legs, plainly indicated that it was ready to spring into action to try to cross the road. Thankfully, we got past without incident (plus there was a truck behind us, so I couldn't have slammed on the brakes). I-66 in that area doesn't have a treed median, either.

A former colleague of mine was less lucky; his wife hit a deer on I-66 somewhere between Markham and Front Royal and severely smashed up her Honda CR-V. His reaction was that it was a good thing she was driving because he would have been going faster, such that the damage would have been worse.

The closest I ever came to hitting a deer that did jump out into traffic was not on the Interstate; it was on VA-20 northeast of Orange late one night coming back from Charlottesville. I was getting ready to pass a slowpoke when I saw brake lights in the distance ahead. Something made me back off. Good thing: The brake lights came from a guy up ahead who had just hit a deer. The carcass was still spinning in the road. If I'd passed the slowpoke, I'd have hit the deer at 65—70 mph. Then there was the time in 1986 when my father almost hit a moose late one night northwest of Cochrane, Ontario, on the gravel road to Greenwater Provincial Park. I don't think I ever saw my father come so close to shitting his pants as he did that night.

[Mapmikey]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

I've yet to have a deer jump out in front of me on an Interstate.  If anything, the deer I see along the Thruway and elsewhere around here (and I've seen many as they've become more populous) know their place...rather oddly.

I came very, very close (add a few more "verys") in May 2012 on I-66 between Broad Run and Exit 31 (Great Meadow and The Plains), and it wasn't even nighttime–it was late afternoon on a Saturday and we were en route to a restaurant in Middleburg. A deer was standing on the right shoulder just west of the overpass over VA-55 and its position, and the bend of its legs, plainly indicated that it was ready to spring into action to try to cross the road. Thankfully, we got past without incident (plus there was a truck behind us, so I couldn't have slammed on the brakes). I-66 in that area doesn't have a treed median, either.

A former colleague of mine was less lucky; his wife hit a deer on I-66 somewhere between Markham and Front Royal and severely smashed up her Honda CR-V. His reaction was that it was a good thing she was driving because he would have been going faster, such that the damage would have been worse.

The closest I ever came to hitting a deer that did jump out into traffic was not on the Interstate; it was on VA-20 northeast of Orange late one night coming back from Charlottesville. I was getting ready to pass a slowpoke when I saw brake lights in the distance ahead. Something made me back off. Good thing: The brake lights came from a guy up ahead who had just hit a deer. The carcass was still spinning in the road. If I'd passed the slowpoke, I'd have hit the deer at 65—70 mph. Then there was the time in 1986 when my father almost hit a moose late one night northwest of Cochrane, Ontario, on the gravel road to Greenwater Provincial Park. I don't think I ever saw my father come so close to shitting his pants as he did that night.

I have hit 2 deer...one on I-64 near Lewisburg WV (no tree lined median) and on VA 20 southwest of Orange.  Both were around 10:30 in the morning.

[tmoore952]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

I've yet to have a deer jump out in front of me on an Interstate.  If anything, the deer I see along the Thruway and elsewhere around here (and I've seen many as they've become more populous) know their place...rather oddly.

Several times I have come close to hitting deer on the ramps of the Cabin John interchange (Exit 41) of the Capital Beltway (I-495), just on the MD side of the American Legion Bridge. I've had them jump over from one side of the ramp to the other, right in front of me. And I have also seen roadkill both on those ramps and on the interstate near there.

I have hit two deer in my life. Both occurred at night (not here, and not on an interstate) and both did serious damage to my car, I was probably going 40 or 45. For that reason I am reluctant to speed at night anywhere, and particularly not in this interchange at any time, and especially at night. I know I irritate some people at night in that interchange, but I wonder if they ever consider there may be good reasons for it.

[Alps]

Wide forested median = prime deer habitat for them to run out in front of your vehicle as you're doing 70 mph.

Cut every tree in the median and either put up a concrete barrier wall or keep it mowed to "front lawn in a homeowners' association-controlled subdivision" levels.

Dear EPA,

[1995hoo]

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1699620561876373811

[mrsman]

https://twitter.com/STATter911/status/1699620561876373811

I am glad that the police have apprehended a dangerous driver.

But I'm upset that what has caused a lot of the backups is the change in operations that occurred a few years ago.  This being the tolling restriction of the NB 395 express lanes between the Pentagon and DC.  For much of the HOV era for these reversible lanes, the part between Pentagon and DC was open to all traffic at all times.  It is one thing to expand the HOV restriction that existed on the express lanes to be for HOV/toll, but when they converted a previously free and open section of highway that was always free, they basically created a far bigger jam for the rest of 395.

Obviously, I would recommend allowing free travel on this portion.  It seems that there is a toll charge for it even when the reversible lanes are only open in the SB direction.  [This necesssarily means that nobody from the reversible stretch is even possibly on the roadway, only traffic from Eads or 395 main lanes that pay the toll.  I know that part of the justification for tolling this stretch was to make sure that the toll lanes on the reversible portion run smoothly, but why is there a toll when the reversible lanes are not even running northbound at all?  THere are basically two empty lanes running into the city that are hard to access and are tied with a toll, simply there to charge a toll.]

Due to the politics of it, of course, my suggestion won't happen.  Less money for the toll operator.  But maybe they can put a sign on VA-110 approaching the ramp to 395 with time estimates to DC by taking the main road or by taking the express lanes.  There, people who want to avoid the jam can make the sensible choice of accessing the express lanes by taking the Eads street ramp.  Also, put up better signage once VA-110 traffic makes the exit to 395 that there is an easy access to the express lanes there.

At this point here (replacing the Pentagon City exit sign):

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8647023,-77.0522138,3a,75y,283.8h,78.93t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNdviDWWOP6qqoKhgVdto_Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu



Something like:

Army Navy Dr                                                       395 north
Pentagon City                                                    Washington
TO 395 Express Lanes
^                                                                                  /
|                                                                                  /
|                                                                                 /


All I can say is that they have created a terrible situation.  The number of drivers who make this dangerous manouever should be a cause to rethink the whole policy.  Isn't it wasterful to have a police officer stationed there to apprehend drivers in a situation that seems unfortunatley common, but was non-existent prior to the advent of the toll lanes?  And the reason why the  manouver did not occur before 2019, is because the traffic on this stretch had been allowed to use all of the lanes of the bridge at all times for free without restrictions since the bus-only restrictions ended in the 1970s.  This meant that the traffic on all lanes was about the same and there was no benefit in trying to sneak into the "express lanes."   (traffic evened out)  As non-HOV traffic from Eads or the left side of 395 headed for the "Rochambau" lanes, there was more room for traffic from 110, GW Pkwy and local entrances to use the "Arland Williams" lanes.  Granted, the Rochambau lanes were usually emptier, but not nearly as much of a difference as there is now due to the tolling.

[bluecountry]

I-64 expansion, drove it for the first time in years from I-295 to the HR beltway.
I am mixed, while there did need to be an expansion, I really liked the landscaped tree median before, and unfortunately it has been lost.
While the capacity is increased, I wish they could have kept that median, because now the vision is not as good which I cannot help but think reduces the improvement.

Unfortunately, they are not going to acquire more right of way in order to retain the forested median. I do agree though, it was nice to have.

It will likely all be gone soon... the 29 mile gap will be fully widened to 6 lanes by 2030 as three major projects begin to ramp up over the next year or so.

Yea and I mean while obviously there is more physical capacity from 2 to 3 lanes, I feel like the improvement is somewhat limited and cancelled out by the forested median being removed as that tree buffer did block the opposite side traffic from interfering.

It is not limited nor cancelled out by that... again while nice to have, I much more enjoy traveling at 78-80 mph on the 6 lane portion near Williamsburg vs. the stop-and-go 30-60 mph slog with the forested median. Traffic will move much smoother and conditions will be safer overall.

The tree median being removed is a slight downside but it is not on the magnitude of "cancelling out"  the improvements being built by the widening.

I think if one was traveling at midnight, it would be easier if it was 2 lanes with trees.

Overnight sure... but during the day, three lanes is a significant improvement.

Also, the median width being 50 ft or greater in many areas even with 6 lanes, it's not as bad even with oncoming lights. They're further away.

After driving last Sunday from NOVA to VAB I agree, I did that from Centreville in 3 hours!
Never would have happened before.
Still one does miss how pretty the median is from 206 to 234.

Also, when one goes from 95SB to 295 to 64 and sees 95 SB is 3 lanes, 295 4, and most of 64 3, it screams WTF is 95 NOT 4 lanes!!!
IMO 95 should be four lanes from 295 to exit 126, then the c/d should extend to 126 from 130.
This should be VDOTs top priority and yet I never see anything.

[Hunty2022]

The southbound lanes of US 29 in Ruckersville are apparently underwater, due to the flooding and storm that is currently still happening as I'm posting this.

[VTGoose]

The Southern Connector, the new route of U.S. 220 in Henry County, is dead. Funding has been shifted to a study of how to improve the existing U.S. 220.

The revised budget passed by the General Assembly changes the focus. "The study the legislature authorized will look at improving roughly 7 miles of U.S. 220 between the state line and U.S. 58 in Henry County. The study area also includes the U.S. 58/Virginia 641 interchange and the town of Ridgeway, where U.S. 220 connects with Virginia 87, according to Jason Bond, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Transportation."

The route of the new Southern Connector was studied two years ago. "The cost was estimated at the time at $745 million.

The Southern Environmental Law Center urged VDOT to scrap the plan, calling the project "a poor use of taxpayer dollars"  and decrying its potential impacts on the environment.

An environmental impact study of the Southern Connector identified four potential minority-owned residential areas that could be affected, as well as other environmental points of concern such as noise pollution and adjacent residential properties. Report researchers also looked at seven endangered species that were in the project area and could be threatened.

That 2021 study is now largely moot, as local voices have shifted away from support for the Southern Connector."

https://cardinalnews.org/2023/09/13/plans-underway-to-improve-u-s-220-the-economic-gateway-between-southern-virginia-and-greensboro-nc/

[Plutonic Panda]

A 1.9 mile section of Route 29 in Northern Virginia is getting an upgrade:

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/drones-aid-shirley-contracting-vdot-on-route-29-project/62522

[roadman65]

What's the deal with VA 895 being allowed? Isn't all state primary numbers to be  between 1-599 as 600 and higher are reserved for secondary designations?

Is that some sort of exception being it's a de facto interstate connecting to I-95 that to be an x-95 has all even numbers from 2 and 4 used elsewhere and doesn't fit for an odd x95?

[amroad17]

What's the deal with VA 895 being allowed? Isn't all state primary numbers to be  between 1-599 as 600 and higher are reserved for secondary designations?

Is that some sort of exception being it's a de facto interstate connecting to I-95 that to be an x-95 has all even numbers from 2 and 4 used elsewhere and doesn't fit for an odd x95?

Originally, this highway was supposed to be signed as I-895.  However, Virginia used federal funds allocated for this highway to build a tolled highway.  Because of this, Virginia could not sign it as an Interstate highway, so they signed this as VA 895 instead.

It is not really that big a deal that this highway is signed VA 895.  It is just an anomaly from the norms many of us have become accustomed to observing in Virginia.

[Mapmikey]

It would still be an exception even if it was I-895.  Like I-664, I-785 (officially VA 785 currently), the two cancelled I-795s, and the VDOT-proposed I-864, it is a number >599 that is not a secondary route. 

VDOT explicitly recognizes interstate designations above 599 as exceptions.  See the bottom of page 2 of the 2003 route log