Virginia

[74/171FAN]

I have posted photos of the drive of the SR 636 Extension in Chesterfield County, VA, and the surrounding area from 12/22/2025.

[WillWeaverRVA]

I mentioned this in the Interstate 87 thread but the Hampton Roads TPO released a candidate list of regional projects to be added to their 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan. There are some rather odd candidates, including upgrading US 58 to interstate standards between I-664 and I-95, and reviving the ill-fated US 460 relocation proposal that died a rather dramatic death several years ago.

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/99c5d0b2bc4348ec806da972e1ca6a57/page/Candidate-Project-Portal?draft=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawPLY69leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE4cjMyWWVRQTdCRGdTeDdoc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrapq69SAVCe8ZRBchJyfdOeVb0VWcf8NTq9D5lCIhsGNqZSGfYvSSi5xNv4_aem_LB6kpOdN_-LnhLgz1k2clw&org=HRPDC-GIS#data_s=id%3AdataSource_2-18693da5e42-layer-7-18698a998fe-layer-6%3A10

[WillWeaverRVA]

VDOT has completed a paving project on the unpaved segments of VA 91 in Tazewell County. There are now no more unpaved non-institutional primary routes in Virginia. (attention @froggie and @Mapmikey)

[1995hoo]

VDOT is having an "open house" session on January 14 at Edison High School in Fairfax County regarding potential modifications to Van Dorn Street between Telegraph Road and the Alexandria city limits and to Franconia Road between Grovedale Drive (the intersection where the BP and Liberty stations are) and Van Dorn Street.




One of the options they were considering as of last fall involved displaced left turns at the Van Dorn–Franconia intersection. I can easily imagine a lot of people in this area's heads exploding if they implement this design. I don't particularly like design because of the number of additional traffic lights it would require.

[74/171FAN]

My first thoughts are, "watch VA 401 shields show up like VA 407 shields did in Virginia Beach even though VA 401 was not extended south into Fairfax County like VA 407 did not make it to or past VA 190 when installed". 

Maybe it is best that Virginia Beach and Fairfax County avoid posting most routes. 

[1995hoo]

There was discussion of extending VA-401 south a few years ago. Jeff McKay told me the county asked the CTB to drop the idea because it restricted what the county could do along the right-of-way. The CTB did drop it.

[74/171FAN]

There was discussion of extending VA-401 south a few years ago. Jeff McKay told me the county asked the CTB to drop the idea because it restricted what the county could do along the right-of-way. The CTB did drop it.

I was unable to find anything formal documentation (at least from 2013) stating that the idea was dropped, but I am sure you were right about that.

Of course, Alexandria seems to think that VA 401 was extended to SR 611 (see page 3).

[WillWeaverRVA]

There was discussion of extending VA-401 south a few years ago. Jeff McKay told me the county asked the CTB to drop the idea because it restricted what the county could do along the right-of-way. The CTB did drop it.

I was unable to find anything formal documentation (at least from 2013) stating that the idea was dropped, but I am sure you were right about that.

Of course, Alexandria seems to think that VA 401 was extended to SR 611 (see page 3).

Funny, that, considering Alexandria is completely uninterested in posting state routes.

[1995hoo]

There was discussion of extending VA-401 south a few years ago. Jeff McKay told me the county asked the CTB to drop the idea because it restricted what the county could do along the right-of-way. The CTB did drop it.

I was unable to find anything formal documentation (at least from 2013) stating that the idea was dropped, but I am sure you were right about that.

Of course, Alexandria seems to think that VA 401 was extended to SR 611 (see page 3).

Put it this way: At the time, Jeff McKay represented Lee District (where I live) on the Board of Supervisors, so I had no reason to doubt the accuracy of his statement on that issue. If anything, he seemed astonished that someone at an annual HOA meeting was aware of CTB deliberations. (I, of course, knew about it because someone mentioned it here on this forum.) McKay is now the chairman of the Board of Supervisors, so I don't see much of him these days even though he lives a short distance from us. He and I could have talked traffic for hours if we'd had time.

Back when the "local/thru" configuration opened as part of the new Wilson Bridge project, one of the overhead distance signs in Maryland had a VA-401 shield for Van Dorn instead of a Secondary 613 marker. You can see it was later fixed by sticking a 613 marker over the erroneous shield. I remember asking the Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock if he could tell me to whom I should report the error. He didn't respond, but the mistake was fixed a few weeks later and I'd like to believe he passed along the issue to someone over in Maryland.

I didn't read the whole report you linked, but glancing through it prompts me to note that so far the project at the old Landmark Mall site has resulted in one new traffic light on Van Dorn (just north of the existing light at the top of the ramp from westbound Duke Street to Van Dorn) and two new traffic lights on Duke Street. Both of the Duke Street lights are located between the Van Dorn overpass and the existing light outside the Mini dealer at Walker Street and will serve new streets in the new development. One of the new lights was not yet operational the last time I drove through. Still, that's three lights in super-quick succession. I already disliked driving through there on Duke Street, but I suppose trying to discourage vehicular traffic is part of Alexandria's overall MO.

The old CompUSA/Best Buy store on top of the hill across Duke Street from the mall was also torn down. I have no idea what's planned there, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were to be so-called "affordable housing."

[sprjus4]

One of the options they were considering as of last fall involved displaced left turns at the Van Dorn–Franconia intersection. I can easily imagine a lot of people in this area's heads exploding if they implement this design. I don't particularly like design because of the number of additional traffic lights it would require.

Displaced left turns have more traffic signals, but they're coordinated.

It ultimately would result in a two-phase intersection compared to the existing four-phase intersection that exists today, doubling the throughput. Sure, it's confusing on paper but once it's implemented and people adjust, it flows significantly better. The crossovers allow left turns and thru movements to be combined into one phase.

Typically these intersections have plenty of overhead signage to alert drivers where they need to go.

They've built two so far in the Hampton Roads area, with more proposed, and they work great.

[74/171FAN]

Back when the "local/thru" configuration opened as part of the new Wilson Bridge project, one of the overhead distance signs in Maryland had a VA-401 shield for Van Dorn instead of a Secondary 613 marker. You can see it was later fixed by sticking a 613 marker over the erroneous shield. I remember asking the Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock if he could tell me to whom I should report the error. He didn't respond, but the mistake was fixed a few weeks later and I'd like to believe he passed along the issue to someone over in Maryland.

Ironically @dgolub just posted that photo in the last few days on his website.

[Beltway]

Funny, that, considering Alexandria is completely uninterested in posting state routes.

VA 236 ?

[WillWeaverRVA]

Funny, that, considering Alexandria is completely uninterested in posting state routes.

VA 236 ?

I think the city has maybe one VA 236 posting, other than some postings at the interchange with VA 241 that VDOT put up.

I had asked the city about improving posting for VA 401 and VA 402, posting VA 7 and VA 236's endpoints, and putting up signs for VA 420, but was more or less told outright they were not interested in signing state routes within the city limits. I've gotten similar answers from Hampton and Virginia Beach.

[1995hoo]

There is at least one VA-236 sign on southbound US-1 in Old Town. It's been a few months since I've been through there, but I believe the sign shown on Google Street View is no longer there and has been replaced with a much uglier unisign in which the Virginia shield is a very strange design. There are also at least two, probably more, VA-236 signs on Van Dorn Street in the Landmark area; one of those is also an ugly unisign. And there are three VA-401 signs of which I'm aware; one is on northbound Van Dorn just north of the Metro Road offramp (on the same pole as and directly underneath a Speed Limit 35 sign), another is on southbound Van Dorn outside the McDonald's just south of Edsall Road, and the third is on southbound Van Dorn outside BJ's. The VA-401 signs don't really have any particular stylistic resemblance to each other, either.

There are VA-241 shields in the City of Alexandria on Eisenhower Avenue in front of the Courtyard by Marriott. They're fairly new and they are absolutely hideous unisigns. The VA-236 sign I think I saw in Old Town is of a similar style to these abominations. The one just around the corner from there might be uglier, though. And then there is this VA-241 sign outside Wegmans.


Edited to add: There's also this hideous thing on King Street just west of the intersection with Russell Road. If I'm not mistaken, that sign is erroneous because the road is VA-7 at that point. Also, I don't go that way very often—I use Duke Street a lot more—and I had never noticed the speed limit sign in the background there that's sort of reminiscent of New York's "State Speed Limit," "City Speed Limit," "Village Speed Limit," etc.

[Thing 342]

Finally another update on the Colonial Parkway: https://www.nps.gov/colo/planyourvisit/colo-parkway-rehab.htm

Parkway Rehabilitation Status - December 2025:
In Segment A (Ballard Street to Fusiliers Redoubt Ramp): Crews have poured the concrete fascia on the Yorktown Creek Bridge, and they continue installing bridge deck formwork on that structure. Crews are continuing to pour new concrete pavement panels between the Route 17 Bridge and the Fusiliers Redoubt Ramp.

In Segment D & E (Felgates Creek to Penniman Road): Crews working on completing installation and aggregate exposure of concrete pavement.

In Segment F (Penniman Road to Merrimac Trail): Major stormwater culvert crossing work in Segment F continues as crews work complete the large box culvert headwalls in this segment. Crews have recently returned to Segment F to resume the demolition of existing pavement and the subgrade stabilization work.

In Segment G (Merrimac Trail to Rt.199): Crews are nearing completion of all new concrete roadway panels in Segment G, and adjacent shoulder grading and stabilization work is underway. Electrical crews have installed all the new lighting fixtures in the Williamsburg Tunnel.

Indian Field Creek Bridge: Crews are currently performing concrete repair work and the removal of the paint from the existing steel girders. Repainting of the girders is expected to start soon.

North Pier Access Bridge: Masons have started to remove and salvage bricks from the damaged parapet wall.

Given that they haven't even finished demolition of the old pavement on Segment F, I am deeply skeptical that the project will be finished before the stated completion date of June 30.

[roadman65]

Why is US 340 in Waynesboro signed along two different paths going through Downtown?

https://maps.app.goo.gl/34a4VGktfsxFEy6z5?g_st=ac
https://maps.app.goo.gl/m4BRtTiv4sdjatFE9?g_st=ac

Northbound is signed with US 250 while Southbound is signed through the Main Street Business district , but only trucks follow US 250.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cW8TQVFGU1T3etiT8?g_st=ac

My guess different contractors, but both ends come together so its not a big deal for motorists, but find it odd signed different routes through the same area.

[74/171FAN]

My guess different contractors, but both ends come together so its not a big deal for motorists, but find it odd signed different routes through the same area.

Signage in independent cities in VA is the wild wild west to the point that Virginia Beach  and arguably even Richmond would rather ignore it, but that conversation belongs in The Attempt to Fix Virginia Signage Featuring WillWeaverRVA.

[Mapmikey]

340 officially runs downtown and was correctly posted on both ends before the GMSV era.

[roadman65]

340 officially runs downtown and was correctly posted on both ends before the GMSV era.

I remember it did from 1980, when we camped nearby we drove through downtown and saw the two routes split with US 250 the through truck route.

[Great Lakes Roads]

The RMTA is in the process of converting the tolling system to cashless tolling starting in early 2026...

From the website:
"The transition to all-electronic tolling is scheduled to begin in early 2026 on the Powhite Parkway, the Boulevard Bridge and all ramps.

As part of a phased approach, cash will be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders. The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash in 2027."

https://www.rmtaonline.org/

[Beltway]

The RMTA is in the process of converting the tolling system to cashless tolling starting in early 2026...
From the website:
"The transition to all-electronic tolling is scheduled to begin in early 2026 on the Powhite Parkway, the Boulevard Bridge and all ramps.
As part of a phased approach, cash will be accepted at the Downtown Expressway from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; outside of those hours, Pay-By-Plate will apply for motorists who do not have E-ZPass transponders. The Downtown Expressway is expected to transition completely to no cash in 2027."
https://www.rmtaonline.org/

Be nice if they would set a date. I see the new gantry over the mainline just south of the James River Powhite bridge.

That will eliminate the tolling at the Forest Hill Avenue ramps and the mainline plazas south of there. Certainly a traffic improvement.

Another project will demolish and remove the toll plazas.

[plain]

The one thing that bothers me about the Powhite in particular going cashless is the lane configuration SB just past the Forest Hill Ave exit. Are they going to keep the split at the railroad overpass or are they going to go back to 3 lanes, like it was before the high speed lanes were built? This is what I'm talking about:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KpNFYe8bBqrsYLxD7?g_st=ac

I know the congestion nowadays stems from the section between VA 150 & US 60 (which is maintained by VDOT at that point) but losing that split/far right lane would make things even worse, in my opinion.

[Dirt Roads]

The RMTA is in the process of converting the tolling system to cashless tolling starting in early 2026...

I'll certain miss the days where I one would say "Chuck" and throw a dime into the basket; and then when the light turns green they would say "Robb".

[Beltway]

The one thing that bothers me about the Powhite in particular going cashless is the lane configuration SB just past the Forest Hill Ave exit. Are they going to keep the split at the railroad overpass or are they going to go back to 3 lanes, like it was before the high speed lanes were built? This is what I'm talking about:

I don't know the official answer, but based on what is there it would seem logical to use that as a 2-lane C-D roadway to access VA-150 NB and to merge back into the mainline, like it works now. Toll plazas and extra pavement width to be demolished.

Or they could modify SBL into a single 4-lane roadway.

[Takumi]

VDOT is once again looking at the possibility of a new James River bridge in the Jamestown area.
https://www.dailypress.com/2026/02/09/jamestown-surry-bridge-study/