Sunday, June 29, 2008
Blacksburg to kick off big intersection project
The joint project between the town and Virginia Tech would improve six intersections on campus and two away from Tech.
BLACKSBURG -- While it may not get points for originality, it would be hard to find a more fitting title for the town's upcoming "Various Intersections Project."
When the paint and asphalt dry and the last orange barrels are removed in August 2009, eight intersections along Prices Fork Road, Progress Street, South Main, West Campus Drive and Perry Street will have new turn lanes, traffic lights and pedestrian signals.
But in the meantime, what will be the impact of the project scheduled to begin at the end of July?
Brandon Steele, Blacksburg's urban transportation manager and the manager of the project, admitted with a smirk that it's unusual to tackle so many intersections with one project. But he said he's optimistic it won't cause significant traffic issues during the next year.
"I like to think I can get my projects done on time and manage them properly," he said. "There's no rocket science we're doing here. It's just straight roadway work, and there's no reason why we shouldn't feel it would go off really well."
But, he added, "It is construction."
Further complicating matters is the fact that the project is a joint endeavor between the town and Virginia Tech. It wouldn't make sense to work on intersections on the edge of campus without addressing traffic flow on campus, Steele said.
"It does us no good if they're backed up on Prices Fork trying to get into Tech," he said.
The project is estimated to cost $4.4 million. Tech will contribute $1 million to $1.4 million. While the contract for the work hasn't been awarded, Steele said the project plan would likely involve working on the intersections away from campus first. Work on campus wouldn't actually start until May.
No intersections will be closed because of the work, and Steele said traffic flow will be "bothered but it won't be impeded."
Steve Mouras, Tech's director of transportation, said even peripheral work, such as moving the sidewalk back along Prices Fork Road, will be put on hold during football season. The commuter lots along Prices Fork are popular tailgating areas and traffic is often slowed to a crawl on Prices Fork before football games.
Another major intersection will also be under construction next May, though it's not a part of a the project. A right-turn lane will be added for cars turning onto University City Boulevard from Prices Fork Road.
Mouras said a 2003 Virginia Department of Transportation study shows that none of the intersections scheduled for construction would be sufficient to handle the traffic flow in 2023. Steele said there's even a problem now, at certain times of the day.
"If you've ever ridden out at these locations, 9 in the morning, 8 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, 12 o'clock, you realize something," he said. "When you see traffic backed up from Stanger all the way back to the Drillfield and all the way down Perry all in the lots just trying to get out, you figure there's something better you can do."
Mouras isn't only concerned about moving vehicles on campus. The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved plans for a 1,200-space parking garage to be built in the commuter lot behind Cowgill Hall. The garage, expected to cost between $25 million and $30 million and be three or four stories, will net the university 900 to 1,000 parking spaces when it's completed in early 2011, Mouras said.
Parking garages are expensive -- the garage is expected to have two elevators and four stairwells. Engineering, lighting and security add to the costs. But a garage is needed because there's simply no room to add surface lots, he said. New buildings will add more demand for parking on that side of campus and take up open space.
And, like road construction, parking structures should be built to anticipate need. It's far less expensive to build spaces into the initial structure than it is to add onto it after the fact.
"Someone said, 'Well, Steve, you know, at least guarantee me that the garage will be completely full the day you open it.' Well, I actually hope not,' " Mouras said. "I would hope that it would have some capacity so that in five or 10 years it would fill up."
The details
Prices Fork Road/West Campus Drive Going east toward downtown on Prices Fork Road there will be an extension of the right turn lane onto West Campus Drive. This lane will be a “hot right,” meaning cars will not have to stop at the traffic light to turn onto West Campus, cutting back on congestion of cars turning into campus. New traffic signals and pedestrian signals will also be installed. A third lane will be added to the northbound lanes (leaving campus) on West Campus Drive. Cars will have one dedicated right turn lane as well as two left turn lanes onto Prices Fork.
West Campus/Access road tocommuter lot An additional dedicated right turn lane will be added for cars leaving the commuter lot and turning right onto West Campus.
West Campus/Perry Street Traffic and pedestrian signals will be added to the intersection along with new crosswalks. An already-existing right turn lane from Perry onto West Campus will be extended.
Prices Fork/Stanger Street Going east toward downtown on Prices Fork, an already-existing right turn lane will be extended and continued onto Stanger Street. A pedestrian island will be added and pedestrian and traffic signals will be replaced. Heading toward Prices Fork on Stanger Street, two lanes will be added to the existing lane.
Stanger Street/Perry Street A right turn lane will be added for cars to turn onto Perry from Stanger. Crosswalks will be improved and a pedestrian island will be added. A left turn lane for cars turning onto Stanger from Perry will also be added.
Ellett Road/South Main Street New control cabinets to run traffic signals.
Progress Street/Patrick Henry Drive New control cabinets to run traffic signals.
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