VDOT will hold a Citizen Information Meeting concerning improvements to the intersection of Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway) and Route 613 (Spring Hill Road) in Augusta County. The meeting will take place from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, November 8 in the South Board Room of the Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, VA 24482. VDOT will make a brief presentation at 4:15 p.m.
Citizens can come in during the meeting hours and discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with VDOT officials and designers. Written comments can be submitted at the meeting or within 10 days after the meeting date to Jamison Strasser, P.E., Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029.
The existing intersection is controlled by flashing lights – yellow for drivers approaching on Route 262, and red for drivers approaching on Route 613. There are also stop signs for drivers on Route 613. A diamond interchange had been proposed at the intersection, but attempts to fully fund the project through SMART SCALE and other sources have been unsuccessful.
VDOT has been considering lower-cost alternatives that maintain the functionality of Route 262 while enhancing safety. A Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) intersection is recommended by VDOT Traffic Engineering as a viable alternative. The RCUT can be accomplished within limited right-of-way using current funding.
The RCUT proposal eliminates left turns and through movements directly from Route 613 onto Route 262. Drivers on Route 613 who wish to turn left or proceed straight would instead turn right on Route 262 and then make a U-turn on Route 262 through a channelized crossover. This design allows Route 262 to continue operation as an uninterrupted bypass facility, much like an interchange.
The RCUT is expected to decrease overall delay at the intersection and also provides a safety benefit by reducing the number of potential conflict points from 32 to 18. Crossing conflicts, often considered higher risk, are reduced from 16 points to just 2 points. The estimated advertisement date for an RCUT intersection is March 2022.
In 2017 Route 262 had an average daily traffic count of 9,900 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2040 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 14,800 vehicles per day. In 2017 Route 613 had an average daily traffic count of 1,800 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2040 the estimated average daily traffic volume is 3,248 vehicles per day.
The total estimated cost for this project is $5.0 million including $1.1 million for preliminary engineering, $360,000 for right of way and $3.6 million for construction.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org. For other assistance call the VDOT Customer Service Center, available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Citizens can dial 1-800-FOR- ROAD (1-800-367-7623) from anywhere in the state to report road hazards, ask transportation questions, or get information related to Virginia’s roads.
The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at www.VirginiaDOT.org.
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Chris Graham
