Work continues this week on Belmont Bridge July 3-7. However, no work is scheduled on Tuesday, July 4, in observance of the holiday.
- Daytime work continues at both the East Market Street intersection of 9th/Avon Street as well as Garrett Street/Levy Avenue intersection which will require temporary closure of lanes on the side streets. All movements (straight, right, left) will be accommodated but please pay attention to flaggers and workers as lanes may shift or be closed.
- Nighttime work at the East Market intersection will occur between 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. starting Wednesday, July 5, to bore conduit for the new signals. The signals may be placed into flash mode and flaggers would then direct traffic through the intersection in 15-minute increments. Only one intersection will be impacted at a time.
- The work zone has been extended north of East Market Street in the far right lane of Northbound 9th/Avon Street. Barrels have been placed in the right northbound lane to protect the new stormwater inlets as well as new signal pole.
- Construction vehicles will be entering/exiting the work zone on 9th/Avon Street both north and south of the bridge and railroad tracks. Please watch for flagging on 9th/Avon Street as these vehicles enter/exit the travel lanes.
- Old Avon is closed between Garrett Street and East South Street to continue construction of a retaining wall for the new pedestrian plaza.
- Old Avon may be closed under the bridge on Friday evening, July 7 from noon to 7 a.m. Caton is scheduling the final deck pours on the mainline bridge with this being the earliest, possible date. Vehicles will need to use Monticello Road to enter/leave the culdesac on Old Avon during this closure.
- Old Avon, East South Street (between Old Avon and Graves Street) and Monticello Road (between Graves Street and Old Avon) will be flagged as utility relocation continues, materials are moved and pedestrian lighting is installed.
- Vehicular traffic at the bridge on Water Street will be flagged with both pedestrian and vehicular travel being intermittently stopped for vehicles entering/exit the work area. Water Street has been reduced to one lane in the westbound direction between 10th Street NE and 4th Street SE. Detour signs direct eastbound traffic to 2nd Street SE to Garrett Street to 9th/Avon Street to East Market Street to 10th Street NE to Water Street. On-street parking spaces are available on both sides of Water Street while Water Street is one-wayed (please park with vehicle pointed in the same, westbound direction).
- The sidewalk detour on Water Street will change as needed to allow work on either side of the street. The northern sidewalk on Water Street will remain closed between the pedestrian underpass and the bridge. Pedestrians will be directed to the southern sidewalk (east of the bridge) and the western crosswalk at the Transit Center to the northern sidewalk to destinations to the west. The eastern crosswalk at the Transit Center will be closed. The pedestrian underpass to the Pavilion/Downtown Mall is open and remains available as an alternative route for pedestrians.
- To accommodate construction, segments of sidewalk and crosswalks will also be closed as work progresses. No street will have both sides of the sidewalk closed at the same time. The western sidewalk will remain closed along 9th/Avon between East Market Street and Graves Street. The western sidewalk along 9th/Avon between Graves Street and Garrett Street will be reopened so the eastern sidewalk along 9th/Avon between Graves Street and Levy Avenue can be closed for reconstruction. Please use the crosswalks across 9th/Avon at Graves Street and the Levy Avenue/Garrett Street intersection. The pedestrian ramp south of the Pavilion leading to 9th/Avon Street is closed so pedestrians should use 7th Street NE or another adjacent side street to reach East Market Street and 9th/Avon Street. The northern sidewalk along Garrett Street will be closed between the entrance to 310 Avon Street and Old Avon Street with pedestrians directed to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. The southern sidewalk along Old Avon Street is closed between Monticello Road and where it terminates near East South Street.
- During the signal construction, one corner of an intersection will be closed at a time with pedestrians directed to the crosswalks across the other legs of the intersection. The NW, SW and SE corners will be closed one at a time at the Levy Avenue/Garrett Street intersection while the NE (first one impacted), SE, and SW corners will be closed one at a time at the East Market intersection. Flagging of vehicular traffic may occur on 9th/Avon just before the Levy Avenue/Garrett Street and just before East Market Street intersection to allow for conduit to be bored underneath the roadway.
- Existing ramps at the northeast and southeast corners or Market and 9th Street used as alternate routes do not have truncated domes. Cross slopes on sidewalks at driveway entrances exceed 2 percent. In the instance that pedestrians are attempting to head east/west along Market Street and the southeast ramp is closed, the detour will be along existing sidewalks along 10th Street and E. Jefferson. 10th Street sidewalk does have a slope greater than 8 percent.Temporary solar powered lights have been installed along the eastern sidewalk of 9th/Avon Street between Graves Street and East Market Street. An alternate pedestrian route to either Water Street or East Market Street is available via Garrett Street to 4th Street SE.
Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the project area and access to private parcels will be accommodated.
Construction is being conducted by Caton Construction Group, Inc. for the City of Charlottesville’s Department of Public Works. The pedestrian pushbuttons at the 9th/Avon/Levy/Garrett intersection have been relocated to the large, wooden signal poles (NE, NW and SW corners) and an auxiliary wooden post with metal conduit (SE corner).
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Crystal Graham
