Frederick County: CTB awards $18.2 million contract for Route 277 construction

The Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded an $18.2 million contract to General Excavation Inc. of Warrenton for the widening of Fairfax Pike (Route 277) in Frederick County.

Construction activities will extend just east of the Interstate 81 northbound ramps at exit 307 to Double Church Road (Route 641).

Fairfax Pike will be widened to four lanes with a median from east of the I-81 northbound ramps to east of Double Church Road where Fairfax Pike transitions to two lanes at the project.

Portions of the Fairfax Pike median will be raised and other portions of the median will be striped to provide turn lanes.

The project will provide various intersection improvements.

• On the west side of the project congestion and traffic flow will be improved on Fairfax Pike at the I-81 northbound on and off ramp intersection.
• On the north side of Fairfax Pike, Route 647 (Aylor Road) will be relocated to the east to align with Route 1085 (Stickley Drive). This moves Aylor Road away from the I-81 northbound off ramp intersection with Fairfax Pike.
• On the south side of Fairfax Pike next to the I-81 northbound off ramp, the traffic signal at Route 1012 (Town Run Lane) and Fairfax Pike will be removed. This helps free traffic flow at the I-81 northbound off ramp intersection with Fairfax Pike.
• The new Stickley Drive intersection with Aylor Road will have right and left turn lanes on to Fairfax Pike. Access controls will be provided on both Stickley Drive and Aylor Road.
• On the north side of Fairfax Pike, VDOT Lane will be moved west to align with the shopping center entrance located on the south side of Fairfax Pike.

The project will also provide pedestrian access on the north and south sides of Fairfax Pike.

• A five-foot-wide sidewalk will be constructed on the north side of Fairfax Pike between the Interstate 81 northbound entrance ramp and Double Church Road.
• A ten-foot-wide shared use path will be constructed on the south side of Fairfax Pike between Stickley Drive and Double Church Road.

Additional project work includes construction of a storm water management basin and some utility relocation.

The total estimated Fairfax Pike project cost, including preliminary engineering, right of way, and construction, is $42 million. The contract value on the 0.74-mile-long Fairfax Pike project is $18,176,369.00 and has a fixed completion date of June 1, 2023. SMART SCALE funding of $30,723,571 was allocated by the CTB in 2016 to this project. The completed project on Fairfax Pike will increase traffic capacity, enhance operational safety, and improve the connectivity of the regional roadway system.

The ViDOT Staunton District will provide online community “Pardon Our Dust” materials as the project begins. This will be followed by traffic alerts throughout the life of the project to update travelers on construction activities and traffic restrictions.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.