Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the opening of the last two Route 29 Solutions design-build projects during an event Thursday morning in Albemarle County.
“The Route 29 Solutions program was among the first initiatives put in motion by my administration,” said Governor McAuliffe. “We promised that these projects would address the long-standing safety issues and congestion along Route 29 in the Charlottesville region, and it’s a pleasure to celebrate the successful completion of the three most challenging projects in that package of transportation improvements with the Charlottesville community.”
These projects will provide additional lanes on Route 29 as well as a local road parallel to Route 29 that will provide an alternative for motorists traveling north of Charlottesville. The projects expand capacity on Route 29 north of the South Fork Rivanna River, easing congestion and ensuring the efficiency of this vital transportation corridor. They will also improve safety along a section of Route 29 with one of the highest crash rates on the corridor.
Governor McAuliffe was joined by Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne, state and local elected officials, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Lane-Corman Joint Venture project staff this morning to mark the delivery of the Berkmar Drive Extension and Route 29 Widening projects.
Secretary Layne added, “The Route 29 Solutions program is an outstanding example of how the state can partner with local governments and their communities to develop and deliver improvements that address transportation issues and reflect the preferences of the community. VDOT is using the processes developed and executed so successfully here to improve the delivery of large projects across Virginia.”
The Berkmar Drive Extension and Route 29 Widening projects are part of a $116.7 million design-build contract with Lane-Corman Joint Venture. Design work on the projects began in March 2015 with construction starting in the summer of 2015. The third project, the Rio Road grade-separated intersection, was completed on time on Dec. 2, 2016. The contract completion date for the Berkmar and Route 29 widening projects is Oct. 30, 2017.
For the next several weeks motorists traveling through the Route 29 Widening project may encounter intermittent lane closures while the contractor completes final work along the right of way. Drivers should be alert for lane closures and signs directing them through the work zone.
More information about the Route 29 Solutions projects can be found on the website: www.Route29Solutions.org. Information about upcoming lane closures and other traffic impacts, as well as news about the projects, is posted on the website’s News and Traffic Alerts page.
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Chris Graham
