The traffic detour planned at the roundabout construction project at U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) and Route 151 (Critzer Shop Road) has been postponed a week.
The delay will allow the completion of construction necessary to facilitate the detour routes.
The detour will now begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 25, and will be in place until 6 a.m. Sept. 29. The detour is necessary to reconstruct the roundabout approach on Route 151 to meet the elevation of the new roundabout.
During the detour, traffic turning from U.S. 250 onto Route 151 will be detoured to Route 750 (Old Turnpike Road) and then to Route 803 (Goodloe Lane) and back onto Route 151. A section of Route 750 and all of Route 803 will be converted to one-way traffic during the detour.
Northbound traffic on Route 151 will continue to the current U.S. 250 intersection to turn left or right on to U.S. 250. Local traffic on Route 151 between Route 803 and U.S. 250 will be able to proceed north or south on Route 151. Local traffic on Route 803 will need to continue south to access Route 151 and U.S. 250.
During the detour, flaggers at the U.S. 250/Route 151 intersection and U.S. 250 and Old Turnpike Road will direct drivers to the detours. Message boards on the adjacent roads will provide advance notice of the traffic pattern change. Drivers should slow down and use extreme caution when approaching the project work area since the detour may result in more congestion than usual.
The roundabout project will replace the current signal-controlled intersection at U.S. 250 and Route 151. The location has a significant crash history and the roundabout will improve safety and reduce congestion, particularly during high-volume travel times. It will also correct deficiencies in the roadway alignment and manage vehicle speeds, both of which have been identified as contributing factors in some crashes.
The U.S. 250/Route 151 roundabout project is one of six improvements in a “bundle” of projects in Albemarle County. Curtis Contracting Inc. of West Point, Va. is delivering the $28.5 million design-build contract. Four of the projects: modifications to the Interstate 64 interchange at U.S. 29, improvements to the ramp on northbound U.S. 29 at the Fontaine Avenue exit, a connection from Rio Mills Road to Berkmar Drive, and a roundabout at Route 20 (Stony Point Road) and Route 649 (Proffit Road) are complete.
The remaining two, the 250/151 roundabout and the diverging diamond interchange at I-64 and U.S. 250 (Richmond Road) at Pantops, are scheduled for completion in February 2023.
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