VDOT: Expect traffic congestion in Nelson County this week

Nelson County motorists should be aware of possible congestion and changes in traffic pattern on US 29 and side roads near Oak Ridge Estate in Lovingston from Wednesday evening, August 22 through midday Monday, August 27 due to the Lockn’ Festival.

The highest volumes of traffic on Route 29 are expected to occur during the overnight hours of Wednesday through early Thursday evening, late afternoon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and into midday Monday, while heavier-than-normal traffic will likely occur on Route 665 from Route 29 to Route 668 and Route 668 to Route 650 on Thursday.

Contractors for the festival in collaboration with the Virginia State Police (VSP) and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin setting up traffic control south of the Lovingston area on Wednesday. Due to the possibility of increased congestion, several changes in traffic pattern are planned.

Early festival arrival traffic on Wednesday will be directed off Route 29 to Route 29 Business (Front Street) in Lovingston, to Route 56 and right onto Route 650.

Crossovers: From Wednesday evening to Thursday evening, all crossovers from the U-turn location (between Ross Road and Morse Lane) to the first crossover north of Route 650 will be closed. On Thursday evening, the U-turn will be shifted north to South Lena Rose Lane. The crossovers south of Route 56 will be opened and those between the U-turn and the first crossover north of Route 650 will remain closed until Sunday evening.

Closures: On Wednesday evening through the day on Thursday, Route 650 between Route 56 and Route 29 will be closed intermittently. Route 653 may be closed to event traffic.

Through traffic: Through traffic on Route 29 South will use the right lane; event traffic will use the left lane, and through traffic on Route 29 North will use the left lane from north of Route 739; event traffic will use the right lane.

If considering an alternate route, motorists are encouraged to use Route 151 from the intersection of Route 29/151 in Amherst County to the intersection of Route 250/151 in Albemarle County. This route is not recommended for trucks.

Message boards and other traffic control devices will be used to alert motorists to these changes in traffic pattern and any major congestion issues.

For additional up-to-date information throughout the event, please call 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org, follow VDOT on Twitter @VaDOTLynchburg, or contact VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-367-7623 (800-FOR-ROAD).