VDOT to host public hearing on shared-use path for two Staunton roads

VDOT will hold a public hearing concerning a proposed shared-use path along Richmond Avenue and Crossing Way in Staunton.

The open-house meeting will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21, in the Dairy Barn Lecture Hall of the Frontier Culture Museum, 1290 Richmond Ave,, Staunton.

Residents can come in anytime during the meeting hours and discuss the project on a one-on-one basis with VDOT officials and designers. Written comments can be submitted at the meeting or within 10 days after the meeting date to Mr. Aaron Warr, Project Manager. Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029.

Oral comments can be recorded at the meeting with the assistance of a court reporter.

In the event of inclement weather, the public meeting will be held Wednesday, February 28, at the same time and location.

The 0.45-mile project will improve safety and connectivity for pedestrians and improve access to transit facilities for pedestrians and bicycles. The project will also enhance economic development by improving congestion, mobility and access to surrounding properties.

The project will construct an 8-foot-wide shared-use path along the south side of Richmond Avenue (Route 250) and along the east side of Crossing Way to the existing roundabout in the city of Staunton. The shared-use path will narrow to a 6-foot crossing over the CSX railway bridge. The corridor study selected the south side of Richmond Road to receive the shared-use path due to available right-of-way, proximity to Frontier Center businesses, and a wider deck on the eastbound railway bridge.

Concrete barrier and fencing along the right shoulder of the eastbound bridge will separate pedestrians and cyclists from traffic lanes. All crosswalks are proposed to be high visibility with accessible signals, push buttons, and pedestrian countdown signal heads at the signalized intersections with Frontier, Frontier Center Trail, and Crossing Way. Two-stage pedestrian crossings are proposed across Richmond Road.

The Richmond Avenue and Crossing Way shared-use path is Project 1 of the Richmond Road Multimodal Corridor Study conducted in 2009. The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro (SAWMPO) partnered with the City of Staunton, Augusta County and VDOT to identify strategies for improved multimodal connectivity, safety, and traffic operations.

In 2022, Richmond Avenue had an average traffic volume of 26,000 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2035 the estimated traffic volume is 34,000 vehicles per day.

In 2023, Crossing Way had an estimated traffic volume of 5,500 vehicles per day. By the design year of 2035 the estimated traffic volume is 11,200 vehicles per day.

The total estimated cost of the project is $5,113,818, which includes $387,844 for preliminary engineering, $879,804 for right of way and $3,846,170 for construction. The project received funding from Virginia’s SMART SCALE program for prioritizing transportation improvements.