Those who travel on West Hundred Road from Jefferson Davis Highway west to Interstate 95 know that there needs to be work done to relieve traffic snarls on that short section of highway.
A new project by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), managed by Chesterfield’s transportation department, should relieve at least some of the congestion.
According to the Chesterfield County Department of Transportation (CDOT), “A Design Public Hearing will be held on Dec. 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Thomas Dale High School located at 3626 W. Hundred Rd. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public comments on the proposed project.
West Hundred Road will be upgraded from a “four-lane divided roadway to a six-lane divided roadway. Some sections of this corridor have wide shoulders and the proposed widening project is intended to fill in the gaps and provide a consistent cross-section along the corridor,” according to project documents.
The $8 million project will be paid for with 50 percent state funds, 50 percent county funds and federal Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) funds will be used. Engineering on the project is nearly complete and property easement acquisition is now underway. Construction could begin as early as September of 2016 with completion estimated by the end of 2017.
The current, most western crossover, which accesses the Bermuda Square Shopping Center, will be closed leaving access to and from the center at the easternmost entrance and exit (Chipotle).
The crossover configuration at the entrance to the group of businesses at the location of Cracker Barrel restaurant will be changed. U-turns will also be incorporated into the some crossovers and at the intersection of Jefferson Davis Highway.
The crossover at I-95 southbound off-ramp to Route 10 eastbound will remain open for authorized and emergency vehicles only.
Over a three-year analysis period, 91 crashes were reported over a three-year period on the approximately 3.5 tenths of a mile section of roadway. The number of crashes was over two times the rate of the statewide average. This information was taken from a 381-page traffic report/study contracted by VDOT.
Oral and written comments can be submitted at the meeting. Written comments by mail or email must be received by December 28, 2015 in the Chesterfield County Transportation Dept., P.O. Box 40, Chesterfield, VA 23832 or via email at [email protected].
