Route 29 Solutions
The Route 29 Solutions was a package of transportation projects budgeted at $230 million that were approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in the summer of 2014 after the Western Bypass did not move forward.
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Background
The projects were developed rapidly after the Federal Highway Administration raised doubts that it would approve the bypass without seeing alternatives. Governor Terry McAuliffe decided to pursue other options to relieve congestion on U.S. 29 in Albemarle County and hired Philip Shucet to oversee a Route 29 Advisory Panel consisting of stakeholders from throughout the region, though the group never took a vote on the former VDOT commissioner's recommendations. A Route 29 Project Delivery Advisory Panel reviewed the project as the request for proposals for three of them were developed. [citation needed]
Projects
- Berkmar Drive Extended (contract awarded to Lane / Corman Joint Venture in February 2015)
- Route 29/250 Bypass interchange improvements[when?]
- Grade separated interchange at Rio Road and US29 (contract awarded in February 2015)
- 29 North Widening-Widening between Polo Grounds Road and Hollymead Town Center (contract awarded to Lane group in February 2015)
- Adaptive traffic signal technology (fate to be determined)
- Hillsdale Drive Extended
- Hydraulic Road grade-separated interchange (project funding transferred to different projects)
- Hillsdale Drive South (to be studied alongside Hydraulic Road interchange)
- Second Amtrak daily Northeast Regional passenger train (entered service in July 2022) [1]
Timeline
- May 8, 2014 – Shucet unveils recommendations to the first advisory panel [2]
- June 18, 2014 – Commonwealth Transportation Board eliminates Western Bypass funding and transfers it to the Route 29 Solutions projects [3]
- January 24, 2015 – Board of Supervisors issues statement in regard to the budget amendment (text)
- January 28, 2015 – MPO Policy Board reaffirms support for Route 29 Solutions [4]
- April 18, 2017 – CTB travels to Charlottesville for regular meeting and discusses the results of the project [5]
- October 4, 2017 – Joel DeNunzio tells Albemarle supervisors that the projects have reduced crashes and reduced travel time [6]
References
- ↑ Web. Second daily train between Roanokeand D.C. to start July 11, Sean Tubbs, News Article, Town Crier Productions, July 5, 2022, retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ↑ Web. Recommendations unveiled for U.S. 29 congestion relief, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, May 8, 2014, retrieved May 19, 2014.
- ↑ Web. Western Bypass funding eliminated; CTB supports other U.S. 29 projects, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, June 18, 2014, retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ↑ Web. MPO reaffirms support for Rio Road interchange, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, January 28, 2015, retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ↑ Web. Virginia transportation panel discusses U.S. 29 projects, Sean Tubbs, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, April 17, 2017, retrieved December 28, 2017.
- ↑ Web. VDOT: Fewer crashes, faster travel times after U.S. 29 projects, Sean Tubbs, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, October 6, 2017, retrieved October 9, 2017.