208 Roundabout
Update from VDOT January 2023 Presently the project is in the right-of-way phase. VDOT is negotiating with affected property owners for easements, property purchase, temp easements etc. This process is anticipated to take a few months and then they will move forward with utility relocation and project advertisement in the early fall of 2023. Construction start is anticipated for December 2023/January 2024 with a construction duration of about 13 months. There is a project page on our VDOT site at this link https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/culpeper/522_208roundabout.asp HISTORY ______________________________________________________________ The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is in the Design phase of a new “traffic circle” at the intersection of New Bridge Road (Route 208) and Zachary Taylor Highway (Route 522) at Dickinson’s Store in the Ware's Crossroads community. The DOT Report to the Louisa County Board of Supervisors meeting on September 20, 2021 indicated that “Scoping” was completed and the next phase of “detailed design” was underway. They should finish this phase in the coming year and will then hold a Public Hearing on the proposal. Then, they will proceed with the Right-of–Way phase in 2022 with construction slated for 2023. Estimated costs are: Design $ 950,000 Right-of Way $1,050,000 Construction $3,400,000 Total Cost $5,400,000 This “traffic control device” was arrived at after many years of study, planning and unfortunately deaths. A notable occurrence in 2014 was a traffic death in which one of the survivors launched a campaign to install a traffic light. VDOT conducted traffic volume counts over several days and concluded that the traffic volumes did not meet the “warrants” required by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to install a traffic signal or a flashing light. All of this information was delivered at a VDOT Public Hearing in June of 2015. They recommended, and ultimately implemented, highway lane improvements to help increase safety until a roundabout could be constructed. There were two interim changes made to facilitate safer traffic flow: off-set the right turn lane on Zachary Taylor Highway turning onto New Bridge Road and realignment of the right turn lane on New Bridge Road onto Zachary Taylor Highway. Another option to be considered was to lower the speed limit on Zachary Taylor Highway through this entire area. Immediately, LACA petitioned the Culpeper District of VDOT to lower the speed limit to 45 MPH, which was achieved within 4 months. For more information, please see the documents posted in our Land Use Library. |
