Board Passes Motion to Fund Design for Improvements to Waxpool Road

At the recent Board of Supervisors’ Public Input/General Business meeting, the Board voted unanimously to fund design for improvements at two intersections on Waxpool Road.

Broad Run District Supervisor Shawn Williams brought forward the item, which funds $1 million for design work to improve traffic flow at the intersections of Pacific Boulevard and Broderick Drive.

“After the improvements to the intersection of Loudoun County Parkway and Waxpool Road two years ago, these two intersections, Pacific Boulevard and Broderick Drive, were identified as the next priorities for interim solutions by the 2008 Waxpool Road Corridor Study,” said Williams.

The project will include improvements to the right turn movement from southbound Pacific Boulevard to westbound Waxpool Road and provide lane extensions and additions to enable both intersections to have the left turn signal phases run concurrently. Having the intersections left turn signal phases run concurrently will allow for longer light cycles for through-traffic on Waxpool Road. The project will also include dual turn lane modifications and signal changes which will allow for increased traffic flow per signal phase.

“This should help solve the terrible backups that occur when needing to make a right turn out of Target and Wegmans onto Waxpool Road,” said Williams. “It should also significantly reduce congestion in the evenings coming off Route 28 onto Waxpool Road. This project, along with the extension of Gloucester Parkway, which is expected to take 15,000 cars off Waxpool Road daily, will shorten commutes and increase commerce.”

Funding for the design is coming from existing local gasoline tax funding, specifically from a project the Board cancelled earlier in the year, the Franklin Park – Park and Ride Lot. There will be no impact on the general fund.

The Board also directed county staff bring a funding plan to the Board for the construction of the improvements, which is expected to cost $6.4 million. The proposed funding plan will include existing developer proffer funding, the balance of local gas tax funding and a local match from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s FY 2014 State Revenue Share program.

Reprinted from Broad Run District Supervisor Shawn Williams email newsletter.

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VDOT to Open Pacific Boulevard Extension in Early September

State and local officials today announced the completion of two important transportation projects over the next two weeks in Loudoun County — the extension of Pacific Boulevard from Autoworld Circle to Severn Way, and a new parking lot accessible from Pacific Boulevard for runners, cyclists and other users of the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail.

Pacific Boulevard Extension

This 0.6-mile section of road is four lanes, with bridges over the W&OD Railroad Regional Park and Cabin Branch. Both a 10-foot-wide bike/walk path and a sidewalk connect to the W&OD Trail the east and west sides of Pacific Boulevard. As part of the road system paralleling Route 28, the extension will help reduce congestion and provide an alternate north-south option for local traffic. Drivers may experience some lane closures and roadside activities over the next few weeks as crews finish final details.

“While the segment constructed here is a short one, it provides an important connection for local businesses, customers and emergency services,” said Helen Cuervo, VDOT’s assistant district administrator for construction. “This project represents a tremendous amount of work between VDOT, Loudoun County, the landowners, the developers, and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.”

With the design-build team including Shirley Design/Build, LLC and Dewberry, design and construction were closely coordinated to expedite the schedule — using traditional methods, construction would not have begun until 2011. The project is on time and expected to be almost $4 million under its $26.7 million budget. Donation of rights of way from Eugenia Investments saved more than $3 million.

With the completion of the new section, Pacific Boulevard now stretches from Dresden Street to Nokes Boulevard (about two miles). A VDOT public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 21 at Park View High School in Sterling for the design-build project to construct Pacific Boulevard from Relocation Drive to Dresden Street (0.67 miles). Work on this section could begin by the end of 2011 and would fully connect Pacific Boulevard from Ox Road (Route 606) to Nokes Boulevard. By 2030, 27,600 average daily trips (ADT) are expected on Pacific Boulevard.

New W&OD Trail Parking

Also accessible via the new section of Pacific Boulevard is a recently constructed parking lot for W&OD Trail users. It features 65 standard vehicle spaces, as well as spaces for four horse trailers.

The $800,000 lot was designed and built as part of the Route 28 interchange project to replace a temporary lot constructed on Route 28 just south of Nokes Boulevard. The old lot will now be closed and demolished.

More information on the Pacific Boulevard extension and other VDOT projects is available at www.VirginiaDOT.org.

* Photo courtesy of VDOT

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Developers to Pay $31.9 Million to Extend Gloucester Parkway from Pacific Boulevard to Loudoun County Parkway

Yesterday's Loudoun Times reported that the developers of Kincora Village, a proposed mixed-use project in Ashburn, announced on Tuesday, June 29, that they will pay $31.9 million to fully extend Gloucester Parkway from Pacific Boulevard to Loudoun County Parkway.

"It is unclear, however, if the last-minute offer will be enough to secure majority approval from a Board of Supervisors that has been sharply divided on the project.

As county leaders have debated the development’s merits over the last several months, the road’s construction and cost have been a stumbling block for several supervisors.

The road’s construction, they said, was needed to alleviate congestion on Waxpool Road."

Read the complete article.

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Even More Construction... Today It's Pacific Boulevard

More news about roads in Loudoun County, this time it's about construction on Pacific Boulevard.

According to today's Leesburg Today newspaper, there was a ceremony this morning where "elected representatives, county staff, representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation and community members gathered to break ground on another key transportation project in eastern Loudoun. This morning marked the kick off of the construction of Pacific Boulevard between Autoworld Way and Severn Way, west of Rt. 28, a segment of road many have called an important part of improving traffic flow on the soon-to-be limited access highway."

Leesburg Today even has some video.

The paper added, that once complete, "the road will connect the Dulles 28 Centre area to Severn Way, providing two two-lane separated bridges over the W&OD trail and a two-lane bridge over Cabin Branch. There will also be a new parking area for the W&OD trail as part of a proffer from the Paragon Park development, which will front Rt. 28. The current parking area must be closed when the Nokes Boulevard interchange is opened.The entire cost of the project, for design, construction, right-of-way procurement and utilities, is $26.7 million. The road is expected to be open to commuters and residents by August 2010."

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