Transportation Update from Sally Kurtz, Catoctin District Supervisor

Sally Kurtz, Catoctin District Supervisor with the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, had lots of transportation related updates in her August Catoctin District newsletter. We've reprinted the traffic/transit/transportation related items below.

Current Projects
Loudoun County Parkway/Route 7 Interchange (County Project): The construction is well underway. Base asphalt is being placed on the ramps. Final costs are being worked out for the Route 7 westbound 4th lane widening. The project should be completed by late 2010.

Maintenance/Paving

The following road segments are currently planned for re-paving:

Rt. 7W from Rt. 287 to Rt. 719 bridge
Rt. 7W from Rt. 711 to Clarke Co. line
Rt. 7E from Clarke Co. line to Rt. 1330
Rt. 15S from Roundabout to Prince William Co. line (subject to change)
Rt. 15/7 Bypass N&S from Rt. 15 bridge to East Market street bridge (Leesburg city limit)
Rt. 28 N&S from Rt.7 to Rt. 625
Rt. 50W from Rt. 611 to the beginning of duals west of Middleburg

Preliminary Engineering Projects

Route 15 North - Plan for Lucketts Safety Initiatives (CAD TBD) – VDOT staff is going through the process of securing approvals for a consultant to complete the design work. There is no funding identified to move the project to construction.

Route 15 South Widening/Leesburg Line to Woodlea Drive – This project (installation of turnlanes at the Animal Park and a bike trail from Woodlea Drive to Virt’s Corner). Utility relocation is underway.

Edwards Ferry Road (TBD) – No activity on this project as resources have been diverted to other time sensitive projects.

Route 7 – East Market Street to South King Street – Traffic data was collected in October 2009 for updates to the forecast model that will be used for any reduction in design year Level of Service and to investigate potential short term operational improvements at the Sycolin Road intersection.

Route 7 – Climbing Lane/West Market Street to Route 9 – A notice to proceed was issued to RK&K for the next stage of traffic analysis that will look at the impacts of closing the four median breaks and to make recommendations of measures to address the resulting U-turn movements (i.e. modifications to the Route 9 and West Market Street interchanges and possible acceleration lanes). Acceleration lanes are not reflected in the current project cost estimates. The Board and NVTA have approved transfer of the FY10 RSTP funds to this project as well as using FY11 RSTP funds on this project.

Route 7/659 Interchange Design (County Project) – The Board of Supervisors approved the conceptual design. Design work by Dewberry continues. County staff and the design firm have held several meetings with impacted property owners from the four quadrants of the interchange.

Lovettsville Bike Trail – VDOT is now handling the project for the Town of Lovettsville. The task order with RK and K has not been executed as yet. The Town staff requested changes to the consultant’s scope of work.

HSIP Funds – Signage, pavement markings and signal adjustments for bicycle accommodations on Route 15 from Balls Bluff Road to White’s Ferry Road - Coordination continues with the Town of Leesburg and Loudoun staff to investigate the feasibility of the Town taking over the grant in order to build a shared use path for the Tuscarora High School.

Bridge on Gleedsville Road over Sycolin (CAD Fall 2011) – A public hearing was held on November 18th from 6 to 9 p.m. at Heritage High School. Approximately 24 people attended. Most of the attendees liked the design but there were a few who commented that the project was too large and would result in too many trees being removed. There were others who supported the paved shoulders noting the benefit of improved visibility and refuge from traffic for the joggers. VDOT staff will look into accelerating the scheduled from spring 2012 to the fall of 2011 in order to utilize the full 2012 construction season.

Riverside Parkway (County Project – Revenue Sharing) – County staff is coordinating with the developer of the Fort Evans Road improvements to determine the best way to design the two projects that share the Riverside Parkway/Fort Evans Road/River Creek Parkway intersection improvements.

Pacific Boulevard – Dresden Road to Relocation Drive (CAD Spring 2011) – Preparation of the Environmental document is underway. Updating of the design plans is underway by the Central Office in-house design staff. The completed scoping documents have been sent to the Central Office for approval. A design public hearing will be held when the draft Environmental Assessment is completed. The STIP amendment was approved by FHWA on November 19, 2009. VDOT’s cost estimate of $14.5 million assumes right of way will be donated.

Pacific Boulevard – Relocation Drive to Sterling Boulevard (CAD 02/10) – On schedule. Public involvement in the form of a Posting of Willingness is completed.

For more details, contact Kurtz at 703-777-0204. And thanks to the Supervisor for letting us reprint the information from her newsletter for our readers.