Courtesy: George Washington Regional Commission/Fredericksburg Area MPO Virginia Department of Transportation/Michael Baker Jr.
The George Washington Toll Road Authority on Monday agreed on the language in a request for bids proposal for contractors to oversee the next round of preliminary studies on the proposed Interstate 95 interchange and parkway project.
This is the $300 million project aimed at fixing traffic congestion on State Route 3 and the problems of backups on I-95 at the Central Park exit.
The Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration must approve the plans for the design phase of the project.
Lloyd Robinson, Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization director of transportation planning, hopes the plans will be approved in early July.
VDOT also will conduct an environmental analysis, which the highway administration must approve as well.
If the project is approved, the interchange could connect to a proposed four-lane Rappahannock Parkway, which would run west between Route 3 and the Rappahannock River and tie in to Route 3 at Gordon Road. The parkway and interchange could carry a toll, but also could be free for high-occupancy vehicles.
Plans for the new parkway include a diamond intersection connecting to the Celebrate Virginia South development’s road system near the site where the Celebrate Virginia Live concert series is held. Celebrate Virginia is just behind the rest area.
The authority’s Interchange Justification Report on the project was approved on April 28 by the highway administration.
The next phase of preliminary studies would get $14.8 million in funding through Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation program, according to the draft of the state’s six-year improvement program for fiscal years 2012 to 2017. The governor’s massive $4 billion program has already been approved by the General Assembly. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will vote on it next week.
For more on the background of the interchange project click these links:
