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State Route 3 bypass floated in Spotsylvania
September 9, 2004 1:10 am
By EDIE GROSS
Spotsylvania County officials have resurrected a small piece of the former Outer Connector project as a potential fix for State Route 3 congestion.
The parkway, part of what was once called "Corridor 5" of the Outer Connector, would start just south of the Rappahannock River and carry traffic from Interstate 95 to the western part of State Route 3 in the county, perhaps near Spotswood Furnace Road.
"It's a Route 3 bypass, not an Outer Connector," said Spotsylvania Planning Commission Chairman Hugh Montgomery.
Whatever it's called, it's a long way from reality.
The project would need regional political support and extensive environmental studies, not to mention federal approval and a cost analysis.
There is no cost estimate right now, said Montgomery, who discussed the project Tuesday night during a meeting of the county's transportation subcommittee.
Montgomery said he suggested such a bypass to the Virginia Department of Transportation in 2001. But VDOT increased the size of that project to include a parkway from Interstate 95 and Mountain View Road down to U.S. 17 in Stafford County as well as parallel-access lanes along the highway from U.S. 17 down to State Route 3.
The additions, he said, made the project too costly and caused too much damage to surrounding property. At the time, VDOT estimated Corridor 5 would cost $214 million to build and displace 255 families.
Ultimately, VDOT endorsed a different version of the Outer Connector, a $158 million parkway that crossed a quiet section of the Rappahannock River far to the west.
Montgomery said he never supported any new bridges over the Rappahannock. He just wanted a small bypass to relieve traffic on crowded State Route 3.
"It was a way to build a connector without a bridge that made a lot of sense," Montgomery said. "What VDOT did with it I didn't really care for. I maintained for several years that we were trying to solve an east-west problem with a north-south road."
Outer Connector battle In October 2001, state officials backed a route for the Outer Connector that would have started at I-95 and Mountain View Road in Stafford, arced west and south across U.S. 17 and the Rappahannock River and ended at Route 3 near the Mullins Farm.
But residents argued the road would damage a pristine section of the river, harm nearby battlefields and spur urban sprawl.
The end for the Outer Connector came in November 2003, when Spotsylvania supervisors, who had once supported the project, voted to remove it from the long-range plan. Fredericksburg city officials sided with Spotsylvania, and the project was dropped.
VDOT, which had spent $5 million studying just where to place the Outer Connector, was irritated by the decision. Shortly thereafter, it halted work on the Spotsylvania Parkway.
The parkway was designed to pick up on Route 3 at the end of the Outer Connector and stretch south and east back toward U.S. 1 in Massaponax. Its exact location was still being studied.
Spotsylvania officials called the move retaliatory. VDOT said it didn't want to spend more money studying large local projects unless it was sure officials supported them.
VDOT challenged local officials to come up with a better way to reduce congestion than the Outer Connector.
Montgomery and others at Tuesday's meeting said this proposal does that.
"I would hope VDOT could entertain these ideas in the spirit in which they're given and set aside their angst on the decision about the Outer Connector," County Administrator Randy Wheeler said.
VDOT Fredericksburg District Administrator Dave Ogle said the proposal may face stiff opposition from the Federal Highway Administration, which would probably require parallel access lanes--or collector-distributor lanes--along the highway from just north of U.S. 17 to just south of State Route 3.
"The fact that it was looked at in concept as alternative 5 and rejected would lead me to believe it doesn't have as much promise as they think it should," Ogle said. "But if they would like to analyze it to the same depth required by the Federal Highway Administration, we're more than open to any information they want to provide us."
An uncertain future Montgomery suggested the bypass could start at I-95, either at the existing welcome center just south of the river or at a new interchange for Celebrate Virginia--if one were ever built. The road would follow the river and Motts Run Reservoir properties before branching south toward Route 3.
The only two access points would be at I-95 and at Route 3, he said.
"You really want this to be a Route 3 bypass, not a local road," Montgomery said.
Jud Honaker, president of the commercial division for Celebrate Virginia's developer, the Silver Cos., said Spotsylvania may face some challenges in building the bypass, particularly at its connection to the interstate.
The Silver Cos. proposed a new interchange from I-95 into Celebrate Virginia 21/2 years ago, but was told it would need to make a number of highway improvements before the Federal Highway Administration would consider the project, Honaker said. Ultimately, Silver Cos. dropped the idea.
The problem, he said, is "you don't do anything because you can't do everything, and you're worse off for it," Honaker said. "I think time will prove that not having an interchange is a mistake. But we've decided to move forward without it."
It may be difficult to incorporate a Route 3 bypass into Celebrate Virginia's design since most of the tourism campus is already planned, Honaker said. But Silver Cos. is open to talking about it, he said.
Spotsylvania's transportation subcommittee voted to bring the idea to the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which sets regional transportation priorities.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Hagan said the project could reduce congestion on State Route 3 and should cost a lot less than the original Outer Connector.
"The Outer Connector, as previously envisioned, was basically impossible in the financial world we're in any time in the foreseeable future," he said. "This is a smaller piece. It eliminates the river crossing."
To reach EDIE GROSS: 540/374-5428 egross@freelancestar.com
Copyright 2004 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Company
September 9, 2004 1:10 am
By EDIE GROSS
Spotsylvania County officials have resurrected a small piece of the former Outer Connector project as a potential fix for State Route 3 congestion.
The parkway, part of what was once called "Corridor 5" of the Outer Connector, would start just south of the Rappahannock River and carry traffic from Interstate 95 to the western part of State Route 3 in the county, perhaps near Spotswood Furnace Road.
"It's a Route 3 bypass, not an Outer Connector," said Spotsylvania Planning Commission Chairman Hugh Montgomery.
Whatever it's called, it's a long way from reality.
The project would need regional political support and extensive environmental studies, not to mention federal approval and a cost analysis.
There is no cost estimate right now, said Montgomery, who discussed the project Tuesday night during a meeting of the county's transportation subcommittee.
Montgomery said he suggested such a bypass to the Virginia Department of Transportation in 2001. But VDOT increased the size of that project to include a parkway from Interstate 95 and Mountain View Road down to U.S. 17 in Stafford County as well as parallel-access lanes along the highway from U.S. 17 down to State Route 3.
The additions, he said, made the project too costly and caused too much damage to surrounding property. At the time, VDOT estimated Corridor 5 would cost $214 million to build and displace 255 families.
Ultimately, VDOT endorsed a different version of the Outer Connector, a $158 million parkway that crossed a quiet section of the Rappahannock River far to the west.
Montgomery said he never supported any new bridges over the Rappahannock. He just wanted a small bypass to relieve traffic on crowded State Route 3.
"It was a way to build a connector without a bridge that made a lot of sense," Montgomery said. "What VDOT did with it I didn't really care for. I maintained for several years that we were trying to solve an east-west problem with a north-south road."
Outer Connector battle In October 2001, state officials backed a route for the Outer Connector that would have started at I-95 and Mountain View Road in Stafford, arced west and south across U.S. 17 and the Rappahannock River and ended at Route 3 near the Mullins Farm.
But residents argued the road would damage a pristine section of the river, harm nearby battlefields and spur urban sprawl.
The end for the Outer Connector came in November 2003, when Spotsylvania supervisors, who had once supported the project, voted to remove it from the long-range plan. Fredericksburg city officials sided with Spotsylvania, and the project was dropped.
VDOT, which had spent $5 million studying just where to place the Outer Connector, was irritated by the decision. Shortly thereafter, it halted work on the Spotsylvania Parkway.
The parkway was designed to pick up on Route 3 at the end of the Outer Connector and stretch south and east back toward U.S. 1 in Massaponax. Its exact location was still being studied.
Spotsylvania officials called the move retaliatory. VDOT said it didn't want to spend more money studying large local projects unless it was sure officials supported them.
VDOT challenged local officials to come up with a better way to reduce congestion than the Outer Connector.
Montgomery and others at Tuesday's meeting said this proposal does that.
"I would hope VDOT could entertain these ideas in the spirit in which they're given and set aside their angst on the decision about the Outer Connector," County Administrator Randy Wheeler said.
VDOT Fredericksburg District Administrator Dave Ogle said the proposal may face stiff opposition from the Federal Highway Administration, which would probably require parallel access lanes--or collector-distributor lanes--along the highway from just north of U.S. 17 to just south of State Route 3.
"The fact that it was looked at in concept as alternative 5 and rejected would lead me to believe it doesn't have as much promise as they think it should," Ogle said. "But if they would like to analyze it to the same depth required by the Federal Highway Administration, we're more than open to any information they want to provide us."
An uncertain future Montgomery suggested the bypass could start at I-95, either at the existing welcome center just south of the river or at a new interchange for Celebrate Virginia--if one were ever built. The road would follow the river and Motts Run Reservoir properties before branching south toward Route 3.
The only two access points would be at I-95 and at Route 3, he said.
"You really want this to be a Route 3 bypass, not a local road," Montgomery said.
Jud Honaker, president of the commercial division for Celebrate Virginia's developer, the Silver Cos., said Spotsylvania may face some challenges in building the bypass, particularly at its connection to the interstate.
The Silver Cos. proposed a new interchange from I-95 into Celebrate Virginia 21/2 years ago, but was told it would need to make a number of highway improvements before the Federal Highway Administration would consider the project, Honaker said. Ultimately, Silver Cos. dropped the idea.
The problem, he said, is "you don't do anything because you can't do everything, and you're worse off for it," Honaker said. "I think time will prove that not having an interchange is a mistake. But we've decided to move forward without it."
It may be difficult to incorporate a Route 3 bypass into Celebrate Virginia's design since most of the tourism campus is already planned, Honaker said. But Silver Cos. is open to talking about it, he said.
Spotsylvania's transportation subcommittee voted to bring the idea to the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which sets regional transportation priorities.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Hagan said the project could reduce congestion on State Route 3 and should cost a lot less than the original Outer Connector.
"The Outer Connector, as previously envisioned, was basically impossible in the financial world we're in any time in the foreseeable future," he said. "This is a smaller piece. It eliminates the river crossing."
To reach EDIE GROSS: 540/374-5428 egross@freelancestar.com
Copyright 2004 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Company
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