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Rt. 50 Traffic Calming Work To Begin

(Created: Saturday, February 17, 2007 7:20 PM EST)

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Sen. John Warner joined local community and political leaders yesterday in celebrating the ceremonial groundbreaking for the first phase of the Rt. 50 Traffic Calming Project.

Ten years in the planning, the project is designed to improve traffic and pedestrian safety along 20 miles of rural Rt. 50 between Paris and Lenah. Construction will start in Upperville, where new medians, landscaping and crosswalks will be installed. Next, will be the construction of a roundabout designed to improve traffic flow at the Rt. 50/Rt. 15 intersection at Gilberts Corner. Then works moves to the Village of Aldie and the Town of Middleburg.

Initiated by residents who opposed plans to build a series of bypasses around the communities, Warner got the project moving by having it designated as a national demonstration project in a federal transportation funding bill. A state-appointed task force of local government representatives and residents guided the project from concepts presented by national traffic calming planner Ian Lockwood through the design and engineering process to the issuance of contractor bids last year.

The Upperville traffic calming project will begin in early next month and be completed in September 2008 at a cost of $5.6 million, according to VDOT. The roadside will be landscaped. Sidewalks and on-street parking will be added along with curb and gutter and a closed drainage system. There will be raised crosswalks and raised intersections in the village area. The roadway will be milled and resurfaced and special provisions in the contract will protect the large trees during construction.

A design-build construction contract for the Gilberts Corner intersection work is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The initial $11 million federal funding earmark has grown into a $39 million project over the past decade.

But Warner, who celebrates his 80th birthday today, didn't want to talk about the scale of federal funding involved while addressing project supporters at Trinity Episcopal Church yesterday afternoon. He congratulated the residents who pushed the project forward for their efforts in preserving the historic and scenic qualities of their community, a community in which he has been a member for most of his life. The groundbreaking ceremony took place only a few miles from his longtime family home at Atoka.

U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-VA-10), who also supported funding from the project over the years, was unable to attend the ceremony because the House was voting on its Iraq War resolution at the same time. Wolf voted against the Democrat-drafted bill opposing President Bush's plan to sent more troops into the combat zone. In a statement from Wolf read at the ceremony, the congressman highlighted the dedication of the residents and the significance of the project as a national model.

Also on hand for the ceremony were Susan Van Wagner, the longtime director of the Rt. 50 Corridor Coalition that launched the project, Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge), a member of the Rt. 50 Task Force, Middleburg Mayor Betsy Davis, as well as other members of the task force and coalition and representatives of VDOT and the construction contractors.



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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of Leesburg Today.
Total Comments: 14 comment(s)

Bob Bosco wrote on Feb 22, 2007 6:08 AM:

" Well, then I must admit you have taught me something. Does this massive circle still exist today. I would like to visit and see it in action for myself. Maybe I am all wrong and need to learn about how long it has been there, the experience of people that use it and maybe find out first hand what it is like for an inexperienced Traffic Circle user person such as myself would feel like trying to negoicate it as an out-of-towner. My experience as an American comes form the 70's and my military service in England. The Brit's have a love/hate relationship with traffic circles and many new highway projects don't utilize them. Just figured after all this time if these traffic devices where so great and moved traffic so well they would have been in the design manuals of may DOT agencies in various States for the last 3 or 4 decades. But, I have to give you credit. You provided me with a location and an example of a functioning high spped traffic circle in the U.S. My hats off to you. In the game I would say your up 30 - lov in the final set. WELL DONE! "

Wecannotpaveourwayoutofthismess wrote on Feb 21, 2007 6:40 PM:

" Bob- There are two traffic circles in/near Brunswick. The traffic circle after one crosses the bridge into Brunswick (one of only two Potomac river crossings from Loudoun- the other crossing being RT15/Point of Rocks) gets a fair amount of daily volume, as does the traffic circle between the SHEETZ and I70- but neither are examples of how large a high volume traffic circle can be. I was just trying to give you an example close to home The largest traffic circle I have personally seen in action was on Long Island NY near Jones Beach- 9 lanes from 2 different roads fed into a 3 lane circle. It was a monster, but it worked. It moved way more traffic than 50/15 ever will and even had a pretty memorial. Should I chalk it up to Yankee ingenuity? "

Brunswick wrote on Feb 21, 2007 12:54 PM:

" The Brunswick circle is often incorrectly cited as an apple-to-apple comparison. Unfortunately for the roundabout cheerleaders, it not only has a lower volume, it is also regulated with signals. "

Bob Bosco wrote on Feb 21, 2007 12:53 PM:

" Give me a break. You're comparing the traffic circle in Brunswick to the one they are going to put in on Route 15 and 50? I have been through the one in Brunswick many a sunny Saturday on my motorcycle. Its low speed and low traffic volume. It in no way compares to the traffic volumes or peak trip rates of the intersection of Route 15 and 50. And besides the proposal is for traffic calming not high speed. I grew up in Ohio and went through many small rural communities that had a traffic circle with some monument in it in every center of Town. Funny thing is they were so trublesome to traffic movements most were removed and replaced with a standard signalized intersection to facilitate traffic movement and reduce congestion and accidents. Now you wnat to re-introduce this same failed situation on one of the most heavily traveled north/south, east west connectors in the County. Why? to discourage people from Winchester from commuting through Middleburg? When the accidents start to mount and people start to die this transportation relic from the past will be riped out and replaced with the same intersection that exist today. And millions of our tax dollars will have been wasted for this follie of Sen. Warner. I think traffic circles can have uses in Middleburg or Aldie for example or in local neighborhoods where taffic volumes are far less and the speed travled are much lower. This is just the wrong location and in my opinion (which I am entitled to as you are to yours cantpaveyourwayout) is a waste of good money that is needed to improve roads else where in the County to improve public safety. Show me an example of a traffic circle on a high volume State Highway anywhere in the U.S. that works or even exist for that matter. Brunswick was a nice try but that is not a comparison of apples to apples. But, I have enjoyed this debate with you and look forward to your response. "

Wecannotpaveourwayoutofthismess wrote on Feb 21, 2007 10:44 AM:

" For those unfamiliar with the sight or concept of a high volume traffic circle I would suggest a quick field trip to neighboring Brunswick MD Look quickly, because unlike a stop sign or stop light you don't get much time to gaze in an idling car I wonder how the good folks of Brunswick figured out how to use traffic circles without a multimillion dollar education campaign? I wonder if anyone in Brunswick "could not wait for a big rig to smash up a confused motorist" on their new road? "

Bob Bosco wrote on Feb 21, 2007 5:37 AM:

" Dear Mr. we can't pave our way out of this mess who is too afraid to identify yourself. I undersatand the concept of right-of-way. Just what in my comment lead you to make such as stupid statement. The problem is people thqt drive our roads today don't even stop at stop signs anymore. Been through any of the new traffic circles in Leesburg on Catoctin? I have and almost got smashed by a Bone Head (probably much like you) who did not realize the vehicle in the circle has the right-of-way. No they just plowed through leaving me to stop in the middle of the circle because they failed to yield. Now you want to pat Warner on the back for putting this danger at the intersection on Route 50 and 15? People need to be educated about how to drive in these circles and have to be concerned enough about others and not just the rush they are in themselves to get where ever they are going to make these work safely. Did Warner provide any funding for a public education campain in the local media for example to at least print the basic concept of traffic circle functions? I think not. I would prefer no changes to the intersection rather than as you put it try and pave our way into another mess. Next time you comment be a man and use your name. That way if we meet on the street we can exchange our differing view points in person. "

Wecannotpaveourwayoutofthismess wrote on Feb 20, 2007 10:06 AM:

" I only hope those residents like Mr Bosco, who are unable to comprehend the concept of right of way, stay off all of Virginia's roads- not just the soon to be improved RT 50. Thank you Sen Warner "

aldie old timer wrote on Feb 20, 2007 9:50 AM:

" To all readers, PLEASE do not think that everyone on Rt 50 wanted this nonsense. A few people with a lot of time on their hands (such as those not stuck on Rt 50 in traffic everyday) were the ones that pushed this through. This will solve nothing, and just create more problems. Don't know how we managed to survive 200 years in Aldie before these people came here to save us. "

Bob Bosco wrote on Feb 20, 2007 6:05 AM:

" Big Mistake. I hope these politicians are around when the accidents start happening. To put a traffic circle in one of the heavy intersection of 15 and 50 is insane. Few know how to use them and many will pay the price before the public learns they just don't work. May have been a good idea back in the horse and buggy days when Warner learned to drive but they are old tech. today. I cna't wait for the first big rig to slam head on into some confused motorist who does not realize they have to yield to vehicles already in the circle. Hell, people don't even stop at stop signs anymore. Just roll through and expect everyone else to get out of their way. What a stupid, stupid plan for this high trip rate intersection. "

funds for safety wrote on Feb 19, 2007 10:28 AM:

" Maybe Mr. Warner can get some federal funds to make Route 15 north of Leesburg SAFE. Sounds like he got a lot of moeny to make Upperville pretty, seems like safety is more important. But then, the people who live on !5 north, don't have the money that they have in Upperville, Middleburg or Aldie...so their kids can just die in auto accidents, while Uppervile enjoys its federal landscaping....and ne sidewalks...Uppervills should have paid for its own landscaping and sidewalks.... "

South of Dulles wrote on Feb 19, 2007 9:38 AM:

" Traffic calming is already working very well on Rt. 50, east of South Riding....the traffic simply sits there, and creeps along, very calmly. "

WastedFunds wrote on Feb 18, 2007 6:26 PM:

" This is just another example of our tax dollars wasted! First we build a four lane road with our federal and state taxes; and now we spend our taxes to tear this road up and discourage citizens from using one of the few east/west roads thru Loudoun County. It must be great to be a rich Town with the "right connections" to make people want to circumvent the Town and keep the average Joe from taking the quickest route to work.. "

Paul Martin wrote on Feb 18, 2007 3:53 PM:

" Let's hope it works. "

No Conscience wrote on Feb 18, 2007 12:28 PM:

" Since Mr. Snow was unable to give these precious dollars back to Richmond, we his constituents will "volunteer" him for use as a speedbump. Such a task appears to be one within his skill set. "



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