Henrico County continues to attract families, businesses and retail operations because of its affordability and accessibility. While that growth stimulates the economy in a variety of ways, it also prompts elected officials and county leaders to look at the county’s infrastructure and focus on transportation issues.
Thousands of vehicles travel the streets and roadways in Henrico each day. As new residential and retail developments are planned, traffic will increase.
“Our main goal with all of this construction is to make the roads safe and to ease congestion where we can,” says Tim Foster, assistant director of the department of public works. “We want to make sure we continue to provide roads with enough capacity to handle future traffic.”
Transportation is a top priority in Henrico. The county has an advantage over other counties in Virginia in that it maintains all of its own secondary roads. Only Arlington County in Northern Virginia does the same.
“By maintaining the roads, we can determine what types of improvements are necessary at a more local level,” Foster says.
To meet current and future transportation needs, the county has several projects that are active or on the drawing board. These do not include any VDOT projects that may be within the county.
Hungary Spring Road is being widened from West Broad Street to Staples Mill Road. The project, which began in spring 2007, was expected to be completed by November 2008. A traffic signal was added at Olde West Drive.
Improvements are being made to John Rolfe Parkway from West Broad Street to Pump Road. Construction of a new four-lane divided roadway began in April 2008 and should be done by spring 2010. It will include intersection improvements on West Broad Street, new traffic signal intersections at Three Chopt Road and John Rolfe Parkway, and new signals at John Rolfe Parkway and Pump Road. The existing intersection of Pump Road and Church Road will be redesigned.
“We’re a little ahead of schedule on the John Rolfe project,” says Foster. “The entire corridor has been cleared, and we are now putting in utilities such as a storm sewer and water lines.”
An interchange will be added at I-64 and North Gayton Road. The project is now in the planning stages. Completion is 15 to 20 years away.
North Gayton Road will be extended from West Broad Street to Shady Grove Road. The project is under design. A public meeting and a public hearing are scheduled for spring 2009. Pending Board of Supervisors’ approval, construction should begin in late spring or early summer 2009.
Three Chopt Road will have a four-lane extension running from Lauderdale Drive to North Gayton Road. This is to be built with development. The developer is build-ing a portion of the road.
Three Chopt Road will have a four-lane divided road running to Cox Road, scheduled for 2011–2012.
Pump Road will have a four-lane road from Church Road to Three Chopt Road. This will be built in conjunction with the John Rolfe Parkway construction.
Charles City Road will be widened from Laburnum Avenue south of Richmond International Airport to Monahan Road. Public meetings will be held in 2009, with construction expected in 2011.
Charles City Road will receive improvements where it intersects with South Airport Drive and the planned Airport Connector Road to I-895.
Cedar Fork Road will be extended from Laburnum Avenue at Harvie Road near Laburnum to Creighton Road. Construc-tion is expected to commence in 2011.
Creighton Road will be widened from the Richmond city line to Laburnum Avenue. Construction should begin in 2011.
Dabbs House Road will receive improvements from Nine Mile Road to Creighton Road. Construction is expected to start in 2012. Sadler Road will receive improvements from Dominion Boulevard to Nuckols Road. Construction should start in 2013.
