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Route 29 - Route 250 Interchange Improvements

The Route 29 - Route 250 interchange improvement project (known locally as the "Best Buy ramp project") opened to traffic on May 21, 2016.

What Improvements Were Made?

This project added a second lane to the entrance ramp from Route 29 south onto the Route 250 Bypass and an associated merge lane on Route 250 westbound to the Barracks Road exit.

It also added an additional southbound lane to Route 29 by widening in the median from just south of Hydraulic Road to the Route 250 Bypass interchange.

The improvements will reduce congestion and improve safety and the movement of traffic from Route 29 onto the Route 250 Bypass, as well as the flow of traffic continuing south on Route 29 (Emmet Street) into the city.

The project also included construction of a new sidewalk between Morton Drive and Angus Road.

The sidewalk is located in the U.S. 29 median, which provides the safest route for pedestrians to use when traveling from one side of the interchange to the other.

The new sidewalk section connects with existing pedestrian crossings and sidewalks at Angus Road (north of the interchange) and Morton Drive (south of the interchange).

Project History

Information collected during project scoping supported the proposed improvements to address traffic volumes and crash history.

From February 2006 to December 2008, there were 34 crashes on the Route 250 Bypass ramp and its immediate vicinity.

In 2010, Route 29 between Hydraulic Road and the Route 29/250 interchange carried an average of 52,000 vehicles per day.

On the Route 250 Bypass from Route 29 west to the Charlottesville city limits, an average of 38,000 vehicles used that road daily.

Development of the project began in 2007 by Charlottesville under the Urban Construction Initiative, with technical engineering work performed by a consultant engineering firm.

In June 2011, VDOT assumed management of the project.

As part of the environmental review, a preliminary noise study was performed and locations for noise barriers were identified along the lanes of the U.S. 250 Bypass between U.S. 29 and Barracks Road.

Following completion of the final noise study, affected property owners were polled and the majority favored the installation of noise barriers.

A final design for the surface finish of the barriers was selected by the city and Albemarle County in October 2014.

Those barriers were installed along the westbound shoulder between Route 29 and Barracks Road, as well as at several locations along the eastbound shoulder.

Construction began in early March 2015.

Schedule

June 20, 2012: Citizen information meeting

Nov. 27, 2012: Design public hearing

Dec. 7, 2012: Comment period ended

Fall / Winter 2013: Notice to proceed to obtain right of way and/or easements

Nov. 2014: Advertisement for construction

Jan. 14, 2015: Commonwealth Transportation Board awards construction contract

March 2, 2015: Fielder's Choice Enterprises begins construction

May 21, 2016: Contract fixed completion date

Costs

Total cost: $17,150,000

Engineering of roadway plans: $2,509,436

Right of way acquisition and utility relocation: $336,669

Construction: $14,303,865
(includes noise barriers)

News Releases

Information and Resources

Final noise abatement design report, July 2014

Resources from the stakeholders' meeting, August 2014

Route 29 current plans Adobe Acrobat PDF (2 MB)
Route 250 current plans (6 MB)
Plan sheets compiled by route and uploaded Aug. 14, 2014

Resources from the public hearing, November 27, 2012: