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Broadview beautification back on the agenda
The By-pass. Broadview Avenue. U.S. 17 Business from Lee Highway to U.S. 211. No matter what you call it, it's an accident waiting to happen. That, among other considerations, put the road back on the Warrenton Town Council agenda last week.Mayor George Fitch formed a sub-committee to work with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Broadview Avenue business owners to devise a plan to remedy the strip's structural inefficiencies and aesthetic shortcomings.
The committee, comprised of town Planning and Community Development Director Christopher Mothersead-and at-large council members David Norden and Roger Martella, will meet on Wednesday, February 27 with an HNTB Corp. consultant hired by VDOT for a preliminary traffic analysis of the strip.
A scenic byway it's not; by almost any standard, Broadview Avenue could benefit from even meager beautification efforts. More to the point, many of the cars traversing the stretch are turning into businesses along its length, or, worse, attempting to exit back on to the roadway. Left-hand turns are practically unlimited, and there is no solid divide between north- and southbound traffic.
Unhappiness with the road has a long history. In 2002, Warrenton officials and VDOT worked to develop a comprehensive transportation plan that included a roundabout, turn lanes, sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements. The only existence these proposals had was on paper.
VDOT began looking at Broadview Avenue traffic management and congestion again in 2006. Increased traffic flow since 2002 had magnified the structural problems, spurring the exploration of additional options.
According to Mothersead, there are two or three traffic problems on Broadview that need to be addressed.
“We need to identify the different types of traffic projects first,” Mothersead said. “because we’ll have to coordinate those projects with plans to improve Broadview aesthetically.”
Thus far, potential changes being considered create an “intersection configuration” including roundabouts (traffic circles); parallel service roads on both sides with linkages between properties to encourage traffic off the main road; and reducing driveways to reduce turning.
Mothersead said that part of Broad view's width could be used for service lanes, though they will most likely be added to the rear of properties, rather than along the front. “This is the most difficult option for implementation as it would not likely work with the businesses as built,” Mothersead said in an e-mail last week. “We would have to identify it as a planning tool and wait for the re-development of Broadview parcels to offer it.” Basically, the service lanes would be incorporated as the rear properties are redeveloped over time.
Town officials met with Broadview business owners in August 2007 to present the options under consideration. “The merchants were very supportive of the plan, and are really supportive of decreasing turn movement,” Mothersead said. “They recognize the accident hazards there, and they want it to be safer for their customers.”
Mothersead said that the business owners also have suggestions of their own, which will be addressed at a meeting in March.
Costs for the proposals have not yet been developed. Town officials want to first identify those proposals that have the support of the Broadview merchants and offer the most promising potential for addressing the traffic problems, Mothersead said.
The project is eligible for VDOT Urban Funds, which are reserved for transportation projects in cities and designated urban areas. Mothersead said that Broadview Avenue might also qualify for VDOT Primary Funds, which are reserved for Virginia's primary highway system. There are also safety and maintenance programs into which the town could possibly tap.
The Journey through Hallowed Ground Partnership has expressed interest in supporting the aesthetic aspect of the project, which could include the addition of a median, landscaping, and signage along the Broadview corridor.
The partnership is waiting for Warrenton officials to present a proposal explaining project objectives.
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