Plans are now in place to finally finish the Valley View interchange. WFIR’s Timothy Martin has details.
NEWS RELEASE FROM VDOT:
SALEM – Earlier this month, the Virginia Department of Transportation awarded a $38.4 million design-build contract to The LANE Construction Corp. of Chantilly to complete the partial interchange at Interstate 581 and Valley View Boulevard in Roanoke.
The design-build contractor will complete final design, acquire right of way and construct the project. Construction could be underway by fall 2013 with work completed in mid-2016.
The purpose of the project is to complete the partial interchange at I-581’s exit 3C that was constructed in 1999. Work will include building an off-ramp from southbound I-581 onto Valley View Boulevard and an on-ramp from Valley View Boulevard onto northbound I-581.
The project also includes implementing a diverging diamond interchange concept which will include improving the existing off-ramp from northbound I-581 onto Valley View Boulevard and the existing on-ramp from Valley View Boulevard onto southbound I-581.
The diverging diamond interchange concept at this location will reduce the right of way impacts, simplify traffic signal operations and reduce impacts to streams and utilities. Other features of the project include:
·Building a continuous lane on southbound I-581 to connect the on-ramp at Hershberger Road to the new off-ramp at Valley View Boulevard
·Building a continuous through lane on northbound I-581 to connect the new on-ramp from Valley View Boulevard to the off-ramp at Hershberger Road
·Widening the bridge over I-581 to four lanes with turn lanes onto the I-581 on-ramps
·Realigning a portion of the Lick Run Greenway to the north of its current location
·Installing sound walls along portions of I-581
·Installing roadway lighting at the interchange and along the ramps
·Installing new signals for the intersection and ramp movements
·Replacing the signal at Valley View Crossing
·Repaving portions of Valley View Boulevard
