RESERVOIR STREET WIDENING (CITY)
HARRISONBURG, VA
This locally-administered, VDOT revenue sharing project included widening Reservoir Street, a heavily travelled two-lane Minor Arterial, from University Boulevard to the city limits.
THE CHALLENGE
The project involved widening 1.1 miles of the roadway from two lanes to either a five lane facility or four lanes with a raised median, with curb and gutter, sidewalk, and bicycle facilities. Not only is this a very busy business and commuter corridor, it is also located adjacent to the campus of James Madison University so additional coordination and consideration was given to accommodate the additional vehicular and pedestrian traffic from the school as well as University events involving significant traffic increases. In addition, the project was coordinated with the adjacent County’s similar widening project of the same roadway (also a McCormick Taylor project) that originated at the city limits. Extensive utility coordination and relocations were also necessary to accommodate the roadway improvements.
HOW WE HELPED
McCormick Taylor developed conceptual, preliminary and final construction plans and helped prepare bid documents. We applied context-sensitive/innovative design to reduce property impacts and minimize right-of-way impacts in this constricted corridor through the use of retaining walls. McCormick Taylor was also responsible for extensive public involvement, including two public hearings and designing and maintaining a project website for the City.
Our services included roadway design of safety and capacity improvements such as lane and shoulder widening, addition of turn lanes and other intersection improvements, addition of bicycle facilities, signal additions and modifications, signing and pavement markings, stormwater management and drainage design, environmental permitting, utility coordination, water/sewer relocation design, right-of-way acquisition, bid assistance and construction administration.
RESULTS
Through extensive coordination with the City and other stakeholders, this project included significant improvements that made this roadway a much safer corridor to travel for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians and enhanced the transportation access with the county.