(Danville) — Local planners have made some changes to their Long-Range Transportation Plan.
The plan adopted this week by the Danville Metropolitan Planning Organization maps out road strategies to the year 2045. The MPO added three new projects to their “Vision List” while eliminating three projects that have either been funded or are no longer deemed a priority.
One of the new projects is being placed number one on the list. Construct bridge with interchange at Danville Expressway at Elizabeth Street. That would restore through traffic on Elizabeth Street while bringing that portion of the Expressway up to Interstate standards. The estimated cost is 20 million dollars.
The second new project is a 100 million dollar proposal to give the entire West Main Street corridor a facelift. The city has targeted that area, which is becoming a more popular gateway to the city with the development of Caesars Virginia Casino and resort.
This project would focus on pedestrian improvements, bicycle improvements, safety enhancements and better access.
The other new project would create a connection from Goodyear Boulevard to Ridge Street. MPO Chairman Lee Vogler says this could take many forms. “There have been ideas bounced around for a couple years about trying to connect Ridge Street straight through to Goodyear Boulevard to help cut down on traffic that ends up on Craghead Street,” Vogler said. “Whether it’s feasible or not is debatable, but that’s the idea.”
Vogler notes traffic is steadily increasing on Craghead with the growing popularity of Danville’s River District.
The estimated cost of the Goodyear-to-Ridge project is 30 million dollars, but there is no word on exactly what the project would entail.