PROJECT NEWS

THE FINAL DESIGN PROCESS
This project is a high priority of the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County because it is seen as an important link to commercial areas and an alternative to the congested Route 29 corridor for local traffic.

On March 8, 2006, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the approved alignment. This means the design of the alternative can now begin. The Hillsdale Drive Extension will begin on existing Hillsdale Drive north of its present intersection with Greenbrier Drive and continue south between the Pepsi Plant and the Post Office, through the Seminole Square Shopping Center, and will tie into Hydraulic Road between Virginia Dominion Power and the Kroger Store.

There are several steps that now have to take place to reach the right-of-way acquisition stage, and ultimately, the construction of the Hillsdale Drive Extension. Supplemental survey information will be secured to begin the preliminary roadway design. Additional traffic analysis will be developed and evaluated to establish requirements related to signage, signals and lighting throughout the corridor. Conceptual design plans will be developed to establish the footprint of the major design elements and to identify right-of-way impacts to sensitive locations along the corridor. These conceptual plans will be developed with input from the City, Steering Committee, and key stakeholders, and will then be presented to the public at a Citizen Information Meeting for review and comment prior to moving forward with more detailed design plans. During this time, input will also be solicited on suggested traffic calming measures, bicycle and pedestrian walkways and landscaping concepts.

Following the Citizen Information Meeting, more detailed design plans will be developed with continued direction and guidance from the City and Steering Committee. A Design Public Hearing will be held once these plans have been developed to a point where right-of-way impacts can be fully identified and the major design features have been set. This will provide another opportunity for the public to review the plans and provide meaningful input at a critical stage of plan development

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All of the comments received at the Design Public Hearing will be considered and once the plans have been revised based on the hearing comments, the City will request Design Approval from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the project will move forward to the right-of-way acquisition stage. During this stage, Final Design Plans will be developed, the necessary environmental permits will be acquired and utility agreements will be initiated with the utility companies impacted by construction. Once all environmental permits are acquired and all right-of-way acquisitions and utility relocations are completed, plans will be submitted to VDOT for final approval before advertisement for construction.