Ironbound Road Widening Update

Ironbound Road Widening Update

By Desiree Parker Sunday, December 18, 2011

Motorists driving along Longhill Road near New Town may see a construction site that looks as though it hasn’t changed much in months, but the Virginia Department of Transportation reports that the project is proceeding on time and on budget.

The project started last fall, and includes widening and adding turn lanes to a 1.12-mile stretch of the road for a cost of $16.6 million. The original plan called for Ironbound Road to stretch to four lanes from Strawberry Plains Road to Route 199. But because transportation funding has been whittled down in recent years, only one phase of the widening project will be completed, leaving the road two lanes after the Longhill Connector Road.

The completion date for the road widening is December 2012, and VDOT spokeswoman Jennifer Gwaltney says the project is still on budget and on-target to be completed next winter. James City County and the City of Williamsburg decided to bury utility lines in that area, work that was recently completed.

The reason the project seems to be going slowly is that it includes underground construction in order to build a water run-off basin and to place underground water, sanitary sewer lines and stormwater structures. “This type of work can be complicated and requires more time to complete than the typical pavement project,” Gwaltney said.

The project is very similar in cost and timeframe to the widening of Fort Eustis Boulevard in Newport News and York County, though the Ft. Eustis project covers a greater distance. The Ft. Eustis project also includes new drainage systems and a storm water basin, and will be completed in April 2012, but work began in 2009.

For information on the project, visit the VDOT website.

Comments

0 #9 Philip 2011-12-20 17:52

Roger, who's shovel and when will it be ready? Drove thru there today, eight guys working including two state troopers, and then six others hanging out at the VDOT truck. Like to have heard that conversation... ...I think we can get another 100,000 per foot if we tell um we need to move that side walk again....

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-1 #8 roger8 2011-12-19 22:08

Shovel Ready BABY !

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+2 #7 Philip 2011-12-19 14:01

At 350,000 per foot?! Wow what a bargain, all this to serve who, the empty buildings in New Town? VDOT your time frame, well let's look at this. The project started well over a year ago now and was only to be a "two year project" that would mean it should have been done. Instead it drags on. Let's try this, maybe if you could just finish some of it BEFORE you started digging up the other end. I've stopped using the road, I've damaged to much equipment driving from New Town to Longhill, the road is unsafe to drivers of all types. I've held off going to my eye doctors, you can loose a life trying to get on or off Tewning Rd. VDOT, and JCC, the road was just fine until the two of you decided it needed widening and maybe, just maybe if the contractor had more than the five or six guys working there during the week ( from the inside of their trucks) the job would start to move along. VDOT your a prime example of why we need to privatize some Departments

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+6 #6 Louis 2011-12-19 09:16

Mostly I'm just shocked that the entire infrastructure and management of the town didn't shift immediately to fit my preferences and convenience. Very disappointed.

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+4 #5 Drew DeBlass 2011-12-19 09:15

The UN-project!! Un-needed,,un-n essasry un-wanted,un-re quired waste of $17 Million.

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+12 #4 Jeremy Beker 2011-12-19 07:03

I am always amazed at what an intelligent town we have in The people of Williamsburg.

Who knew that within hours of the posting of this article, *two* residents of the area with extensive, utility installation, road construction, and construction project management experience would add their experience to the debate. The fact that they were able to get up to speed on the project, review the VDOT plans and form a comprehensive opinion of the project plan is a testament to our community.

I look forward to hearing the creative and constructive suggestions they will be making to help this project move forward faster and at a lower cost.

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0 #3 nonameplease 2011-12-18 21:32

Quoting Beth in VA:

This infrastructure improvement is a good thing, in my opinion. Similar to the work done on Richmond Road near the Williamsburg Shopping Center, the area will look much better with buried utility lines. If we think long-term, it's going to be a big plus for businesses and neighborhoods in the area.

BETH, TWO YEARS ? Noone is arguing that the utilities are nice to be buried and some paving, but four lanes, it stops at longhill connector, a bike lane, middle island, and it will take TWO YEARS? Come one there is NOTHING to justify this time frame, nothing. We are so much better than this.

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+6 #2 Beth in VA 2011-12-18 19:18

This infrastructure improvement is a good thing, in my opinion. Similar to the work done on Richmond Road near the Williamsburg Shopping Center, the area will look much better with buried utility lines. If we think long-term, it's going to be a big plus for businesses and neighborhoods in the area.

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+6 #1 Seriously? 2011-12-18 12:43

blah blah blah we can build so much in such a short time, but THIS project needs to be two years in length? Now way. What a joke. I hope all the small businesses that HAVE BEEN affected by this were considered but obviously they have not. This project is simply taking too long. I drive by all the time and unless its between 8 and 3 there is precious little going on. This alone shows a callous disregard for the needs of the entire area.

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