Project Update

Roanoke County is currently working on funding mechanisms to have a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) completed for this section of Plantation Road so that design work may begin on selected improvements along the corridor as funding becomes available.

Roanoke County was notified in late June that the Commonwealth Transportation Board did not select the Plantation Road Bicycle, Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvement Application for enhancement funding.

The next application deadline for projects not currently funded is December 1, 2011.

Project Overview

The Transportation Enhancement Program provides 80 percent Federal funding for a 20 percent local match for improvements to non-motorized transportation that enhance the public’s traveling experience, revitalize communities and improve quality of life. The program is administered through the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The project scope covers Plantation Road from Interstate 81 to Williamson Road (Route 11). Proposed improvements that meet the program requirements include:

Sidewalk Construction
Pedestrian refuge islands with crosswalks;
Pedestrian signalization at Gander Way/Friendship Lane and Williamson Road;
Landscaped medians;
Shared-use trails to connect Plantation to the proposed Hollins Greenway and Walrond Park;
Bicycle lanes;
Street trees;
Historic pedestrian-scaled lighting;
A Hollins community identification sign;
Landscaping at Interstate 81 and Williamson Road;
Access management improvements; and
Drainage improvements.

Other related improvements to discuss include a potential Park and Ride lot, bus service and interparcel connectivity opportunities.

Prepared for the Board of Supervisors' work session.

This project initiates four of 17 Implementation Strategies identified in the Hollins Area Plan, adopted November 11, 2008. The proposed bicycle accommodations also implement the recommendations of the 2005 Bikeway Plan for the Roanoke Valley MPO.

Project Background

The Plantation Road area was developed mostly in the 1950s and 1960s before and during the construction of Interstate 81. Several of the original single-family homes remain, although many have been purchased by companies preparing to take advantage of commercial and industrial zoning designations with future redevelopment plans. Currently, Plantation Road is five lanes wide through the project area with moderate automobile and tractor-trailer traffic.

This .9-mile stretch of Plantation Road contains the largest employment base in Roanoke County with 4,000 employees between ITT, Wachovia/Wells Fargo and BSC Ventures/Double Envelope. The Plantation Road exit, number 146, off of Interstate 81, is the most intensely developed of the five County exits on the Interstate.

Additionally, there are 400 guest rooms between four hotels and two new hotels are planned. A new retail complex visible from the interstate, anchored by Gander Mountain and Camping World, is poised for additional commercial development. Just off of Plantation Road to the west is Walrond Park, one of the County’s nicest and busiest parks, surrounded by a large residential subdivision. Hollins University, Roanoke County’s only four-year university, is also nearby on Williamson Road with a student population of 900 individuals. Two light industrial parks are also located just off of Plantation Road to the east.

Project Status

Roanoke County staff met with several businesses located on and near Plantation Road in September and October to present the proposed project to business owners. Presentations were also made to Hollins University and the Williamson Road Area Business Association. Staff also met with the Roanoke County Planning Commission and the Roanoke County Economic Development Authority. A public hearing was held with the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors on November 17, 2009, in which they adopted a resolution supporting the project. On November 19, 2009 the Roanoke Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization endorsed the project as well.

Project Application

View the entire Transportation Enhancement Program application submitted for the Plantation Road Bicycle, Pedestrian and Streetscape Improvement Project on issuu.com or browse by chapter (Adobe PDF).

The funding award announcement is anticipated in May or June 2010. Please check back for more information near that time.

For additional information, please contact Megan Cronise at (540) 772-2068 ext. 282 or mcronise@roanokecountyva.gov