SA-25-04: Melrose Avenue/Orange Avenue (Route 460) - City of Roanoke
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From Lafayette Boulevard to Gainsboro Road/Burrell Street
Project Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify project recommendations for the Melrose Avenue/Orange Avenue (Route 460) corridor within the City of Roanoke. This study will focus on improving roadway and pedestrian safety, congestion mitigation, multimodal accessibility/connectivity (bicyclist, pedestrian, and transit), and transportation demand management (TDM) needs. The project recommendations from this study may be developed into funding applications for SMART SCALE Round 7 and other transportation funding programs.
Survey
The Phase 1 survey regarding current transportation needs on Melrose Avenue/Orange Avenue (Route 460) between Lafayette Boulevard and Gainsboro Road/Burrell Street was completed in June. The study team will use the input obtained from the public to better focus on solutions and develop alternatives to address the identified needs.
Study Partners
- City of Roanoke
- Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization
Key Points of Contact
District Leads: Michael Gray, Carol Moneymaker, and William Crawford
Lead Consultant: Dana Trone
Schedule
Start date: March 2025
End date: August 2026
Study Documents
| Dates | Number of Participants (unique individuals) |
|---|---|
|
May 19-June 2, 2025
|
536 |
| The following needs have been identified for this study. Do you agree with these needs? | |
|---|---|
| Congestion mitigation | 78% |
| Safety (Vehicular safety, pedestrian safety, and cyclist safety) | 74% |
| Transportation demand management (TDM) | 60% |
| Pedestrian access | 48% |
| Transit access | 41% |
| Bicycle access | 36% |
| Rank the following needs in order of importance to you along the study area. | |
|---|---|
| Reducing traffic congestion | 90% |
| Speeding / aggressive driving | 82% |
| Proper pavement marking and signage | 82% |
| Corridor safety / intersection safety | 81% |
| Pedestrian safety and accessibility | 78% |
| Public transit access and service | 77% |
| Bicycle safety and accessibility | 73% |
| Which of the following safety issues concern you? | |
|---|---|
| Speeding / aggressive driving | 62% |
| Sudden stopping / rear-end crashes | 51% |
| Difficulty weaving / merging | 47% |
| Lack of sidewalks / missing sidewalks | 45% |
| Insufficient / missing crosswalks and pedestrian signal timing | 44% |
| Running red lights | 43% |
| Inadequate pavement marking and signage | 38% |
| Inadequate lighting | 36% |
| Side-impact crashes | 25% |
| Inadequate transit / bus stops | 23% |
| Inadequate bicycle facilities | 22% |
| Lack of ADA ramps and accessibility | 18% |
| Closely spaced driveways | 15% |
| Other | 6% |
| What mobility issues do you typically experience when using the study area? | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty making left turns | 57% |
| Poor signal coordination | 54% |
| Lack of turn lanes | 47% |
| Vehicles blocking entrances | 34% |
| Difficulty accessing businesses | 27% |
| Difficulty when riding a bicycle | 20% |
| Difficulty when walking | 18% |
| Other | 4% |
| What mode(s) of travel do you use when traveling along the study area? | |
|---|---|
| Personal vehicle | 96% |
| Cycling | 10% |
| Walking | 9% |
| Truck or commercial vehicle | 8% |
| Taxi / Uber / Lyft | 6% |
| Metro bus, local bus, or commuter bus | 5% |
| Carpool / Vanpool | 3% |
| Other | 1% |
Last updated: June 17, 2025
