ST-23-08 | VA Project Pipeline

VA Project Pipeline Home Studies Staunton ST-23-08

ST-23-08: Route 277/I-81 Interchange (Exit 307) - Town of Stephens City/Frederick County

From US Route 11 (Main St.) to Route 1085 (Stickley Dr.)

Project Purpose

The focus of this study is to assess key areas of the Route 277/I-81 Interchange, Exit 307. This corridor has locations in need of safety improvement as well as identified operational issues during peak hour periods. The interchange area will be studied to determine key safety hot spots or patterns as well as assess traffic delays and queues to develop possible alternatives. Innovative intersections and interchange configurations as well as multimodal/accessibility improvements may be considered to accommodate future growth.

Study Partners

Frederick County
Town of Stephens City
WinFred Metropolitan Planning Organization (WinFred MPO)
ATCS, PLC

Key Points of Contact

District Lead: Brad Reed

Lead Consultant: Nathan Umberger

Schedule

PHASE	DATES	TASKS
Phase 1	May - August 2023	Diagnose Problems/Conduct Initial Public Outreach/Brainstorm Alternatives
Phase 2	September 2023 - May/June 2024	Evaluate Preliminary Alternatives/Conduct Public Outreach and Obtain Feedback/Select Preferred Alternatives
Phase 3	June-July 2024	Conduct Risk Assessment/Develop and Refine Preferred Alternatives/Prepare Cost Estimate and Investment Strategy

Study Documents

The Phase 1 survey regarding potential transportation safety, operations, and multimodal/accessibility improvements at the Route 277/I-81 Interchange (Exit 307), between US Route 11 (Main St.) in Stephens City and Route 1085 (Stickley Dr.) in Frederick County is complete.

Dates	Number of Participants (unique individuals)
June 29-July 21, 2023	1,054

The following needs have been identified for this study. Do you agree with this initial assessment?
Congestion Mitigation	95%
Safety	75%
Transportation Demand Management	49%
Bike & Pedestrian Access	41%

Rank what is the most important issue to you along the study area.
Reducing Traffic Congestion	93%
Corridor Safety / Intersection Safety	69%
Pedestrian Safety and Accessibility	56%
Proper Pavement Marking and Signage	56%
Speeding / Aggressive Driving	53%
Bicycle Safety and Accessibility	49%
Public Transit Access and Service	50%

Which of the following safety issues concern you?
Sudden Stopping / Rear-end Crashes	54%
Running Red Lights	49%
Difficulty Weaving / Merging	45%
Speeding / Aggressive Driving	39%
Lack of Sidewalks / Missing Sidewalks	32%
Insufficient / Missing Crosswalks and Pedestrian Signal Timing	32%
Inadequate Pavement Marking and Signage	27%
Side-Impact Crashes	25%
Inadequate Lighting	17%
Inadequate Bicycle Facilities	13%
Other	11%
Closely Spaced Driveways	10%
Lack of ADA Ramps and Accessibility	8%
Inadequate Transit / Bus Stops	6%

What mobility issues do you typically experience when using the study area?
Poor Signal Coordination	67%
Difficulty Making Left Turns	66%
Vehicles Blocking Entrances	59%
Difficulty Accessing Businesses	52%
Lack of Turn Lanes	44%
Difficulty When Walking	10%
Difficulty When Riding a Bike	8%
Other	5%

What mode(s) of travel do you use when traveling along the study area?
Personal Vehicle	99%
Walking	9%
Cycling	6%
Truck or Commercial Vehicle	5%
Other	2%
Carpool / Vanpool	1%
Taxi / Uber / Lyft	1%
Metro Bus, Local Bus, or Commuter Bus	1%

ST-23-08 Phase 2 Executive Summary - PDF, 2.1MB

The Phase 2 survey regarding potential improvements at the Route 277 (Fairfax Pike)/I-81 Interchange (Exit 307), between US Route 11 (Main St.) in Stephens City and Route 1085 (Stickley Dr.) in Frederick County is complete.

Dates	Number of Participants (unique individuals)
May 20 – June 4, 2024	873

Future Bridge Configuration Alternatives

Several alternatives were explored for the future configuration of the Route 277 bridge over I-81 as part of the congestion mitigation and safety improvement process. The following three primary alternatives were initially investigated:

Alternative 1: Four-lane bridge with a roundabout at the I-81 northbound ramps
Alternative 2: Four-lane bridge with a traditional diamond interchange
Alternative 3: Five-lane bridge with a traditional diamond interchange

Two scenarios for Alternative 3 were explored in further detail - Alternative 3A and Alternative 3B. The shared design features for Alternatives 3A and 3B include:

A dedicated westbound left turn lane at Main Street
Traffic signals remain in place at both I-81 ramps
Dual eastbound through lanes starting at the southbound off-ramp intersection
Dual northbound off-ramp right turn lanes
Dual southbound off-ramp left turn lanes
Free flow right turn lane from Fairfax Pike to the I-81 North on-ramp
Sidewalk on both sides of the bridge

The bridge alignment and overall design have not been finalized.

Alternative 3A

The unique design feature of Alternative 3A is the lane configuration on the bridge.

In the eastbound direction, there are two through lanes and one left turn lane.
In the westbound direction, there is one through lane and one left turn lane.

Alternative 3B

The unique design features of Alternative 3B include:

The lane configuration on the bridge - two through lanes and one left turn lane in each direction.
The prohibition of left turns from Fairfax Street onto Mulberry Street.
Two westbound through lanes on Fairfax Street between Main Street and the I-81 South off-ramp.

Please rate Alternatives 3A and 3B on a scale of 1 to 5.

	1. Strongly oppose	2. Somewhat oppose	3. Neutral	4. Somewhat support	5. Strongly support
Alternative 3A - Traditional Diamond (5 Lane Bridge) with two through lanes and one left turn lane in the eastbound direction; and one through lane and one left turn lane in the westbound direction	12%	12%	17%	33%	25%
Alternative 3B - Traditional Diamond (5 Lane Bridge) with two through lanes and one left lane in each direction on the bridge; a left turn prohibition on Fairfax Street at Mulberry Street; and two westbound through lanes on Fairfax Street between Main Street and the I-81 South off-ramp	13%	7%	9%	19%	53%

Last updated: July 10, 2024