In Design

About 80 residents attended the public hearing March 20 at Battlefield High School. The project team is reviewing comments for consideration and coordination as the project is further developed. Design approval is anticipated in Summer 2013.      

About the Project

This project would reconstruct the interchange at I-66 and Route 15 (James Madison Highway) to relieve congestion, enhance public safety, operations and capacity, and accommodate forecasted traffic demand in the area. 

On the basis of traffic operations and constructability, two alternatives advanced to conceptual design: a semi-directional ramp and a single-point urban interchange (SPUI). A public information meeting was held on March 22, 2012, where the project development process was described, and two interchange alternatives were presented (meeting materials are available in Resources section below, under Project development process and Preliminary alternatives).

The Preferred Build Alternative (plans, photo rendering, operational analysis) and findings of the Environmental document were presented during the public hearing (March 20, 2013) along with the project development process. Meeting materials are available in the Resources section below. 

Both the semi-directional ramp and SPUI alternatives were evaluated in the environmental document and technical analysis. The alternative which would function at the greatest operational efficiency while best addressing current congestion and safety issues is the semi-directional ramp and is being advanced as the Preferred Build Alternative. The semi-directional ramp alternative would facilitate southbound Rt. 15 traffic to eastbound I-66, along with modifications to the existing ramp terminal intersections (see the layout and renderings of the Preferred Build Alternative).

The project also includes improvements to the Rt. 15 intersections at Heathcote Boulevard and Route 55, and a shared-use path along the eastern side of Rt. 15.

See the latest project brochure for more details.

Project cost

Preliminary engineering - $7 million
Right of way acquisition, relocation assistance and utility relocation - $12 million
Construction - $54 million
Total - $73 million

This project will be financed with federal and state funds. Costs are subject to change since project development is in the early design stage.

Project Schedule

Public hearing - Spring 2013
Design approval - Summer 2013
Advertise project (anticipate design-build) - Late Summer/Early Fall 2013
Begin construction - Late 2014

Other Resources

PDFs
Public hearing brochure (March 20, 2013) 
Project development process
Preliminary alternatives, Preferred Build Alternative and photo rendering
Peak-hour demand volumes and operational analysis 
Environmental Assessment 
Information meeting brochure (March 22, 2012)