BY TAMMY PURCELL
A roundabout is finally coming to Wares Crossroads.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Residency Administrator Scott Thornton told the Board of Supervisors December 18 that construction of a long-anticipated roundabout at the intersection of Route 522 (Zachary Taylor Highway) and Route 208 (New Bridge Road) near Lake Anna is scheduled to begin January 3, 2024 and wrap up by December 2024. Thornton said that VDOT recently awarded a $2.8 million contract to J.L. Kent and Sons, a Spotsylvania-based firm, to construct the roundabout, which is expected to improve safety and ease congestion.
According to a project overview, J.L. Kent will construct a single-lane roundabout at the intersection, requiring periodic lane closures. VDOT will notify residents about traffic impacts and related changes through media reports, social media posts and its 511 information system.
In 2017, the Commonwealth Transportation Board selected the intersection for state-funded improvements via SMART SCALE, the commonwealth’s main vehicle for paying for local transportation projects. SMART SCALE relies on a data-driven scoring system that, for Louisa County, focuses heavily on the need for safety improvements.
The Wares Crossroads intersection is one of Louisa County’s most dangerous sections of roadway. Between January 2022 and December 2023, 16 crashes occurred at or approaching the intersection resulting in 16 injuries, according to VDOT data.
The decision to build a roundabout instead of installing a traffic light has been criticized by some community members, who insist that the latter is a better choice given the volume of traffic that passes through the area especially during the summer. Both 522 and 208 are major thoroughfares for travelers visiting Lake Anna.
In its overview, VDOT says that the intersection was studied multiple times, and it doesn’t warrant a traffic signal based on guidelines in the Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. VDOT also says that roundabouts are safer and more environmentally friendly.
“Roundabouts are safer than traffic signals and conventional stop-controlled intersections because traffic can continually and efficiently flow through the intersection. There are fewer conflict points and, since vehicle operating speeds are lower, any crashes tend to be less severe,” the overview states. “Additionally, roundabouts help reduce air pollution and fuel use compared to a signalized intersection due to reduced idling and less acceleration and deceleration.”
The project, including design, right of way acquisition and construction, is expected to cost $7.6 million, up from an initial estimate of $5.4 million. Thornton said in an email last week that that total could change as VDOT updates final costs as each phase of the project ends.
