Henrico supervisors expected to sign off on 3 VDOT-assisted projects

Henrico supervisors tonight are expected to green-light three transportation projects in the county that will include partial or total funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Several road projects – the installation of nearly 1,500 feet of sidewalks, as well as 1,200 feet of curb and gutter and other drainage structures along East Laburnum Avenue between Mechanicsville Turnpike and Bolling Road; the construction of more than 2,500 feet of sidewalks along the south side of North Parham Road; and the installation of new traffic signals at North Parham at Skipwith Road and North Parham at Homeview Drive – will be funded almost entirely by VDOT.

Another – the long-anticipated construction of a 1.1-mile asphalt trail within Dorey Park – will receive partial state funding.

Supervisors tonight will vote to approve resolutions granting signatory authority for the projects to move forward.

The projects along North Parham Road will be entirely funded by VDOT. They will include a new traffic signal with pedestrian signals and crosswalks at the intersection of N. Parham Road and Homeview Drive, an upgrade from the existing “span”-style wire traffic signal to one with mast arms at North Parham and Skipwith and the sidewalk construction with ADA ramps along the south side of North Parham.

Henrico first reached agreement with VDOT for the East Laburnum project (which in addition to sidewalks, curb and gutter also will include construction of concrete pads and benches at two GRTC bus stops in the corridor) in August 2017. At that time, the contract price was about $834,000. But it’s now expected to cost $961,391, so the county has negotiated a revised agreement through which VDOT will pay about $792,000 and the county will fund the rest.

A board paper indicates that county officials intend to work with VDOT in an attempt to secure additional state funding for the project.

The Dorey Park project has been years in the making and is designed to connect to an existing offshoot of the Virginia Capital Trail that was constructed years ago. Supervisors first authorized the 1.1-mile extension as a second phase of the initial project in November 2014. Two years later, supervisors entered into an agreement with VDOT for the project, which was estimated to cost about $284,000.

Now, it’s expected to cost almost twice as much – about $535,000 – and VDOT has agreed to cover about $190,000 of that amount.