[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6709664,"mediaKeyId","5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5","parentId",5076130,"title","VDOT hearing draws local pushback after roundabouts removed from Lafayette/Kenmore/Charles redesign","audioSeconds",1479,"startMs",4061000,"endMs",5540000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5&start=4061&end=5540","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5/thumbnail_4061000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6709664/Virginia/VDOT-hearing-draws-local-pushback-after-roundabouts-removed-from-LafayetteKenmoreCharles-redesign","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709664-76141e5a7fe9e6f372a502aa9b4380b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771009765&Signature=jDTwC2I~Tvu4P6Aecn8mmOi7poODHRVM4CImDLILbLQgKeSgvz1eUXj1Nenir5WOsEp8fT1frSwgl9s0GLAbAswaIZM6Ypj6bP2KC2Z0fHxqzh~R39Nh2kn0nN-BsMbB6OI1WjIkdat83l3JMsfyzL0WVdoo33ZBc~deASxL0-8hjhfaATm0~xi384fbADBKhcajyvbgfSFXoMTp9euB-gkPM-5TDS-v94xsDkCT8jNXqxK65wwnc8VUy6A17Jpf0LuNsXMmqqjvVt74AhJ6rEppwIk6yg3~3KxjUOvzmmFnRE4nr4C~Pw9UxAK4GpEr5qrHzLivQX169kKJJS9j8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Fredericksburg, Virginia","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","VDOT engineers presented preliminary designs and gathered public comment for the Lafayette Boulevard intersection project at a Planning Commission session where several commissioners, members of the Pathways and Pathways Committee, and residents urged changes to pedestrian crossings and intersection geometry.

City staff introduced the VDOT‑administered project and its context in several ongoing studies including the downtown traffic engineering study, William Street corridor work and other initiatives linking the Virginia Central Railway (VCR) Trail to downtown. Mike Craig, a city planning staff member participating in the discussion, described the project as a critical downtown arterial improvement and noted past city input to earlier designs.

Presenters said the project was originally conceived to include multiple roundabouts but that VDOT’s preliminary plans, presented at a public hearing, removed the roundabouts citing grade and cost constraints. The project has a Smart Scale award of $7 million; preliminary VDOT estimates with roundabouts approached $10 million, and staff said cost and topography under the nearby bridge affected design choices. The VDOT concept shown to the commission retains a signal at Charles Street, implements pedestrian refuges and crosswalks at several legs, removes the stoplight at one leg and proposes channelization and turn‑lane adjustments on Lafayette to shorten pedestrian crossing distances.

Members of the Pathways Committee and residents told commissioners that the revised concept reduces the pedestrian and bicycle priority they expect for a downtown connector and pointed to slip lanes and wide turn radii as hazards for walkers. Aaron Frank, a Pathways Committee member, said the study should better align with the pathways and trail network and “there are a lot of crosswalks that are not very intuitive.” George Snead of Pathways said committee members favored the earlier roundabout concept for the safety benefits roundabouts often provide by slowing traffic.

Several commissioners and residents raised the same concerns at planning commission and City Council meetings: that the proposed design favors vehicular throughput over shorter crossings and pedestrian safety, that diagonal and slip lanes encourage unsafe crossings, and that the revised design could leave motorists and pedestrians confused at peak times such as when VRE trains discharge riders. Some commissioners suggested the city could consider contributing additional funds to restore one or more roundabouts if doing so would materially improve pedestrian safety.

VDOT and staff said the plans shown were preliminary and that the agency was seeking public comment; construction engineering is scheduled to be completed by 2027 with construction targeted in 2028–29, staff said. Commissioners agreed to consolidate feedback and consider a joint letter to VDOT requesting specific pedestrian improvements and clearer justification for the removal of roundabouts and slip lanes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fredericksburg Planning Commission June 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","VDOT presented preliminary engineering for the Lafayette Boulevard–Kenmore–Charles intersection, replacing earlier roundabout concepts with signal and lane‑reconfiguration options; commissioners, Pathways Committee members and residents urged stronger pedestrian protections and called for reconsideration of roundabouts and slip lanes.","taxTitle","Fredericksburg City (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",12679,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6709669,"VDOT outlines Fall Hill Avenue study focused on safety, bike-ped access and funding readiness",1858,1260000,3118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5&start=1260&end=3118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5/thumbnail_1260000.jpg","/articles/6709669/Virginia/VDOT-outlines-Fall-Hill-Avenue-study-focused-on-safety-bike-ped-access-and-funding-readiness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709669-a8b46a7af1fcfdec43daba7c83d66521/orig.mp4?Expires=1771009765&Signature=CcJAbjZ0EPHNVZ0URqysN2Cx1Zcc4L8NxyTUK5wUI2szFUcMHA-AU~eXRA~iAvw9VsvzkWzIddTsWuKzIFfZoFkw7xepMKky-714G~lBOVvc4nEPyo4X-tJWOL9sDOgu0D0gJAmXu~m-fwtHbXFG-w55j4rJxqUUznJ51a1qCpnNxWqGBTZUkqVLgm8kfcp3awMVwxcRR9P1ib5RMBVQub255LU4Pweufu4DOD~IV4~wnt4QVUbmvDXZCQZiTSPzsuRGwKgo1BGg3qBaQW-4593mSSbJ3HGL9XrJ2RyEDMs1uR~5vIF3CCJu8vBQS8clYHwJkBzGwGGDB-daU2ENMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) staff and consultants presented a Project Pipeline study of Fall Hill Avenue to the Fredericksburg Planning Commission on the study’s goals, methodology and next steps.

Jeanie Alexander, a consultant with EPR working on the VDOT study, told the commission the study covers Fall Hill Avenue from Mary Washington Boulevard to Washington Avenue and focuses on safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and transit improvements. “The intent is to streamline the process and come up with solutions that are ready to be funded,” Alexander said.

The Project Pipeline process follows statewide planning priorities in VTrans, Alexander said, and runs on a roughly two-year cycle. The team is completing phase 1 — existing-conditions analysis, public input and safety review — and plans to wrap phase 1 by July so that concept brainstorming can begin in phase 2. Alexander said the project team expects to present public concepts and solicit input before Thanksgiving and will prepare funding-ready materials in phase 3 for applications due in August of the odd year cycle.

VDOT staff described the study area as extending the entire Fall Hill Avenue corridor within the city and noted that most of the corridor was flagged as having potential for safety improvements. Alexander summarized crash data for a five-year period and said the corridor’s crash patterns concentrate at intersections; there was one fatal crash reported in the period reviewed, and most crashes were property-damage-only. Pedestrian and bicycle crash counts in the data set were low (one bicycle crash and no pedestrian crashes reported in the study period), but the study team emphasized field observations and pedestrian activity in and near the corridor as important inputs that do not always appear in vehicle-focused datasets.

Commissioners and Pathways Committee members raised local concerns during the question-and-answer portion. Vice Chair Carrie Whitehead and Commissioner Mary Margaret Marshall pressed the team on the time windows and extent of traffic and pedestrian counts; Alexander said camera-based intersection counts were recorded in April for 12 hours (7 a.m.–7 p.m.) and that field observations also occurred during peak periods. Pathways Committee members and residents who use the corridor asked the team to prioritize safer crossing locations, reduce crossing distances where feasible and consider sight-distance issues; the study team said it would evaluate crossings as part of concept development.

The study team also said it is coordinating with existing work on Route 1 and recent local studies (including a one-way conversion study) so concepts for Fall Hill can tie into nearby projects where appropriate. Alexander said the study is purposely multimodal and includes VDOT design staff so proposed concepts are implementable rather than purely conceptual.

Next steps listed by VDOT and the consultant include wrapping phase 1’s analysis by July, preparing concept alternatives and presenting those alternatives to the public in phase 2 for feedback prior to selecting a preferred alternative in phase 3 and preparing funding application materials.","VDOT staff and consultants presented a two-year Project Pipeline study of Fall Hill Avenue in Fredericksburg, emphasizing safety, multimodal improvements and a public input process to produce concepts ready for funding applications.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6709659,"Planning Commission recommends approval for 3430 Fall Hill rezoning and special exception, with conditions",3537,5721000,9258000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5&start=5721&end=9258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5076130-093c31d02ebc502ba88cbdde1d1963b5/thumbnail_5721000.jpg","/articles/6709659/Virginia/Planning-Commission-recommends-approval-for-3430-Fall-Hill-rezoning-and-special-exception-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6709659-983eb19dfecf1efbcea064652ef5eb1c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771009765&Signature=WJKmRmYYKQVlDmf-lv59-ieTCij-aZ76q2XfmK-nIVP56t24zaTeyMLbv~2hdFpDJ7xqbRIB3LfJ4oZOwyS5YshBhQSvIktEPa3hjpZUnlNUBrU3b0B1mqVoQKQpoYd~YgjuvDUoP-B9~F925JKTBzJJstbAAcosWzhTxXXZcYwcq2SWyJXB6lBwTmxXIr-P776-s6wMEUXsZep~ysSv3Sjf0pxLTIVE7lBQxFHsqJHfpQAUnnsP5mOVTTQAiqfz-v1IqjvVXQrfJcSw7cn-mRFWiV8rEuQaZVLDo3MtOKUmZweLvjL9OE-J8b3vJlOfn~2MCfOk-ecXJx1oajQGPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fredericksburg Planning Commission voted 7–0 to recommend City Council approve a zoning map amendment and a special exception for a mixed‑use project at 3430 Fall Hill Avenue, a proposal from Gray Star Development that would rezone approximately 34.724 acres and would include commercial space and more than 600 residential units across townhouse and multifamily product types.

The application, introduced by planning staff at the June meeting, requests a rezoning of 34.724 acres from R‑2 (Residential) to a mix of Commercial Highway (CH) for about 9.5 acres and Planned Development Residential (PDR) for about 25 acres. The applicant would build up to 50,000 square feet of commercial space (anchored by a proposed specialty grocer), approximately 240 townhouse/“2‑over‑2” ownership units and 365 multifamily rental units. The applicant also asked for a special exception to exceed Commercial Highway parking minimums (the application showed 412 commercial parking spaces, about 186 spaces above the minimum requirement for the CH portion), citing the anchor grocery tenant’s projected draw.

City planning staff summarized the proposal’s consistency with the Comprehensive Plan and the Area 1 small‑area plan, the planned Gordon Shelton Boulevard extension through the site, proposed open space and buffers, and a cash proffer package to offset public‑services impacts. Staff said the applicant’s cash proffers total roughly $6.2 million and reflected school and public‑safety mitigation as described in the staff report. Staff also recommended conditions: dedication of right‑of‑way for Gordon Shelton Boulevard and construction timing for traffic signal and turn‑lane work; public access easements over private lanes (Islip Lane and Shadmore Drive) to preserve future block connectivity; and participation in a future pro‑rata sewer capacity program for downstream improvements.

The applicant team, represented by attorney Charlie Payne for Gray Star Development and Will Douginson, a civil engineer with Bowman Consulting, described the project as an infill mixed‑use development intended to provide housing variety and a specialty grocery not currently available within 30 miles. Payne said the development would include formal open space, a 10‑foot shared‑use path along the Gordon Shelton Boulevard extension and a compact block and street grid with sidewalks and traffic calming. The applicant proffered a limit that no vinyl siding would be used on multifamily building exteriors and offered to limit vinyl on townhouse facades to locations not facing public roads; the applicant also proffered at least ten studio units and limited the number of three‑bedroom multifamily units.

Public commenters raised concerns about school and service impacts, the adequacy of proffers relative to project scope and fiscal‑impact assumptions, and whether a proposed grocery would draw regional traffic rather than primarily serve new local rooftops. Two members of the public asked the commission to re‑examine the fiscal‑impact assumptions and consider a larger proffer. Staff responded that school capacity exists under current attendance patterns, that the applicant’s proffered $6.2 million corresponds to the city’s cost models, and that the applicant committed to participate in any forthcoming pro‑rata sewer capacity program.

After discussion, Planning Commissioner Mary Margaret Marshall moved to recommend approval to City Council with staff conditions and two additional elements: (1) direction for the applicant to consider building‑material choices (the commission requested the applicant further consider vinyl usage on side facades) and (2) for staff to draft a condition addressing parking‑area surfacing/landscape strategies (for example, bioretention/bioswale and pervious surface treatments) to reduce stormwater, heat‑island effects and site runoff where feasible. The motion passed 7–0.","The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve a rezoning and special exception for 3430 Fall Hill (Gray Star Development), subject to proffers, timing commitments and further conditions on building materials and parking design.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

VDOT hearing draws local pushback after roundabouts removed from Lafayette/Kenmore/Charles redesign

VDOT outlines Fall Hill Avenue study focused on safety, bike-ped access and funding readiness

Planning Commission recommends approval for 3430 Fall Hill rezoning and special exception, with conditions