Gloucester staff outline Smart Scale transportation projects including RCUTs, turn‑lane work and bike‑ped options
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Summary
Planning staff presented proposed Smart Scale applications for Round 7, prioritizing turn‑lane and RCUT modifications on Route 17 and Route 14 corridors, pedestrian improvements at Hospital Drive, a Roaring Springs bike‑ped phase, and continuation of Route 17 widening.
Gloucester County planning staff on Feb. 3 walked the Board of Supervisors through projects they plan to submit for the Commonwealth’s Smart Scale transportation program.
Carol Rizzio, assistant director of planning, described Smart Scale as "a statewide ranking system for transportation projects" that scores projects on safety, congestion relief, accessibility, economic development and environmental effects. She said Gloucester competes in the Fredericksburg District and receives only about $83,000 per year in noncompetitive secondary‑road funds, so Smart Scale is a major funding source for larger projects.
Staff identified several priority projects: an R‑Cut at Route 14/Crab Thicket to change crossing movements; turn‑lane lengthening and pedestrian signal improvements at Hospital Drive/Route 17; a recycled submittal for Route 17/Bellroy to extend turn lanes and add a right‑turn lane; an optional Roaring Springs bike/ped path phase; grouped intersection submissions for Short Lane/Hickory Fork/Featherbed and Providence/Woodsville/Fields Landing/Hayes (RCUT conversions); and continuation of Route 17 widening from Tide Mill to Guinea. Rizzio said prior rounds had mixed results (some past awards in courthouse area, some projects not funded), so staff recommends grouping some projects and working with the Middle Peninsula PDC for regional applications.
Rizzio asked the board for direction to identify which projects to move forward for preliminary and final Smart Scale applications this year.