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Council considers two Smart Scale transportation applications to fix a dangerous curve and add a roundabout
Summary
City staff and VOT presented two candidate Smart Scale projects: flattening the Kingsmill Pike curve at Woodland Circle to reduce repeated crashes, and a revised roundabout design at Bonum Road and Sunrest Drive that preserves local access while reducing right-of-way impacts; council will consider resolutions for application submission by July.
City staff and the Virginia agency representative discussed two proposed Smart Scale applications aimed at improving safety and operations on local roads.
The first project targets Kingsmill Pike at Woodland Circle, where staff said about 30 crashes have been recorded since 2018. The recommended design would smooth the curve, add a dedicated left-turn lane eastbound and a right-turn lane westbound, adjust driveway access and provide stormwater management for the new pavement profile.
"We tried speed signs, high friction asphalt, rumble strips and chevrons — nothing seems to work to slow people down," Mr. Dietrich said as he explained the need for realignment.
The second project is a revised proposal for Bonum Road at Sunrest Drive. After public feedback on an earlier design, staff and VOT developed a version that keeps the roundabout but allows a right‑in/right‑out connection to MacArthur Circle instead of a full cul‑de‑sac. VOT planner Blake Albert said field surveys included speaking directly with property owners and the revised design reduces right‑of‑way needs and estimated cost (staff cited a cost reduction to about $10.2 million in revised estimates).
Council members asked about driveway access impacts, sightlines, speed limits and whether the roundabout can accommodate large vehicles (design includes a mountable truck apron).
Next steps: staff will return July 14 with draft resolutions recommending submission to the Smart Scale program; final Smart Scale applications are due in the agency’s system in late July/early August.
