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VDOT outlines timelines for Fairground Road extension, Hickory Haven park‑and‑ride and Route 288 lane in Goochland
Summary
VDOT engineer Philip Frazier updated the Goochland Board on multiple county projects, saying Fairground Road ROW authorization is expected in September, a Hickory Haven Park‑and‑Ride/design‑build tied to a Diverging Diamond project aims for a 2026 contract award and a 2029 finish, and a Route 288 northbound shoulder‑running lane is set for advertisement this month.
Philip Frazier, a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representative, gave the Goochland County Board of Supervisors a line‑by‑line update on local road projects and maintenance at the Sept. 4 meeting. He said primary mowing for the season is complete and a contractor will begin secondary mowing under a notice to proceed with work allowed to start as early as Sept. 8 and no later than Sept. 19.
Frazier listed several capital projects. For the Fairground Road extension he said the next critical milestone is right‑of‑way authorization “in the month of September,” after which final design will move toward an advertising target in February 2027. On the Hickory Haven Park‑and‑Ride — combined with a Diverging Diamond interchange project — Frazier said a public hearing was held in July and that VDOT expects to issue a design‑build RFP in December with a contract award anticipated in fall 2026 and project completion targeted for summer 2029. He gave a planning‑stage cost estimate in the “around that $90,000,000 range.”
On smaller projects, Frazier said the Oilville Road/I‑64 roundabout has no right‑of‑way impacts and should be advertised by the end of 2025, likely completing in a single season. The Courthouse Village sidewalk kickoff occurred recently and, he said, the county is expected to administer that project. The Hockett Road extension and associated roundabout remain scheduled for advertisement in September 2028; Frazier noted right‑of‑way and utility work remains and that the project previously scored highly in Smart Scale funding rounds.
Frazier described plans for Route 288 northbound: a hard‑shoulder running lane will operate as a peak‑hour third lane under dynamic control. “There’s going to be overhead gantries that have electronic sign boards” and the system will be connected to a traffic operations center (TOC) so the lane can be opened or closed in real time, he said, adding coordination with fire and rescue was part of planning. The advertisement for the northbound running lane is scheduled this month, while funding for a complementary southbound lane remains a future objective.
Board members asked technical questions about alignments, signal retention and impacts to emergency response. Frazier confirmed the signal at Hockett Road and Broad Street will remain and said alignment choices may shift by dozens of feet to minimize property and wetland impacts. On maintenance concerns in the county’s western end he explained VDOT mowing cycles and that wet July weather and a more active snow season contributed to potholes and frequent patching.
Frazier closed by inviting board members to request focused updates at future meetings and thanked county staff for work prioritizing projects.
The board took no formal action on the projects at the meeting; several items are at design or PE authorization stages with advertisement and construction dates as noted.
