Citywide transportation plan discussed for W’boro

The Waynesboro Planning Commission met Tuesday to discuss a citywide comprehensive transportation plan.
“In short, it’s, one, to make sure we direct resources – our own, VDOT’s, developers’ resources – efficiently,” said City Planner Jim Shaw. “And, two, to make sure that the system itself works and functions efficiently. As we go forward, we’re looking at how we design roads, both the connections – the network itself – the width of roads, and those kinds of things, to try to create a safe and efficient system.”
Shaw led a PowerPoint presentation outlining possible improvements to city transportation: system and aesthetic advancements, strategies to accommodate future growth, addressing existing transportation problems and increasing traffic pattern connectivity.
“I think one of the things to try to achieve in a transportation plan is looking at the system as a whole. Stormwater is a very similar analogy in that developers come in and each wants their own pond ... but the problem comes when all these ponds, essentially, are going to discharge to the same system and that system becomes overloaded.
“And so now, there’s a push to a more regional approach to stormwater. And the same thing can be said for traffic in that each developer comes into their site … and you, as a locality, haven’t figured out ‘how is this ulterior route supposed to function [with the larger system]?’ ”
The process would build upon prior planning efforts, as well as available resources from the city, county and state.
Passages of concern are Rosser Avenue and West Route 250, the most traveled and heavily congested thoroughfares in the city, according to Shaw. West Main Street, Lew DeWitt Boulevard and Hopeman Parkway are up for immediate term improvements.
“The Windigrove intersection – where Lew Dewitt, Rosser Avenue and Windigrove come together – is the worst intersection in town right now,” said the city planner. “Not only are you stacking a lot of cars in all four directions, but people who are trying to get into the stream of traffic are blocked because of [the flow of] cars that start back up at the light.”
Long-term progress will focus on more improvements to Rosser Avenue, West Main Street, Lew DeWitt Boulevard and Hopeman Parkway to the tune of $24.8 million.
The method of financing has yet to be determined, but might be shared by the city, VDOT, developers and state funding.
“It’s important that the transportation plan set the stage for city council to adopt a capital improvement plan,” Shaw said.
Shaw did not offer a date of implementation, saying only “that it would be very much driven by land use development.”