Public Information Meeting Announced for Longwood Avenue / Independence Boulevard Intersection Study
A public information meeting regarding a study of potential improvements to the intersection of Longwood Avenue and Independence Boulevard will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday November 17th, 2020 in the Council Room of the Bedford Town Hall at 215 East Main Street in Bedford, and will be available virtually through Zoom. The meeting will consist of a presentation of draft study findings from Clark Nexsen Consulting. Social distancing measures will be implemented by seating participants six feet apart, and all participants will be required to wear a face covering, in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Executive Order 63. The meeting will be available via Zoom for those who wish to participate virtually. You can register for the Zoom meeting using the "Click here to Register" link below.
The study, which is focused on the intersection of Forest Road (US 221), Longwood Avenue (US 221 and VA 122), and Independence Boulevard (VA 122), is being conducted by the Central Virginia Planning District Commission in partnership with the Town of Bedford and the Virginia Department of Transportation. Clark Nexsen Consulting is providing engineering and planning assistance on the project.
Area residents, employees, commuters, shoppers, and business and property owners are encouraged to attend the meeting to hear about the draft findings and to share comments and concerns. A survey will be made available to those who attend the meeting, and a digital version is available here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M97XBNT.
Since 2015, there have been at least thirty-three crashes at or near the intersection (six of which resulted in injuries). The Town of Bedford “Bike | Walk Plan”, which was completed in December 2019, recommends pedestrian safety improvements for the area, and the Virginia Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) identifies the area as a safety “hotspot” with at least four pedestrian-related crashes since 2012.
This study effort has developed short and long-term recommendations to minimize congestion, improve travel conditions, assessed conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists and improve safety. It is also important to note that the findings of this study are only recommendations for future improvements. Once the study is complete, further implementation strategies and funding can be pursued based on direction provided by Town Council.
For more information about this public information meeting or the study, please contact Ada Hunsberger at the Central Virginia Planning District Commission prior to the meeting at ada.hunsberger@cvpdc.org.