Have a voice in the future of Fauquier County, Join us ... CFFC is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to preserve the natural, historic and agricultural resources of Fauquier County and to preserve the County's unique quality of life through education and leadership.
Make a Tax Deductible Donation or Renew Your Membership by clicking on the Donate Button
US 29 - A 6 Lane Interstate or 4 Lane Rural Parkway for Fauquier County
Historically the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) plans for US 29 between Warrenton and Prince William County has been a six lane version of I-66 with interchanges and fly overs, like the depiction of the Gainesville I-66 interchange on the left side of the above graphic. This would eliminate all access to current entry points to US 29 except at the interchanges. An improvement option for US 29 in this road section is more like a rural parkway, which through the use of access management techniques would preserve many existing access points to US 29 while increasing traffic through put. This parkway approach is depicted in the right hand side of the above graphic, is currently supported by the emerging draft of the US 29 Corridor Study input to the VDOT 2030 Transportation Plan.
The first public presentation of US 29 Improvement Options supporting this updated vision for US 29 was made on 5 May, 2010 at the John Barton Payne Building. This presentation was attended by three of our Supervisors, two Planning Commissioners, the County's Planning Director, VDOT representatives and approximately 40 interested County residents.
The presentation was the result of a joint effort funded by Fauquier County, Piedmont Environmental Council, Citizens for Fauquier County, and the Vint Hill Economic Development Authority to engage Mr. Dane Ismart of Benchmark Civil Engineering Services to develop improvement options for US 29. Mr. Ismart, a renown "access management transportation specialist", conducted an analysis of US 29 and prepared a set of alternatives for the high congestion section of US 29 from Route 600 in New Baltimore to the Prince William County line. The major objectives of these alternatives are to increase traffic flow and improve safety on US 29, while preserving the businesses, churches, historical sensitive landscape, and highway access in this section of road.
The presentation included a review of Access Management Techniques and Federal Highway Administration video specifically addressing small business concerns about access management solutions. A link to this video is available of CFFCs Access Management page. A sort slide set titled What is Access Management can be downloaded from the link in the right hand column of this page.
The center piece of Mr. Ismart's presentation was a highly technical discussion of improvement options for intersections and median cuts on the section of US 29 addressed. A link to the slides used to support this discussion of Improvement Options can also be downloaded from a link in the right hand column of this page.
A critical conclusion presented by Mr. Ismart is that: "Well-designed 'access management' improvements can move as much traffic, in less time, more safely, at lower speeds, and at vastly less expense, while preserving access to businesses, along a four-lane divided highway like U.S. 29, as can be moved along a high-speed multi-lane freeway."
Materials distributed at this presentation included the Same Goal: Different Solutions and Roundabouts in the USA handouts, each of which are available through links in the right hand column of this page.
Download What is Access Management? slides by clicking on the graphic below
What is Access Management?
Download the Same Goals: Different Solutions handout by clicking on the graphic below
Same Goals: Different Solutions
Download the Roundabouts in the United States handout by clicking on the graphic below
Roundabouts in the United States
Download Mr. Ismart's US 29 Improvement Options slides by clicking on the graphic below ( this is a large file and may be slow to download)
US 29 Improvement Options
Copyright 2006 to 2010, Citizens for Fauquier County
