VDOT News - Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Construction has begun on a project that will widen Route 639 (Ladysmith Road) in Caroline County between Interstate 95 and Route 1, and will improve area pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations.

A groundbreaking was held today for the $26.6 million project with the Caroline County Board of Supervisors and Commonwealth Transportation Board Member Cedric Rucker to mark the ceremonial beginning of construction.

The project is a partnership between Caroline County and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Caroline County submitted an application to assist in funding this project through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program. Additional funding is being provided through VDOT’s revenue-sharing program, which matches county funds with state transportation dollars.

The project seeks to reduce current and future congestion in the Ladysmith area by providing more capacity for travelers, and to promote economic development at this gateway entrance to the Caroline community.

When construction is complete in May 2024, Ladysmith Road will have four travel lanes between I-95 and just west of Route 1, over a distance of approximately 0.85 miles. A new raised median will separate eastbound and westbound travel lanes to allow for improved movement through the corridor.

A 10-foot wide, paved shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists will be built along the eastbound lanes of Ladysmith Road, on the southern side of the road. A 5-foot-wide sidewalk will be added on the northern side of the road, along the westbound lanes. Crosswalks and new traffic signal equipment will be installed to accommodate pedestrian crossings.

Widening Ladysmith Road will create room for dual left turn lanes for eastbound and westbound traffic at the Route 1 intersection approach, reducing delays for motorists waiting to turn at this traffic signal. Dedicated right turn lanes will also be built for Ladysmith Road traffic approaching Route 1.

Around 12,000 vehicles a day travel on Ladysmith Road in the project corridor, according to a 2019 VDOT traffic count.
Ladysmith Road will remain open to traffic during construction. Motorists should be alert for construction crews and slow-moving equipment operating in the work zone on Route 1 and Ladysmith Road.

Periodic single lane closures and temporary traffic shifts will be required during construction. Most lane closures will be scheduled to avoid peak travel times on weekday mornings and afternoons. Scheduled lane closures for the week ahead will be shared each Friday through Hot Spots, the VDOT Fredericksburg District lane closure report.

The project contractor is J.L. Kent and Sons, Inc.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster and Westmoreland counties in the Northern Neck; Essex, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula.

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.