Virginia considers road P3

The Odd Fellows Road interchange project in Lynchburg, Virginia may benefit from additional transportation improvements thanks to an unsolicited proposal the state is considering, Governor Bob McDonnell said on Monday.

“This proposal will not only address congestion, safety and access issues on Odd Fellows Road, but may also advance the Greenview Drive project and provide funding for improvements to Odd Fellows Road itself,” McDonnell said during his meeting with local officials in Lynchburg and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representatives.

A private company has proposed to finance, design, and build a new interchange along US 460 at Odd Fellows Road, widen Greenview Drive from two to four lanes and improve intersection safety and capacity to Odd Fellows Road. In addition to alleviating traffic congestion, the new interchange would also provide a more direct connection between routes, according to a statement by the Governor’s office.

The original project, which the City Council has ranked as third on its road improvements priority list, was adopted on August 18, 2011 by the Central Virginia Transportation Improvement Program. Until now, it has been developed as a design-build project and will continue to be developed while the unsolicited proposal is reviewed.

Odd Fellows Road serves industrial traffic as an entrance to the City of Lynchburg’s Industrial Park, as well as other commercial properties in the immediate area, according to VDOT’s website.

“The transportation improvements would ultimately create and preserve business opportunities and stimulate job growth in the area,” McDonnell said during his visit, one of several as he tours a number of transportation projects which were made possible through funding initiatives in 2011 and 2013.

“Both years saw the General Assembly pass multi-billion dollar transportation bills, representing the Commonwealth’s greatest commitment to transportation investment and funding in nearly 30 years,” the Governor’s office said in the statement.

Virginia’s Office of Transportation Public-Private Partnerships and VDOT are working together with the City of Lynchburg and Campbell County to review the proposal and to decide whether they will seek competitive proposals for the project.