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Home My WebLink AboutI. C. INTERSTATE-264- INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD INTERCHANGE UPDATE 5.21.24I -264/Independence Blvd Interchange Improvements City Council Briefing May 21, 2024 David Jarman, P.E. Transportation Division Manager Public Works/Engineering 2 Agenda •Project Location & History •Project Purpose and Need •Previous Studies −Preferred Alternative •VDOT STARS Program •VDOT STARS Project −Alternatives Comparison •Looking Ahead Project Location Project Location 3 Project History Virginia Beach Norfolk Expressway •Opened Dec 1, 1967 •12.1mi controlled access roadway •Construction cost: $34M •Tolls removed Jun 1, 1995 •VA -44 was formally changed to I-264 in July 1999 4 Project History Virginia Beach Norfolk Expressway/ Independence Blvd Exit 3 5 Image courtesy: VintageVirginiaPhotos.com 1972 2023 I-264/Independence Blvd Exit 17 Purpose and Need Operational Issues •Congestion •Increased travel times 6 Purpose and Need Safety •Geometric deficiencies •Weaving, transitions, etc Access Management •Proximity of driveway and entrance spacing 7 City of Va. Beach Accident Heat Map Project Location Project Location Previous Studies 8 Independence Blvd / I-264 Interchange Access Report Interstate, Arterial, Interchanges 2023 VDOT I-64/I-264 Phase III IMR (Interstate & Interchanges) 2021 VDOT STARS Independence Blvd Study (Arterial & Interchange) 2020 Northampton Blvd Military Hwy Previous Studies 9 Partial Cloverleaf with Braided Directional Ramps Partial Cloverleaf with Directional Ramps Modified Partial Cloverleaf with Directional Ramps Recommended Preferred Alternative I-264 Corridor Evaluation Study (VDOT July 2016) 10 Partial Cloverleaf with Braided Directional Ramps What is the VDOT STARS program? •Projects to address safety and congestion issues •Goal is to develop affordable solutions that can be programmed in the VDOT Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) •Increased emphasis on innovative intersection designs •Priority for applications that contribute local money to the STARS application (CVB contributed $250K) 11 Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions VDOT STARS PROJECT •Evaluated 3 Long-term (2042) Alternatives •Does not include I-264 widening or replacing I-264 bridge over Independence Blvd •Improvements at all intersections •Columbus St •Bonney Rd •I-264 Interchange •Baxter Rd •Edwin Dr 12 (Preferred is moving forward) (Alternatives to discuss) (Preferred is moving forward) 13 Interim alternative - At -grade pedestrian crossing (Refuge area using one southbound left turn bay) Long-term: Grade-separated pedestrian crossing { Note: Green coloring reflects grass area and/or removal of pavement } Increase storage bay lengths COLUMBUS STREET INDEPENDENCE BLVD/COLUMBUS ST PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS (100554) •At grade pedestrian crossing at Columbus Street/Independence Blvd intersection including median pedestrian refuge across Independence Blvd •Removal of one of the two southbound left turn lanes on Independence Blvd to accommodate pedestrian refuge •Includes pedestrian signalization •Awarded $352K of FY21 TAP Funds •Total Project Cost: $562K •Construction Began: April 2024 •Construction Complete: Aug 2024 14 Columbus St Commerce St VDOT STARS PROJECT •Evaluated 3 Long-term (2042) Alternatives •Does not include I-264 widening or replacing I-264 bridge over Independence Blvd •Improvements at all intersections •Columbus St •Bonney Rd •I-264 Interchange •Baxter Rd •Edwin Dr 15 (Preferred is moving forward) (Alternatives to discuss) (Preferred is moving forward) Independence Blvd/ Columbus Street Pedestrian Improvements Project # 100554 Edwin DriveIndependence Blvd INDEPENDENCE BLVD/EDWIN DRIVE INTERSECTION (100428) •Component of overall I-264/ Independence Blvd Interchange Study •Innovative Intersection Design •Median U-turns on Independence Blvd •Works with Holland Road Phase I and Phase II Improvements to reduce congestion •Includes bike & pedestrian improvements •Total Project Cost $18.1M •Design Start: Fall 2025 Directional left in / right out only at Investors Place Median U-turns - relocate NB and SB left turns on Independence Blvd and EB WB Improvements on Edwin Drive 16 VDOT STARS PROJECT •Evaluated 3 Long-term (2042) Alternatives •Does not include I-264 widening or replacing I-264 bridge over Independence Blvd •Improvements at all intersections •Columbus St •Bonney Rd •I-264 Interchange •Baxter Rd •Edwin Dr 17 (Preferred is moving forward) (Alternatives to discuss) (Preferred is moving forward) Alternative 1 •Long-term •At -Grade Improvements (included with each alternative) •Median U-turns (Michigan Lefts) at Edwin Dr •Pedestrian Bridge crossing at Columbus St •Interchange (see figure): •Widen Independence southbound underpass similar to northbound •Remove two loops to remove weaving •Replace with signals on Independence for left turns to ramps 18 19 ALTERNATIVE 1 Median U-turns – relocate NB and SB left turns on Independence Blvd at Bonney Rd { Note: Green coloring reflects removal of pavement } 20 ALTERNATIVE 1 Modify / remove loop ramps to remove weaving New signals at ramp termini SB C-D { Note: Green coloring reflects removal of pavement } 21 ALTERNATIVE 1 Median U-turns - relocate NB and SB left turns on Independence Blvd at Baxter Rd South Blvd Slip Ramp { Note: Green coloring reflects removal of pavement } Alternative 1 22 Pros ▪Less expensive ▪Fewer right-of-way impacts Cons ▪Less operational improvement ▪Does not meet long-term demand ▪More volatile, less resilient to incidents Alternative 2 •Long-term •At -Grade Improvements (included with each alternative) •Median U-turns (Michigan Lefts) at Edwin Dr •Pedestrian Bridge crossing at Columbus St •Grade separation at Bonney Rd •(see figure for Center Turn Overpass) •Interchange (see figure): •Widen Independence southbound underpass similar to northbound •Remove one loop to remove weaving •Replace with one signal on Independence for left turns to ramp 23 24 Center Turn Overpass Bonney Rd / Euclid Rd { Note: Light grey coloring reflects grade separation } ALTERNATIVE 2 Direct access ramp to I-264 Westbound from Center Turn Overpass 25 ALTERNATIVE 2 Center Turn Overpass (CTO) 26 Signal- controlled triple right turn Modify / remove loop ramps to remove weaving SB C-D ALTERNATIVE 2 27 South Blvd Slip Ramp ALTERNATIVE 2 Alternative 2 28 Pros ▪Better operations than Alt 1 ▪Meets long-term demand ▪More resilient to incidents Cons ▪Higher cost than Alt 1 ▪Innovative/complex design ▪Construction impact concerns Alternative 3 •Long-term •At -Grade Improvements (included with each alternative) •Median U-turns (Michigan Lefts) at Edwin Dr •Pedestrian Bridge crossing at Columbus St •Grade separation at Bonney Rd •Single Point Urban Interchange (see figure) •Interchange with flyover ramp (see figure): •Widen Independence southbound underpass similar to northbound •Remove one loop (replace with flyover) 29 30 Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) { Note: Light grey coloring reflects grade separation} ALTERNATIVE 3 31 Single Point Urban Interchanges ALTERNATIVE 3 Military Hwy/Va. Beach Blvd 32{ Note: Light grey coloring reflects grade separation} NB to WB flyover ramp Relocated South Blvd SB C-D I-264 ramp from Baxter ALTERNATIVE 3 Alternative 3 33 Pros ▪Better operations than Alt 1 / Similar to Alt 2 ▪Highest safety benefit ▪Meets long-term demand ▪More resilient to incidents Cons ▪Higher cost than Alt 1 or Alt 2 ▪More right-of-way impacts ▪Construction impact concerns 2042 Alternatives Comparison 34 Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Delay Reduction ($ conversion)$403.5M $594.3M $586.7M Crash Reduction ($ conversion)$10M $11.9M $21.1M Cost ($ 2022)$97.8M $207.7M $404.4M Benefit-Cost 4.23 2.92 1.5 Provides accessibility (peds & vehicles) Serves latent traffic demand Resiliency to incidents Serves long term development Minimal right-of-way impacts Meets driver expectancy Lower construction impact Includes flyover ramp •Selection of Preferred Alternative 2 for 2042 Build Recommended Preferred Alternative I-264 Corridor Evaluation Study (VDOT July 2016) 35 Partial Cloverleaf with Braided Directional Ramps Cost Estimate Comparison STARS Alternatives & I-264 Study 36 2020 Cost Estimate STARS Study Alt 1 $92,162,000 STARS Study Alt 2 $195,788,000 STARS Study Alt 3 $381,166,000 I-264 Study at Independence $690,703,000 Looking Ahead: Interchange Access Report (IAR) •Incorporate the findings from: • VDOT STARS Study of Independence Blvd • VDOT I-264 Corridor Study •Incorporate widening of I-264 & new I-264 bridge over Independence Blvd •Determine the best overall long-term design to serve the interstate, interchange and Independence Blvd •HRTAC provided $1.25M for the IAR •VDOT is managing, kickoff mtg was held Aug 2023 •Citizen Information Meeting to review concepts and screen results—currently projected for August 2024 •Estimated report completion: End 2025 37 Looking Ahead: Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) •What is the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)? •HRTPO is required to develop, approve and maintain a fiscally constrained (demonstrated fiscal sufficiency) LRTP. With a planning horizon of 20 years, the LRTP serves as the blueprint for enhancing the region's multimodal transportation system. •The 2045 LRTP Project List Includes: • I-264 Widening—Witchduck Rd to Independence Blvd • I-264/Independence Blvd Interchange Improvements •https://hrpdc- gis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=89f6a54525f3409298a 0ce7d3618162f •2050 LRTP is currently being developed for approval in 2026 38 Looking Ahead: Funding •HRTAC has confirmed a funding plan for 2032 •First tier projects are funded, focus is shifting to next tier of projects: 39 Looking Ahead: Next Steps •Finish the IAR (End of 2025) •Citizen Information Meeting to review concepts and screen results—currently projected for August 2024 •Explore and pursue other federal grant opportunities in cooperation with VDOT •INFRA (Infrastructure For Rebuilding America) •60% Federal/40% Non-Federal match requirement •Large project minimum award is $25M •MEGA •60% Federal/40% Non-Federal match requirement •Projects typically in the $100M-$500M range but can be larger 40 Discussion I -264/Independence Blvd Interchange Improvements Image courtesy: VintageVirginiaPhotos.com 41