Cloverleaf changes nearing completion
Brent Finnegan -- June 22nd, 2009
Early last year I wrote about the project (originally slated to cost $2 million) to replace the southbound onramp of exit 247 on I-81 with a traffic signal on 33 near the overpass (video). Today WSVA reports that the light may be operational by early next week:
Mast arms for the Route 33 traffic signal will be installed today and will go into flash mode. The light goes into full operation next Monday.
Once the signal is up and running, the southbound onramp to I-81 will be closed permanently and traffic will be switched to the new pattern.
For a $2M project, it all happened rather quickly (once it began). Does anyone know the approximate percentage break down of the cost for such a project? For example, 30% planning, 50% materials, 20% manpower? Just curious — and on my bb, so I can’t search VDOT’s web site to find out myself. :)
I’m glad they did something about it – Getting onto 81N from 33E in that weave-merge lane was just plain dangerous.
$718 K was the contract amount to General Excavation of Warrenton. Their PoP was August, so they will be getting a bonus for knocking it out ahead of schedule. Maybe I should alert Mark Obenshain to the travesty.
Bubby, you’re right about the 718k. The original budget was 2M, but the economic times created some great bid results. Can’t remember if the original scope was scaled back or not. What is curious is what was done with the 1.3M that was allocated to the Staunton district that didn’t get spent. I still maintain that VDOT simply spent a little money on a project that needed a lot of money. Sorry, but increased traffic flow should be part of every project and adding a stop light to Route 33 is not it. Couldn’t get behind any system that was compared to the Port Road exit.
I changed the wording of the post slightly to adjust for your comment.
Improvements to I-81 draw funding from the Federal government. Improvements to Rt. 33 come from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our local Delegates have not supported adequate highway funding. Maybe VDOT decided to give the Valley what we asked for – nothing.
In fact, if not for $22 million in Federal stimulus money Port Republic Rd would not have been widened out to the hospital.
Construction is just part of the cost. First there was planning, budgeting, design, engineering, permitting, procurement of Right of Way, public notices and hearing, signage, oversight and inspection. That money would have extended across several biennial VDOT budgets.
Another reason to look forward to driving anywhere