By KELLY HANNON
Widening Fall Hill Avenue and its Interstate 95 bridge could become a priority road project in Fredericksburg.
City Council will hold a public hearing at 7:30 tonight on the project in council chambers.
Fall Hill Avenue would be widened to four lanes between Carl D. Silver Parkway at Central Park and the Rappahannock Canal bridge near the Virginia Outdoor Center.
The I-95 overpass would expand to four lanes. Bike paths and pedestrian walkways would be added.
Also, Mary Washington Boulevard would connect with Fall Hill Avenue near the Rappahannock Canal. Mary Washington Boulevard currently ends near Mary Washington Hospital.
The Fall Hill project is expected to cost $21 to $32 million, with the city expected to pay about 2 percent of the total.
The current two-lane Fall Hill Avenue bridge does not have sidewalks. Cyclists and pedestrians mix with traffic on the busy I-95 overpass.
Fall Hill Avenue connects U.S. 1 near James Monroe High School with Central Park, Celebrate Virginia and State Route 3 west.
The public hearing centers on whether the city of Fredericksburg should make the Fall Hill Avenue improvements a priority project.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has asked the city to pick a priority project by Dec. 1, so it can start setting aside money for the work. VDOT predicts $300,000 may be available in fiscal 2009.
The city can pick a new priority now that Cowan Boulevard's extension from U.S. 1 to Central Park is finished.
The Fall Hill project will be on the council's Nov. 27 meeting agenda for action.
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436WHO: Fredericksburg City Council WHAT: Hearing on city road improvement priorities. WHEN: 7:30 p.m. tonight. WHERE: Council chambers at City Hall, 715 Princess Anne St. Access to the meeting is off Hanover Street. |