Katherine Graves ~ Assistant Editor
The U.S. 460 construction will continue until 2017 or 2018 when construction on the Odd Fellows Road extension, the auxiliary lanes and the Liberty University bridge is completed.
The area of U.S. 460 affected by construction is between the Airport Road exit and the U.S. 29 Expressway exit. The posted 45 and 55 mph construction speed limits are in effect even when construction has stopped, Paula Jones, the Lynchburg District Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) communications manager, said.
Drivers should expect new work to be done in the median of U.S. 460, and they should be conscious of equipment potentially exiting and entering the median area, Jones said.
Lane closures may occur during the night to work on the Liberty University bridge, Jones said.
The U.S. 460 construction is comprised of three projects: the Odd Fellows Road extension, the addition of auxiliary lanes and the Liberty University bridge. Odd Fellows Road, which is used for industrial traffic, is being extended to U.S. 460, according to the VDOT website.
Additional auxiliary lanes are being added to the highway to help entering and exiting drivers with acceleration and deceleration, according to the VDOT website. A bridge that will allow more Liberty students to bike or walk between the East Campus Residence Halls and the Main Campus is being built over U.S. 460, according to an article in The News & Advance.
The Liberty University bridge is scheduled to be finished by fall 2017, according to an article in The News & Advance. The construction on the auxiliary lanes is scheduled to be finished between Aug. and Nov. of 2017, and the construction on the Odd Fellows Road extension is scheduled to be completed in Aug. 2018, according to the VDOT website.
“During construction, temporary single lane closures will be permitted on Route 460 and Odd Fellows Road during non-peak hours and total lane closures will be restricted to a 15-minute maximum from 7pm to 6 am,” according to the VDOT website.
Drivers entering from ramps into the construction area should be cautious. Drivers should also be careful not to be distracted by the construction while driving.
“We just want people to be safe,” Jones said.
Drivers should also be aware that Kemper Street is under construction and the Kemper Street exit is closed on Route 29 south. Lynchburg District is also working on paving and resurfacing until Nov. 2016 and on guardrail repair, according to the VDOT website.
