Section of Courthouse Road Due for Major Overhaul
The work will begin after Labor Day and affect a 3.7-mile stretch of the road.
By Hank Silverberg
CORRESPONDENT
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A portion of a popular roadway in the region is set for a detailed reconstruction project to begin after Labor Day, using a procedure that could save money in the long run.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is going to reconstruct 3.7 miles of Courthouse Road (Route 208) in Spotsylvania County, from Lawyers Road to the Lake Anna bridge, starting on Tuesday, September 2.
The work could lead to major traffic delays, with drivers facing full stops at times, and there will be some inconvenience for businesses and residences along that route.
VDOT says heavy loads over time have produced deep base failure on the roadway that needs to be fixed. Work crews will be removing around four inches of the current asphalt and reducing it down to about 12 inches.
An existing portion of the pavement will then be pulverized and a portion of that material will be mixed with a stabilizing agent. Next comes a seal and several layers of new asphalt.
According to VDOT, that will extend the paving cycle by 10 to 15 years instead of the usual six-to-eight-year cycle, making it less expensive
The reconstruction project does mean a rough ride across sections of roadway for about two months, with parts of some lanes fully closed during weekdays and extended after each day’s work.
The plan is to open all the lanes on the weekends. During the week, the closures will begin on Monday at 7am, with all lanes of traffic reopening on Friday at 5pm.
VDOT says the lanes need to be fully closed at times to prevent drivers from having to navigate a rough surface with a two-inch drop in the pavement. But motorists will be able to drive on the road at the end of each shift once a seal is applied.
At times, drivers will face one-way alternating traffic.
The project will cost $3.1 million and should be complete sometime in November of this year, weather permitting.
According to a 2023 VDOT traffic study, that stretch of Courthouse Road carries about 8,500 vehicles a day.
The road was realigned to straighten out some sharp curves in the 1960s and was last resurfaced in 2015.
VDOT advises motorists on Courthouse Road to follow the instructions on message boards that will be placed along the route and to watch out for flaggers giving directions—or look for alternative routes.
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