As was noted in a summer 2021 article entitled “Danville MPO Awarded GAP Grant to Improve Selection of Transportation Studies,” the Danville Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in February was awarded a Growth and Accessibility Planning (GAP) grant to fund the development of a digital ranking tool for the purpose of assisting MPO staff and the MPO Policy Board with selecting project study areas throughout the MPO region which will have the greatest positive impact on the regional transportation network and, hence, the region’s safety and quality of life. A major function of the Danville MPO is the selection, initiation, and administration of transportation studies, which often result in grant applications to improve safety and functionality of Danville and southern Pittsylvania County’s transportation network.
As noted in that previous article, the three main consultants involved in this effort on behalf of the MPO include EPR PC, High Street Consulting, and Michael Baker International. Each of these three is focusing on a particular element of the product development process.
Over the past several months, at least two virtual meetings have taken place by which the consultants have communicated to the MPO progress on development of this digital tool. During a meeting held in late September, five goals were advanced by the consultants that would serve as benchmarks which potential studies would have to meet to score well via this tool. These goals conform to goals in the Danville MPO 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan, which is the latest iteration of this document, and serves as a blueprint for future development of the region’s transportation system. The five goals include the following:
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- Economy
- Safety
- Mobility and Accessibility
- Community and Nature
- Operational Efficiency
During the most recent meeting, which took place in early November, a number of measurable criteria were advanced for each goal listed above. The figure below illustrates each of the five goal areas and the proposed criteria that have been proposed for each. For the Safety goal, for example, measurable criteria include the Fatal and Serious Injury Crash Rate, Potential for Safety Improvements (PSI) Locations (Minimum rank of statewide and district), and Pedestrian Safety Priority.
Currently, the goals and criteria, as shown in the figure above, are in the process of being finalized based on input. After this, a calculation process will be put forth as part of the functionality of the digital tool. Finally, the project is anticipated to be completed in June of 2022.
Again, this process consists of the development of a digital tool that will help Danville MPO staff and the Policy Board select the best study to be undertaken by the MPO, while using objective data to do so. When this digital tool is developed and functioning, it is anticipated that the selected studies will result in robust projects that will be most beneficial to the region, thereby funneling limited funds to the projects most advantageous to the region.
Over the past several years, successful grant applications which were conceived from MPO-initiated studies included the following:
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- Route 58 – Route 311 (U.S. Route 58 and Berry Hill Road) Intersection Improvements, which resulted in turn lane improvements at this intersection and will help to accommodate increasing traffic volumes as the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill develops.
- Cross Rd./Whitmell School Rd. Intersection Improvements. This funded project will result in safety improvements at this intersection to include a right-turn lane along westbound Mount Cross Road and vehicular access management strategies at an adjoining convenience store and gas station.
- Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill Connector Road. This project will involve the development of a connector road, approximately two miles in length, linking Berry Hill Road (Route 311) with the existing interchange of the U.S. Route 58 Bypass/Oak Ridge Farms Road. This connector road will dramatically improve access from the Bypass to the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill, thereby expediting traffic from the industrial park to the Bypass, keeping traffic associated with the industrial park off local roads, and enhancing the attractiveness for companies to invest in the industrial park. Please see the image below for a project sketch of this first phase of the connector road.
- Berry Hill Connector Road Extension. This project represents Phase II of the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill Connector Road. While this is technically the second phase of the connector road, it really will consist of the widening of the existing alignment of Berry Hill Road (Route 311) from two to four lanes, plus shoulders, extending approximately 2.3 miles from western end of the first phase of the connector road south to Oak Hill Road (Route 862). Therefore, the entire length of both phases of the connector road will be approximately 4.3 miles. Both projects, taken together, will significantly increase the marketability of the Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill by dramatically improving access as well as safety in and around the site.
