Before and after photos showing the partial reconstruction of Harmony Lane
In December of 2020, the VDOT Salem Residency completed a project to reconstruct part of Harmony Lane for acceptance into the State-maintained secondary system of roadways. Harmony Lane is a 0.35-mile private gravel road off of Bent Mountain Road (Route 221), just east of Mt. Chestnut Road. This project paved the first 0.16 miles of the gravel roadway and constructed a cul-de-sac. The final 0.19 miles of Harmony Lane will retain its gravel surface and private ownership. The paving of the previously-porous roadway required drainage improvements with a 200-foot-long segment of 24-inch-diameter reinforced concrete pipe installed at the intersection of Harmony Lane and Route 221, to direct runoff from Harmony Lane into nearby Back Creek.
The project was initiated in 1995, when the property owners served by this segment of Harmony Lane petitioned Roanoke County for inclusion in the Rural Addition Program. While Roanoke County is no longer able to utilize this program due to changes in the secondary system funding formula, the Rural Addition Program can be used to accept private roads into the public, State-maintained secondary system. All property owners impacted must agree to the project and to donate needed right-of-way to the County. If selected, the County provides funding to relocate necessary utilities and reconstruct the roadway to VDOT standards, while VDOT administers the construction phase of the project. In 2012, the County began preliminary engineering and in 2017, this segment of Harmony Lane was added to VDOT’s Secondary Six-Year Plan. In Fall 2019, VDOT accepted this segment into the State-maintained secondary system and began construction.
Roanoke County greatly appreciates the work of VDOT Salem Residency staff who completed construction of this long-awaited roadway improvement project.