Community Developments

Roanoke County sought funding for several projects in 2017. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will make final funding decisions in June 2018.

Route 419/U.S. 220 Diverging Diamond Interchange
The Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) project proposes to reconstruct the Route 419 (Electric Road) and U.S. 220 interchange to a DDI. Pedestrian accommodations would include sidewalk to fill in the gap between sidewalk under design along Tanglewood Mall’s frontage to sidewalk along the north side of U.S. 220 Business (Franklin Road) in Roanoke City. Bicycle facilities would include bicycle lanes through the DDI to connect planned bicycle lanes on Route 419 to existing bicycle lanes on U.S. 220 Business. Funding for Preliminary Engineering has been requested through the Regional Surface Transportation Program.

Starkey Road/Buck Mountain Road Intersection Improvements
This intersection project proposes to convert the unsignalized intersection at Starkey Road and Buck Mountain Road to a single lane roundabout. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations will be included in the design. Sidewalks will encircle the roundabout, with crosswalks across each street leg. Sidewalk is also planned to extend on one side of Buck Mountain Road to the Branderwood subdivision. Sidewalk termini at the roundabout will be available for future extension. Bicycles will be accommodated through wide travel lanes. Funding for the project has been requested through the Regional Surface Transportation Program and through the Revenue Sharing Program.

Fallowater Lane Extension
This proposed road project would start at Route 419 and upgrade the private driveway to Chuck E. Cheese to public road standards and construct a new section between the end of the private driveway and Almond Road, an existing private road. Almond Road would be rebuilt to public road standards to the intersection with Chevy Road, an existing public road.  As future development takes place, an extension from the Fallowater Lane/Almond Road intersection to Elm View Road could be constructed as part of the development plan.

The overall project, as recommended in the draft 419 Town Center Plan, proposes to extend Fallowater Lane from its current terminus at Starkey Road and Fallowater Lane (Food Lion side of Old Country Plaza) to a new intersection at Route 419. Fallowater Lane would then continue up a private driveway, past Chuck E. Cheese, to eventually terminate at Elm View Road. This connection would provide appropriate access to future multifamily development anticipated for the land designated as The Ridges in the draft 419 Town Center Plan. Funding has been requested through the Revenue Sharing Program. Secondary Six Year Improvement Program funding is available for this project.

Roanoke River Greenway – Blue Ridge Parkway Crossing along Highland Road
This greenway project proposes to construct 0.30 miles of Roanoke River Greenway along Highland Road and under the Blue Ridge Parkway through an existing tunnel. This section of the Greenway will be an 8-10 foot wide, paved, shared use path along the northern side of Highland Road. Roanoke County, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Virginia Department of Transportation are evaluating two location options, one immediately adjacent to Highland Road and one off road on federal lands. Both options utilize the Highland Road tunnel to go under the Parkway. Roanoke County has already procured Preliminary Engineering and environmental reviews. This section will complete a missing link, as Roanoke County has already secured funding for the section from Roanoke City to the western Blue Ridge Parkway boundary and for the section from the eastern Parkway boundary to Explore Park. Additional funding for the project has been requested through the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. 

Roanoke River Greenway through Explore Park
This greenway project would build the final Roanoke River Greenway (RRG) section through Explore Park, thus connecting bicyclists and pedestrians to Rutrough Road (Route 618), the Park itself, and over 14 miles of existing recreational trails. The greenway through Explore Park will be constructed as it has been elsewhere, 10’ wide, paved, and ADA accessible. The greenway will replace an existing natural surface road parallel to the Roanoke River and will serve as a major nonmotorized transportation corridor to and within the Park. Funding for the project has been requested through the Regional Surface Transportation Program.

See pictures of the projects in the Transportation Story Map, where you can also find information about all other Roanoke County transportation projects.