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As work advances to widen Route 639 (Ladysmith Road) in Caroline County to four lanes from Interstate 95 to Route 1, crews will need to shift traffic to the new road alignment to build the future travel lanes.
The traffic shift is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, May 17.
Ladysmith Road will remain two travel lanes, one eastbound and one westbound, in the work zone until construction is complete in spring 2024.
All westbound traffic on Ladysmith Road between Route 712 (Green Road) and Center Drive will be shifted to the future eastbound lanes. All eastbound traffic between Route 692 (Allen Street) and Route 712 (Green Road) will be shifted to the new road alignment.
A new raised median is also being built to separate eastbound and westbound travel lanes to improve mobility through the corridor.
Message boards will be posted to give drivers advance notice to the major traffic shift later this month.
When construction is complete on the $26.4 million project, Ladysmith Road will have four travel lanes nearly a mile in distance, a 10-foot wide, paved shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk at the intersection, crosswalks and new traffic signal equipment will be installed for pedestrian crossings.
Project Background
The project is a partnership between Caroline County and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
Caroline County submitted an application to assist in funding this project through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program. Additional funding is being provided through VDOT’s revenue-sharing program, which matches county funds with state transportation dollars.
The project seeks to reduce current and future congestion in the Ladysmith area by providing more capacity for travelers, and to promote economic development at this gateway entrance to the Caroline community.
Widening Ladysmith Road will create room for dual left turn lanes for eastbound and westbound traffic at the Route 1 intersection to reduce delays for drivers. Dedicated right turn lanes will also be built for Ladysmith Road traffic approaching Route 1.
Motorists should be alert for construction crews and slow-moving equipment operating in the work zone on Route 1 and Ladysmith Road until May 2024.
Around 11,000 vehicles a day travel on Ladysmith Road in the project corridor, according to a 2021 VDOT traffic count.
511Virginia
Motorists can find real-time information on lane closures, work zones, traffic and other incidents on 511Virginia.
Download the free mobile 511Virginia app for Apple and Android devices to stay connected, or visit http://www.511virginia.org/. Motorists also can reach 511Virginia by calling 511 when they are not operating a motor vehicle or while using a hands-free device.
Do not use a handheld cell phone or mobile device while driving (it’s the law).
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