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COUNTY OF FAUQUIER DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
COMMISSION STAFF REPORT January 31st
2002 COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AMENDMENT #CPA02 – S – 07
OLD
ALEXANDRIA PIKE AND ROUTE 29
STAFF
PLANNER:
Richard
Calderon BACKGROUND The
proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment was initiated by the Virginia
Department of Transportation. VDOT
is seeking to protect the carrying capacity of Route 29, by establishing
appropriately placed points of entry and exit along this arterial road,
for the properties zoned for employment uses (I-1 and I-2).
The Department’s objective is to maintain traffic flow on the
arterial, while ensuring that entering and exiting employment traffic may
do so in safety. The
Department considers that such an entry point would be suitable at the
existing intersection of Route 693 and Route 29 and would connect with a
new collector road through the New Baltimore Industrial Park. STAFF
AND AGENCY REVIEW Staff and appropriate referral agencies have
reviewed this request for conformance with the Comprehensive Plan, the
Zoning Ordinance and other relevant policies and regulations.
An analysis of these referrals and the actual comments from the
appropriate agencies are included as attachments to this report. Major
Issues Land
Use – The
property to the south of the intersection is currently used for a mulch
operation and does not generate significant traffic. However, community growth will ultimately propel this
industrially zoned land into more intensive uses, as is happening to Mill
Run Business Park to the east. Such
development will require a more structured intersection, with deceleration
and left turn lanes, to handle traffic movements on and off Route 29. Transportation
– A
recent traffic impact analysis of the New Baltimore Area, prepared for
Fauquier County by Kellerco, has revealed that all intersections on Route
29 will fall to a Service Level F between the Prince William County line
and Route 693. Immediate
attention and intersectional improvements will be needed along the entire
arterial road in order to maintain a viable corridor. While
the focus of this amendment is on the Routes 693 and 29 Intersection,
nevertheless an alteration of this segment of Route 29 will have ripple
effects along Route 29 and Route 693.
A properly structured intersection at Route 693 would replace that
at Telephone Road and resolve various left and U turn traffic conditions,
which impact through flows on Route 29.
Also, the proposed new intersection would probably increase traffic
on Old Alexandria Pike. Of
particular concern is an issue of traffic movement across the one way
bridge along Old Alexandria Pike, some 3,000 feet east of the
intersection. Although the
Department has made no proposal about improvements on any portion of this
historic road as yet, inclusion of the amendment in the Comprehensive Plan
should facilitate future funding for road and bridge upgrade/replacement. Planning
Policy
– A
proactive program of planned intersections designed to protect traffic
flows on Route 29 is consistent with County Policy. Recommendation Staff
recommends that the Virginia Department of Transportation’s proposed
intersectional amendment be adopted into the Comprehensive Plan. Attachments 1.
Letter from Ms. Amy L. Pritchard |
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