VDOT News - Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Construction is complete on a project to reduce congestion at the intersection of Route 301, Owens Drive and Bennion Road in King George County by lengthening several existing turn lanes.

The $1.1 million SMART SCALE project started construction in June 2020, and was finished on time and on budget.

Three existing Route 301 turn lanes were expanded at the intersection:

• Route 301 southbound left and right turn lanes
• Route 301 northbound left turn lane

Lengthening the turn lanes adds storage space to hold a greater number of vehicles, which is anticipated to reduce delays for Route 301 through traffic.

The intersection is located near the Gate B entrance to the Naval Support Facility South Potomac at Dahlgren.

Around 28,500 vehicles a day, on average, travel through the intersection.

The project contractor was CES Consulting, LLC.

Project Background

King George County submitted an application to build this project through Virginia’s SMART SCALE transportation funding program.

An earlier SMART SCALE-funded project extended the Route 301 northbound right turn lane onto Bennion Road in 2017.

SMART SCALE was established to choose the right transportation projects for funding and ensure the best use of limited tax dollars. Potential projects that have been determined to meet a need identified in VTrans – the state’s long-range multi-modal transportation plan – are scored based on safety, congestion, accessibility, land use, economic development and the environment.

Once projects are scored and prioritized, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has the best information possible to select projects for funding.

To view how funded SMART SCALE projects are advancing toward construction, visit the SMART SCALE Dashboard.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster, and Westmoreland counties in the Northern Neck; Essex, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews, and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula.

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