MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Preliminary work for the second phase of the Russell Road widening project could begin as early as the week of Sept. 23, 2013, although it may not start until the following week. Meanwhile, funding appropriated for the third phase could widen it all the way to Dunlap Circle.
Once work begins on the half mile of road between the Marine Corps Federal Credit Union and the Davis Center, that stretch will be closed to bicycle and foot traffic until the project is completed next spring, said Navy Lt. Kristina Allen, acting project manager for the Resident Officer in Charge of Construction.
Throughout the project, which will widen the stretch of road from two to four lanes, at least two lanes are to remain open during business hours, but there may be some partial road closures after hours, Allen said.
As part of the project, the closed-down portion of what used to be Purvis Road, near where the farmers market now sets up, will be turned into 26 parking spaces. A crosswalk will be created between the new parking and the Marine Corps Exchange, and another crosswalk will be placed at the new Purvis Road intersection and two more in front of the Davis Center. Two new bus stops will also be created in front of the Davis Center — one on each side of the road — as well as pull-off areas for buses.
According to a report the Department of the Navy filed with the National Capital Planning Commission, the widened stretch of Russell Road will also include an eight-foot shoulder to accommodate a running and bicycle trail.
Overall, widening the road will require the removal of 300 to 450 trees.
Phase 2 of the widening is being carried out by Arlington-based Corinthian Contractors on a $5.8 million contract and is expected to be finished in late April 2014.
Another $14.8 million has been appropriated for the third phase, which is intended to complete the widening of Russell Road all the way to the traffic circle, said Cmdr. Erik Breitenbach, the Quantico public works officer. “Whether the budget will allow that may be a different story, but that’s what we’re going to attempt,” he said.
The distance from the Davis Center to Dunlap Circle is almost one and a half miles, and Breitenbach said the stretch between the Marsh Center and the circle is planned to be three lanes wide, with a center lane that will change direction between the morning and evening rushes.
He said planners are still developing a request for proposals for Phase 3, which he expects to be put out to bid this fall, with a contract likely to be awarded sometime early next year.
Joe Winterer, community and transportation planner with the Public Works Branch, said just widening the road past the Davis Center will have a noticeable effect on traffic.
“By having two lanes all the way to the Davis Building, the 300 or 400 folks we have going to Davis during peak morning hours will be off the road before the merge,” he said. Likewise, in the evening, outbound motorists won’t stop traffic to let drivers out of the Davis Center parking lot. “It’s not a large chunk of road, but it does specifically address a pretty significant peak-hour vehicle population,” Winterer said.
According to traffic analysis, he said, widening Russell Road all the way from the gate to the traffic circle will provide adequate capacity to keep traffic flowing smoothly. “As long as there’s a merge, we know there’s going to be a delay,” he said, but added that each time the merge point is extended beyond another intersection, more vehicles are moved out of traffic.
— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com