Design Enhancements Improve Constructability of Virginia Highway Interchange
Project Highlights
- Construct a direct connection between I-64 eastbound and Route 168 southbound via I-464 southbound, including a 300 lf 2-span steel girder bridge and a 180 lf 2-span curved steel girder bridge
- Widen I-64 and add two lanes at the on-ramp to I-464 that will be 12 ft wide with an additional 12-ft outside shoulder and a 4-ft inside shoulder
- Build a new flyover ramp, reconfigure two ramps and shift the I-464 southbound diverge point for Rte. 17 and Rte. 168
- Perform maintenance on two loop-ramps
- Partially demolish and make structural repairs to an existing 5-span bridge
- Reconstruct a total of 1.62 miles of roadway
- Install approximately 67,000 sf of noise barrier walls throughout the interchange to provide noise abatement for local residents
- Relocation of existing intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and lighting
Chesapeake is the second most populus city in Virginia. The I-64 and I-464 Interchange Exit 291 Ramp Improvements project will help reduce the strain of seasonal traffic, as well as improve safety on this section of VDOT’s 45-mile Hampton Roads Express Lanes network that is currently under construction. The project will improve the interchange connectivity of the ramps from I-64 east to I-464 north and south (exit 291) while providing a direct connection from I-64 east to Route 168 south in the City of Chesapeake. These interchange improvements will eliminate the need for commuters and beach-bound vacationers to cross multiple lanes of traffic to go from the loop ramps to the diverge point for Rte. 17 and Rte. 168.
Challenge
Improving this interchange within a highly traveled area challenged Fay and its design partner to develop solutions that will improve existing structures and build new bridges, while maximizing the use of all horizontal and vertical space around the interchange.
Solutions
During the design phase, Fay partnered with the designer to propose several enhancements that would improve the quality and constructability of the road, ramp and bridge changes. Enhancements included: 1) reconfiguring roadway alignments horizontally and vertically to eliminate 50% of the walls as well as the embankment borrow; 2) changing bridge configurations and eliminating spans to improve quality and constructability, which also improved driver safety and mobility; 3) enhancing drainage to minimize environmental impacts and reduce future maintenance for VDOT; and, 4) optimizing the construction phasing and project constructability.
Construction
To create a direct connection between I-64 eastbound and Route 168 southbound via I-464 southbound, the scope of work includes construction of a new flyover ramp, reconfiguration of two ramps, maintenance of two loop-ramps, and shifting the I-464 southbound diverge point for Rte. 17 and Rte. 168 approximately 2,000 ft to the north. This reconstruction will cover a total of 1.62 miles of roadway. To avoid the need to stop work and remobilize operations, the refined alignment of I-464 southbound and construction of one of the bridges will be completed in a single stage.
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