CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, (WRIC) — Chesterfield school and county leaders broke ground today on the largest middle school in Central Virginia, and to accommodate the rush of vehicles once the doors open, additional road upgrades along route 360 are being planned.
The Board of Supervisors appropriated $10 million dollars to start the design build for the North-South Collector Road Project.
The project will eventually connect Westerleigh Parkway and Duval Road, helping the flow of traffic from the Western Area Middle School and future public facilities, such as the elementary school that is planned next to the middle school.
The additional road upgrades will be a huge benefit, according to Kevin Carroll, the Matoaca District Supervisor, because of all the development projects in the area.
“That will allow for traffic from people coming from Magnolia Green and the Foxes whose kids are going to go to middle school here. Instead of having to come up Otterdale or Westerly, they can come right up to the tertiary road,” said Carroll.
The Otterdale Road drainage projects are almost complete, with the third and final crossing, Otterdale Branch, scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
As part of construction of the middle school, Westerleigh Parkway will be extended by 1,500 feet, including a single-lane roundabout at the intersection, which will connect to the bus loop.
Six additional crosswalks will be built as well as sidewalks on both sides of the two-lane parkway, to allow for safe pedestrian access to the school.
A pedestrian tunnel beneath Westerleigh Parkway will also be constructed to accommodate students from the middle school and the future elementary school.
8News will keep you updated on the roadway developments.
