In Design: Wards Ferry Road and CVCC Campus Drive Intersection Improvement Project

The Wards Ferry corridor connects from Timberlake Road in the north to Wards Road in the South.  Timberlake Road and Wards Road are both major gateways in the City of Lynchburg.  Wards Ferry Road serves as a heavily used collector facility that provides access to residential, commercial and institutional uses.  To maintain and preserve capacity on Wards Ferry Road so that as a two-lane facility it can adequately service traffic volumes intersection alternatives were considered. 

Wards Ferry Road currently operates with moderate levels of congestion and higher than average crash rates.  Additionally there are moderate levels of growth forecast along the corridor with the biggest concern being development of the CVCC parcel.  The CVCC parcel is approximately 100 acres in size and most of it has not been developed.  Wards Ferry Road is also an older roadway with significant amounts of vertical and horizontal curvature on a narrow cross section without shoulders or accommodations for bicyclist and pedestrians.  The combination of moderate congestion and less than ideal geometrics brings forth the need for improvements in order to maintain Wards Ferry Road as an adequate transportation facility. 

Project proposes to replace the existing 2-way stop controlled intersection with a single-lane roundabout. The speed limit is 35 MPH on Wards Ferry Road and 35 MPH on Harvard Street.

Benefits 

The project aims to make Wards Ferry road safer for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians by replacing the 2-way stop with a single-lane roundabout, which will help to control speeds at the intersection. The project also aims to maintain Wards Ferry Road as an adequate transportation facility while factoring in expected future growth along the corridor.

Major Milestones 

Adopt Location/Design 6/14/2023

Authorize Right of Way Funds 5/14/2024

Advertisement 3/10/2026