VDOT hosts meeting for Route 220 Study in Henry County between Route 58 and North Carolina state line

SALEM - In response to a request from the Virginia General Assembly, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is developing a plan for improvements for approximately 6.5 miles of Route 220 in Henry County between Route 58 and the North Carolina border.

VDOT is studying potential safety and operational improvements and will evaluate realigning and reconfiguring the existing corridor. The study is expected to be completed in fall 2024 and will provide decision makers with alternatives to consider for future funding.

VDOT will host a public information meeting about the study on Tuesday, May 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Drewry Mason Elementary School, located at 45 Drewry Mason School Road in Ridgeway. A presentation will be made at 5:15 p.m. followed by an “open house” meeting where VDOT representatives will be present to answer questions.

Meeting attendees and survey participants will provide input on the improvement concepts being considered for Route 220. As part of this study, VDOT will request public input through an online survey that will be open for responses from noon on May 21 through 11:59 p.m. June 3, 2024. The survey will be available online at https://publicinput.com/route220study.

The study will focus on strategic improvements such as innovative intersection designs and modifying access along Route 220 between Route 58 and Route 87 to improve safety and traffic flow. The potential improvements also include reconstructing and straightening the southbound lanes of Route 220 between Route 87 and the state line.

Innovative intersections concepts being considered include Restricted Crossing U-turns (RCUT) and thru-cuts. An RCUT would redirect vehicles that currently turn left onto Route 220 to make right turns and proceed to make a U-turn. Thru-cut intersections would redirect through traffic from side streets to turn left or right onto Route 220 to turn directly into businesses or to use a nearby crossover to make a U-turn.

Previous studies for Route 220 between Route 58 and the North Carolina border, such as the I-73 Environmental Impact Statement, and the Martinsville Southern Connector Study, were broader in scope and focused on limited access alternatives for this corridor. These projects would require a greater investment than safety and operational enhancements for the existing corridor.

Anyone requiring special assistance to attend and participate in the public information meeting may contact VDOT’s Civil Rights Division at 540-387-5552, 1-800-367-7623, or TTY/TDD 711.