Marty Gordon
Contributing writer
Motorists are being reminded of a speed limit decrease along a major roadway in Christiansburg, and the change is permanent as an $8 million project is scheduled to start this fall, which will bring major changes to North Franklin Street.
The Cambria/N. Franklin St. intersection is considered the most dangerous one in the town, and over the past six months, there have been four accidents involving an automobile and school buses.
In numbers from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the average daily traffic rate for the intersection is 26,000 with the numbers expected to grow to 29,300 ADT by the year 2040.
The project will also build new sidewalks and eliminate entrances to the recreation center and two shopping centers.
Additionally, a new signal light will be constructed near the Waffle House restaurant. In the future, the new signal light will take traffic onto a new connector route, crossing Cambria Street and going to a new town park and then to Peppers Ferry Road.
But the biggest change will be seen as traffic approaches the Cambria/North Franklin intersection from Farmview Road. A new ramp will move traffic to a new stoplight approximately 30 yards before the current railroad tracks.
This configuration will eliminate a concrete barrier that separates southbound lanes with two straight-through lanes and one left and right turning lanes.
The project, which is 0.77 miles, will not require any homes or businesses to be relocated, and the state plans to advertise the project for construction by September, possibly starting in November and being completed in 2020.
According to Christiansburg Public Information Officer Melissa Demmitt, starting Friday, the speed limit on North Franklin Street has been reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph to improve safety and prepare for construction starting later this year.
The stretch is from Cambria Street into Wade Lane.
“Digital message boards have been placed on North Franklin Street to inform motorists of the impending change,” she said.
The town’s engineering staff believes the project will improve traffic flow and enhance driver and pedestrian safety along the corridor.
“This new speed limit will remain in place after the project is complete to ensure safe traveling along the street, in the bike lanes and on the pedestrian crosswalks,” Demmitt said.
Also, effective June 1, motorists will see speed limit adjustments on Depot Street and Radford Street.
“On Depot Street, the town will simply be moving the location of current speed limit signs to change the spot where the speed limit reduces. Once this change is made, the speed limit on Depot Street will be 35 mph from Roanoke Street to just before Lester Street,” Demmitt said. From that point, the speed limit will be 25 mph until the intersection of Depot Street and North Franklin Street.
“The town is adjusting the location of these signs for consistency and in anticipation of a potential future pedestrian trail in the area,” she said.
The Christiansburg portion on the Huckleberry Trail will extend along North Franklin near the high school and proceed toward the aquatics center later this year.
Another portion of the trail is scheduled to cross North Franklin at a new intersection near the Waffle House restaurant, then traversing down Cambria Street into the town’s historic district.
In addition, the North Franklin project will also include sidewalks and bicycle lanes, thus requiring a decrease in the speed limit to provide for better safety.
