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Intersection of Waxpool and Ashburn Village

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by rpunit, Jul 13, 2014.

  1. rpunit

    rpunit New Member

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    Anyone know if there is any plan to put a traffic light there ? This intersection is a major choke point during morning/evening commute hours. I thought the summer lull in traffic will reduce the congestion, but it seems to had no impact. A lot of newer development in MD ( around Fredrick ) have started putting in traffic circles, and is a great alternative that slows the traffic down as well as not forcing them to stop completely.
     
  2. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    Pretty sure the work being done there to widen,etc.. also includes a traffic light if I remember correctly
     
  3. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    Yep. When I went with my son's cub scout den to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, we asked about that intersection. They told us the original plan had been 3 steps: 1) Put in a basic traffic light. 2) Later, widen the road (Waxpool). 3) Upgrade the traffic light for left turn lanes, etc. Well, at some point they decided to save some money by NOT installing the basic traffic light and just decided to wait until after they widened Waxpool and put in the full-blown traffic light with left turn signals.

    So short answer is YES, there is a plan to put a traffic light there. Sadly, there should have already been a basic traffic light there before they started the road widening project.

    I agree, the traffic at that intersection is ridiculous.
     
  4. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    Agree - however as many 4-way stops that exist in Ashburn you would think people would understand how to make them efficient. Cant tell you how many times I sit and wait for someone going straight who just sits there because I'm turning left. Then they hose up the intersection when they finally go. Or the ones that see someone approaching from 500 yards out and because they "Might" not stop they wait until they come to a stop before they go.
     
    blunoz likes this.
  5. blunoz

    blunoz Member

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    I agree with you, Beahmer.
     
  6. merky1

    merky1 Member

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    My personal favorite pet peave is when the cops are sitting in the medians, watching the travesty that is the 8 way stop, and do nothing other than ticket people. If you are going to staff an intersection, staff it. Otherwise, go skulk in some other corner of the world.
     
    blunoz and latka like this.
  7. goofus

    goofus New Member

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    It seems like progress on this intersection has more or less ground to a halt.
     
  8. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Waiting on utility relocation. Completion not expected until next year.
     
  9. glencastle

    glencastle The Paterfamilias

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    What a clusterf***. A classic example of government at it's worst. Drainage pipes etc sitting around for years. I could get out there as one man with a shovel an have finished the job by now. Sorrowful.
     
  10. Scottb

    Scottb Member

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    Glencastle, is Loudoun County government or VDOT responsible for relocating the drainage pipes and utilities? I thought it would be Dominion Power, or the developer who is upgrading the road, or Washington Gas. Thanks.
     
  11. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    I believe it is the responsibility of the utility that needs to be moved to do the actual moving.
     
  12. VoiceGuy07

    VoiceGuy07 Member

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    LoCo Supervisor Ralph Buona said (roughly a year ago) a major cause in the delay of widening the eastern side of the intersection was an unknown owner of some fiber uncovered and in the way. May have been easier just to cut the fiber to find out who owned it but I'm sure things are never as simple as they seem.

    Not sure where they are in the process but eh, probably not going to take longer than it did to get the much needed stop light there in the first place.
     
  13. Scottb

    Scottb Member

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    Thanks vacliff and VoiceGuy,

    Few years ago I was mapping fiber locations in Loudoun, or attempting to, and discovered there was no real database of what fiber was buried in the VDOT easements. VDOT would give permission for folks to dig and put in new fiber, but the records were not searchable. They were searchable in the sense that you had to open a drawer and let your fingers do the walking over paper files. But VDOT's main responsibility is roads, not tracking other companies assets in a right of way. So, I understand if getting 5+ fiber providers, plus electrical, water etc to coordinate moving live fiber is taking a long time. VG07, sometimes unplugging the fiber and seeing who shows up is a way to get some attention.
     
    VoiceGuy07 likes this.
  14. VoiceGuy07

    VoiceGuy07 Member

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    I like the approach, sure would have shaved some time off of the project.
     
  15. goofus

    goofus New Member

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    So, uh... just reigniting this thread since it's gone cold after more than a year. There is still a lot of unfinished business at this intersection that creates a real choke point for east-west motorists like myself and probably many others on this forum. Seriously, what is the deal here? What is the real reason why this project seems to have been abandoned? And does anyone know exactly what the plan is?
     
  16. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    From the county:

    Waxpool Road - Unbridled Way to Faulkner Parkway (August 2016) - The project funds the design and construction to widen Waxpool Road (Route 625) from Unbridled Way to Faulkner Parkway. The section of Waxpool Road west of Ashburn Village Boulevard and the traffic signal was completed in September 2014 and the signal went into full operation September 2014. The section of Waxpool Road east of Ashburn Village Boulevard has been delayed due to required utility coordination and relocation identified during construction. In this quarter, the final assignment of the utility easements were completed and utility relocation was underway. In the next quarter, the utility relocation work will be complete and the roadway contractor will remobilize to the site to recommence construction activities. Final paving, striping and punch list will complete the project, weather pending, spring or summer of 2017.
     
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  17. goofus

    goofus New Member

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    You da man, Cliff – as always! The follow-up is very much appreciated. It's just a shame that this project has dragged on for so very long and still won't be done for another 6 to 9 months or so. Meanwhile, the north-south motorists get to enjoy a full complement of wide open lanes allowing them to cruise through unimpeded. Oh, well... looking forward to this going live by mid-2017. Thanks again, Cliff, for checking this out.
     
  18. goofus

    goofus New Member

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    Summer's over and this intersection is still not completed. There is some construction happening east of the intersection, but it is unclear what kind of impact that will have on the completion of the intersection itself. Long evening backups persist on a nightly basis three years after the traffic signal was activated. Any updates, Cliff?
     

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