News Flash

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2022

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Week of December 19th-23rd, 2022 –  NEW PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC PATTERN ON 9th/AVON STREET ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th.  Temporary Parking Lot entrance moved to East South Street.  CLOSURE OF OLD AVON BETWEEN GARRETT STREET AND EAST SOUTH STREET.  Reopening of pedestrian tunnel to/from the Downtown Mall via the Pavilion on Water Street in January 2023.  Flagging on Graves Street, Old Avon Street and Water Street.  Sidewalk Closure on 9th/Avon Street, Old Avon Street and Water Street.  Crosswalk closure at Graves/9th/Avon Street and midblock crossing of Water Street under Belmont Bridge. 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – A new vehicular traffic pattern was instituted last Wednesday, December 14^th shifting traffic onto the new, eastern bridge on 9^th/Avon Street.  On Tuesday, December 20^th, pedestrians will also be shifted to the new bridge to the east.  Pedestrians will be directed to the eastern sidewalk along 9^th/Avon between East Market Street and Graves Street.  The midblock crossing at Graves Street will be open until the eastern sidewalk is reconstructed between Graves Street and Levy Avenue in the coming weeks.  The western sidewalk along 9^th/Avon Street will be closed between East Market Street and Graves Street so demolition can begin on the western bridge.

Vehicular traffic will be flagged on Graves Street between 9^th/Avon Street and Monticello Road and on Old Avon to aid in construction of curbing and sidewalk.

The temporary parking lot entrance has been restriped and South Street has been paved.  The temporary parking lot’s entrance will be moved from its current location on Old Avon back to the East South Street entrance in the afternoon of Monday, December 19^th.  Old Avon will be closed between Garrett Street and East South Street to begin grading and stormwater activities.

The existing pedestrian tunnel to/from the Downtown Mall via the Ting Pavilion on Water Street will be reopened early January 2023.  The detour route remains along the southern sidewalk on Water Street to the existing crosswalk at the Downtown Transit Station.  A ramp and a staircase is located west of the Downtown Transit Station which connects to the Downtown Mall.  Vehicular traffic at the bridge on Water Street will be flagged intermittently with both pedestrian and vehicular travel being intermittently stopped for up to 15 minute intervals as construction vehicles enter and leave the work zone.  The northern sidewalk east of the bridge on Water Street is also closed and pedestrians are being directed to the southern sidewalk at existing crosswalks. 

To accommodate construction, segments of sidewalk and crosswalks will also be closed as work progresses.  No street will have both sides of the sidewalk closed at the same time.  The eastern sidewalk along 9th/Avon Street will be closed between Levy Avenue and Graves Street with pedestrians directed to the western sidewalk along 9^th/Avon Street.  The western crosswalk across Graves Street will be closed with pedestrians directed to the mid-block crossing 9^th/Avon Street at Graves.  Pedestrians on Graves Street’s northern sidewalk between 9^th/Avon and Monticello Road may be stopped by a flagger for up to 5 minutes to allow vehicles to load and exit work area.   The southern sidewalk along Old Avon Street is closed between Monticello Road and where it terminates near East South Street.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the project area and access to private parcels will be accommodated.

Construction is being conducted by Caton Construction Group, Inc. for the City of Charlottesville’s Department of Public Works. The pedestrian pushbuttons at the 9th/Avon/Levy/Garrett intersection have been relocated to the large, wooden signal poles (NE, NW and SW corners) and an auxiliary wooden post with metal conduit (SE corner).

Work zone is posted at 25 MPH – please drive carefully with phones down.

Visit the Traffic Advisories and Sidewalk Closures page for related news items.

Visit www.belmontbridge.org for Belmont Bridge Project Information.

Media Contact
Jeanette Janiczek
UCI Program Manager
City of Charlottesville
434-970-3309
janiczek@charlottesville.gov