FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2022
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Week of August 22-26, 2022 – Monday, August 22nd, Water Street reduced to one lane and pedestrians directed to existing pedestrian tunnel. Tuesday, August 23rd, Closure of pedestrian tunnel to/from the Downtown Mall via the Pavilion on Water Street. Work will be conducted on 9th/Avon Street between Levy Avenue and Graves Street within the closed, right northbound lane. Monticello Road closed to through traffic between Graves Street and Old Avon. East South Street closed to through traffic with local traffic allowed westbound. Flagging on East South Street, Old Avon Street, Monticello Road, Graves 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 - Water Street will be reduced to one traffic lane under the bridge with vehicular traffic flagged Monday, August 22nd. Vehicular traffic will be also be stopped at least four times for up to 15-minute intervals while the last four girders are placed on the new eastern bridge. All pedestrian traffic under the bridge will be rerouted through the existing pedestrian tunnel to the Ting Pavilion to the Downtown Mall. From the opposite direction, pedestrians will be directed up the ramp or staircase west of the Transit Center to the existing pedestrian tunnel. Please expect delays and plan accordingly.
On Tuesday, August 23rd, the existing pedestrian tunnel to/from the Downtown Mall via the Ting Pavilion on Water Street will be closed until late September 2022. The detour route will be along the southern sidewalk on Water Street to the existing crosswalk at the Downtown Transit Station. A ramp and staircase are located west of the Downtown Transit Station which connects to the Downtown Mall. The existing pedestrian tunnel is being extended to the east and an underground stormwater detention system is being rebuilt on Water Street. Vehicular traffic at the bridge on Water Street will be flagged intermittently and pedestrian travel may be 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.
Vehicular traffic will be flagged during the day on Old Avon, East South Street and Graves Street (between 9th/Avon Street and Monticello Road) to install new stormwater pipe, sanitary sewer lines and accommodate bridge construction. East South Street will be closed to through traffic and will be one-way westbound to accommodate access to/from local businesses. The temporary parking lot entrance has moved from its location on East South Street to Old Avon while a new storm sewer line is installed.
Monticello Road will be closed to through traffic between Graves Street and Old Avon Street to build the permanent retaining wall. Flagging of vehicular traffic may occur in this same section of Monticello Road.
To accommodate utility work, segments of sidewalks 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 during work hours. The western crosswalk across Graves Street will be closed with pedestrians directed to the other, open crosswalks at the mid-block crossing at Graves and the 9th/Avon/Levy/Garrett signalized intersection.
Utility work will also be conducted in the right northbound travel lane on 9th/Avon Street between Levy Avenue and Graves Street. This lane has been blocked off with barrels to direct vehicles to the one northbound lane over the railroad. Please pay attention as work vehicles/equipment enter and leave the work zone within this lane.
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 www.belmontbridge.org for Belmont Bridge Project Information.
Media Contact
Jeanette Janiczek
City of Charlottesville UCI Program Manager
434-970-3309
JANICZEK@charlottesville.gov
