Relief for Lightfoot drivers in the works

It's May 19. Today we'll look at plans to improve the Route 60 corridor in Lightfoot. York County school board to consider raising its pay.

VDOT has plans to improve backed up traffic in the Lightfoot are shown here. (Google Maps image)

Relief is in the work for frustrated drivers – and endangered bicyclists – attempting to navigate the increasingly crowded Route 60 corridor in Lightfoot.

James City County supervisors got a preview of the plans at their April 28 meeting from the Virginia Department of Transportation and Community Development Director Paul Holt, who said traffic between 199 and Lightfoot Road is tough during peak times “and anytime on Saturday.”

The James City proposal is half of a broader study that also includes York County across the railroad tracks on Lightfoot Road, and several key Mooretown Road intersections.

“The roads in Lightfoot work as a system...half in York and half in James City County,” Holt explained.

Besides the backups motorists encounter, VDOT officials said portions of the corridor also rank in the top 5% in Virginia for risks of crashes to bicycles and pedestrians. A 25-year old man was injured just last week when his unlit electric scooter, traveling in the left lane of Route 60, was struck by a pickup making a legal left turn onto Rt. 199.

VDOT used feedback from 13,574 responses to its online survey in January to finalize changes to these key intersections in James City County. Supervisors will be asked to approve the changes at their June meeting, so that it can be included in the state’s two-year funding cycle by August.

Here’s a breakdown by project:

1. Route 60 & Lightfoot Road:

Lefthand turns will not be permitted from Route 60 westbound to Lightfoot Road. Instead, motorists will be directed to a widened stretch of 60 with a U-turn at Centerville Road, which will be controlled by traffic lights. There will also be an opening in the median to allow left-hand turns off Route 60 into the Wawa gas station. ADA compliant curb ramps will be installed at all pedestrian crossings.

2. Route 60 & Centerville Road:

Convert the innermost travel lane, which becomes a left turn lane at Opportunity Way, into a through lane. Convert the outermost travel lane into a shared through lane and right turn lane.

3. Route 60 & Route 199 Eastbound:

Reconfigure the ramp to have two dedicated left turn lanes and one dedicated right turn lane.

4. Route 60 & Route 199 Westbound:

Reconfigure the ramp to have two dedicated left turn lanes and one dedicated right turn lane.

5. Centerville Road and Opportunity Way:

Reconfigure the Centerville Road eastbound approach to provide one left turn lane, two through lanes and one right turn lane. Add high visibility crosswalks, ADA compliant curbs and new pedestrian signals and sidewalk connection.

6. Centerville Road & Forest Glen Drive:

Add left turn lane on westbound Centerville Road. Add high visibility crosswalk at Forest Glen Drive and add curb and gutter to east side of Centerville.

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York School board looks at pay raise for itself

York School board Chair Zoran Pajevic, left, Vice Chair James E. Richardson, right. (York schools photos)

York County’s school board members are looking at raising the school board members’ salaries.