The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced a proposed project to widen Route 2/17, which encompasses Dixon Street and Tidewater Trail, from just south of Dixon Park in Fredericksburg to Imboden Street near Shannon Airport in Spotsylvania County. The initiative aims to expand the road to four lanes.
Additional enhancements include a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along the eastern side of Route 2/17, new crosswalks and pedestrian crossing signal equipment at the Shannon Park Drive and Mansfield Street intersection, an improved bus stop at Dixon Park, and intersection improvements at Lansdowne Road.
An in-person public hearing will take place on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. at Elks Lodge #875 in Fredericksburg. In case of inclement weather, the meeting will be postponed to Wednesday, July 30. Attendees can review materials and discuss questions with VDOT staff during this open house format event.
Public comments are encouraged both during the hearing and until Saturday, August 2. Comments can be submitted via email or mailed directly to Mr. Byrd Holloway at VDOT’s Project Management Office.
The project’s estimated cost is $70.6 million, funded through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program and locality funds. This initiative includes two separate projects executed simultaneously under one construction contract.
Fredericksburg submitted a SMART SCALE application focusing on improving the Dixon Street/Lansdowne Road intersection by lengthening turn lanes and widening Dixon Street. Spotsylvania County’s application targets widening Route 2/17 and adding various pedestrian facilities alongside transit improvements for better connectivity with regional transport services.
Traffic data from VDOT indicates that Dixon Street carries about 28,000 vehicles daily within the project area while Tidewater Trail accommodates approximately 24,000 vehicles each day as per a count conducted in 2023.
