The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has scheduled a public hearing for February 3 in Rockingham County to discuss proposed improvements to two intersections along Route 33 (Spotswood Trail). The meeting will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Keezletown Ruritan Building, located at 1118 Indian Trail Road in Keezletown.
During the open-house style event, residents can meet with VDOT officials and project designers to review plans and provide feedback. Written comments may be submitted at the meeting or up to ten days afterward by sending them to Jennifer Hoover, Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029. Oral comments can also be recorded during the meeting with assistance from a court reporter.
The project focuses on two intersections that are about 0.2 miles apart in the Penn Laird area, approximately two miles east of Harrisonburg. Planned work includes constructing a new Reduced Conflict Intersection (RCI) at Rockingham Park Way—the entrance to Rockingham Park at the Crossroads—which will add a U-turn lane on westbound Route 33 leading to a median opening about 700 feet west of Rockingham Park Way. Existing left-turn lanes from Rockingham Park Way onto eastbound Route 33 and from westbound Route 33 at Rockingham Park Way will be removed.
Additionally, improvements are planned for the signalized intersection of Route 33 with Route 276/620 (Cross Keys Road/Indian Trail Road). These changes include new left- and right-turn lanes on Routes 276 and 620, reconstruction of the traffic signal system to support these additions and optimize traffic flow, as well as installation of dynamic flashing signs on both approaches along Route 33 that alert drivers before signals turn red.
According to VDOT: “The planned RCI intersection with Rockingham Park Way will reduce crashes and congestion. The modifications to the Route 33/276 intersection will help meet traffic demand and reduce wait times.”
These upgrades are part of recommendations from the Route 33 Arterial Management Plan and were selected through SMART SCALE—a process used by Virginia’s General Assembly for prioritizing transportation projects.
Traffic data show that in 2022, daily vehicle counts averaged about 30,000 on Route 33; this number is projected to rise to nearly 34,000 by design year 2050. For Routes 276 and 620 combined, current volumes are expected to increase modestly over the same period.
The total estimated cost for these improvements is $13.2 million—$2.1 million allocated for preliminary engineering work, $1.8 million for right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation, and $9.3 million earmarked for construction.
VDOT manages one of the largest state-maintained highway systems in the United States according to its official website. The agency oversees planning, building and maintaining roads across Virginia—including providing services such as highway maintenance and traffic management—and operates out of its headquarters in Richmond.
Further details about this project can be found on VDOT’s website or through their customer service center which operates around-the-clock via phone or online platform.