FREDERICKSBURG – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will start construction next week on a project to improve safety and operations at two Route 301 intersections in the Dahlgren area of King George County.
The nearly $5 million project will modify the existing Route 301 at University Drive/Commerce Drive and Route 301 and Market Center intersections to a signalized double restricted crossing U-Turn (RCUT).
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Once construction is complete in 2027, drivers on Commerce Drive or University Drive seeking to turn left onto Route 301, or drive straight through the intersection, will instead begin by making a right turn. Next, drivers will make a U-turn at a designated location controlled by a new traffic signal. The U-turn location is approximately 800 feet from the intersection.
At the Market Center and Route 301 crossover intersection, a traffic signal will also be installed to make the existing traffic pattern permanent as part of the project's construction. VDOT installed the planned future traffic pattern early, ahead of the project construction, to reduce the risk of crashes as soon as possible. Crews installed new pavement markings, portable curbing and signs at this intersection. Traffic exiting from the side streets at this Market Center crossover are limited to right turns only. Side street traffic cannot exit by turning left through the crossover, or travel straight across Route 301.
New pedestrian crossing equipment and pedestrian crosswalk pavement markings will be installed at both intersections. Sidewalks will be installed along the eastern side of Route 301, at the end of the crosswalks.
Construction will start Tuesday, Sept. 22 and is anticipated to be complete in Nov. 2027.
Brief travel delays are expected during construction. Daily lane closures, temporary traffic patterns and traffic shifts will occur. VDOT will monitor traffic conditions to ensure safety for drivers and workers. Work zone conditions will be modified throughout the project to minimize impacts to travelers during construction.
An average of 21,000 vehicles a day travel on Route 301.
Message boards will be posted to notify drivers of the upcoming work zone.
The project contractor is J.L. Kent and Sons, Inc. of Fredericksburg.
The safety improvement project is being funded through Virginia's SMART SCALE program.
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