*This report was replaced in its entirety by the Virginia Department of Transportation on December 29, 2025.

This study is in response to Item 444 (O) of Chapter 2 of the 2024 Acts of Assembly, Special Session 1, which states the following:

“O. The Virginia Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Central Virginia Planning District Commission, shall conduct a study to evaluate the costs to build a connector road from the former Central Virginia Training Center property to the Old Town Connector, Route 210, in Amherst County. The Department is authorized to utilize up to $200,000 in Commonwealth Transportation Funds for the study and shall submit the results of the study to the Central Virginia Planning District Commission, the Governor, and the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2025."

VA Route 210 (Old Town Connector) from VA Route 163 (Amherst Highway) to the US 29 interchange currently operates in a satisfactory manner but experiences some safety issues along the corridor. Potential development would likely result in operational challenges that would need to be addressed. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has identified alternatives for the connector road to the Central Virginia Training Center (CVTC) site and has noted additional potential areas of impact. Funding must be identified to advance any improvements discussed in this study.

This study provides three alternatives for a new connector road between the CVTC and Route 210, including three preliminary alignment options and estimated cost ranges for each alternative. In addition, the study evaluates existing operational and safety conditions on Route 210 from Amherst Highway to the US 29 interchange, including crash analysis, traffic forecasting, and detailed operational analysis. In each scenario, a new signal would likely be required at the intersection of Route 210 and the proposed connector road.

The project study area (see Figure 1 on page 3 of the report) consists of an approximately 3-mile section of Route 210 between Amherst Highway (western study limit) and the US 29 interchange (eastern study limit). Traveling east from Amherst Highway, the posted speed limit on Route 210 varies from 25 to 35 miles per hour (mph) between Amherst Highway and Colony Drive, at which point it increases to 55 mph and proceeds to the US 29 interchange. The study area consists of three (3) signalized intersections, four (4) unsignalized two-way-stop-control intersections, and ramps associated with the US-29 interchange. Along the corridor is a mix of residential and agricultural development land uses. There are also commercial and industrial developments located near the corridor.

Throughout the 3-mile section of Route 210 between Amherst Highway and the US 29 interchange, there were 65 total crashes (approximately 11 crashes per year) reported during the six-year analysis period, of which there were two (2) severe injury crashes, nine (9) visible injury crashes, and 54 property damage only crashes. No fatal crashes occurred within the six-year period. Of these 65 total crashes, 23 were deer-related. Excluding deer from crash type, rear-end and angle crashes accounted for over twothirds of incidents, or 30 in total. The existing analyses indicate some delays at Colony Road / New Wright Shop Road and Route 210 but found no issues at any other intersection.

Traffic forecasting was conducted using a future year of 2050. Multiple sources were used to apply an overall background Average Annual Growth Rate of 1.3% to the corridor. This included historical data from surrounding roadways. No future roadway improvements are planned in the study area. Vehicle trips from the proposed CVTC redevelopment were calculated and applied to the Future Year (2050) traffic forecast. The 2050 No-Build Condition shows general growth along the corridor will create slightly worse operations for some signalized intersections like the southbound ramp at the US 29 BUS interchange.

A Build network was created to redirect generated trips to the new intersection of Route 210 and the connector road, as proposed in the most-recent CVTC redevelopment plan, to the east of Colony Road. The new intersection would likely need signalization to operate and would perform acceptably. Any potential traffic signal would be subject to satisfying Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) traffic signal warrants and require an approved Signal Justification Report. Additionally, development will create operational pressures on signalized intersections across the corridor, particularly at the US 29 BUS interchange, requiring future coordination and optimization.

Three alternatives were developed for an entrance road connecting Route 210 and the CVTC site. One alternative (“Alternative A") is consistent with the redevelopment plan drafted by the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance in April 2022, demolishing the five principal structures between Route 210 and Colony Road and providing a site for development along the entrance. A second alternative (“Alternative B") proposes demolishing the northernmost structure but maintaining the other four for further use. The third alternative (“Alternative C") provides a solution that maintains all five structures for further use. See Figure 2 on page 5 of the report for an overhead comparison of the three alternatives.

Among Alternatives A, B, and C, each alternative provides a distinct utilization of existing structures and varying land use and transportation-related characteristics.

• Alternative A prioritizes new development with the demolition of all buildings, aligning with the original vision for the new development site laid out by the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance. This alternative also accommodates the highest design speed (45 mph), providing the most efficient access into the new area.

• Alternative B offers a hybrid approach, removing the building closest to Route 210 and preserving the other four. By doing so, the entrance roadway is more easily constructed than if all buildings were preserved, as there is additional buffer from the adjacent stream and gentler fill slopes. The design speed dictated by the proposed curvature is 30 mph.

• Alternative C is the lowest cost solution as it avoids the demolition of existing structures and utilizes as much of the current site as possible. If future development trends favor retaining existing infrastructure while still gaining improved access over a no-build scenario, Alternative C presents a preservation-focused solution. The design speed dictated by the proposed curvature is 30 mph.

The rationale for offering three alternatives is to demonstrate the flexibility of the entrance road in accommodating a variety of economic development scenarios. Any proposed improvements will require additional analyses and approvals, including approval from the Commonwealth Transportation Board for a new Limited Access break along Route 210 to accommodate the new entrance road.

The planning-level cost estimate ranges of these improvements were developed using VDOT’s Cost Estimate Workbook. Cost estimates were based on conceptual designs in 2025 dollars. Table 1 on page 6 of the report sets out the preliminary engineering (PE), right-of-way and utility relocation (RW), construction (CN), and total planning-level costs in 2025 dollars for each potential improvement alternative.

The estimated values shown in Table 1 are based on the limited knowledge currently available and are an anticipated planning level / order of magnitude range of what each alternative may cost in 2025 dollars.