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ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY — Reinforcing the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) commitment to deliver long-lasting infrastructure to the residents of the town of Smithfield and Isle of Wight County, VDOT has initiated a revised two-phase approach to addressing the needed roadway rehabilitation of Grace Street between North Church Street and Main Street.
VDOT’s initial plan to perform pavement rehabilitation on Grace Street using the full depth reclamation (FDR) approach was scheduled to begin this summer. However, after further evaluation of the existing conditions along this roadway section and following discussions with the Town of Smithfield officials to implement a revised maintenance of traffic plan for the adjacent Cypress Creek bridge replacement project, VDOT’s revisions to these plans will minimize further traffic impacts for the residents and businesses in and around Downtown Smithfield, provide improved schedule reliability, and maintain a high-quality, long-lasting roadway product for the community.
With this new two-phased approach for the Grace Street work, VDOT will first address the initial repairs needed prior to performing the FDR process, providing more immediate improvements to the driving experience and roadway drainage relief.
VDOT maintenance crews will perform the first phase of work on Grace Street to address preparatory elements prior to the full FDR reconstruction process. This work includes construction to improve inadequate roadway drainage, repair and replace damaged curb and gutter, repair sidewalks and entrances, and make other needed improvements within the right of way. This first phase is work is currently estimated to begin as early as summer 2024.
For the second phase, VDOT will design the project plans, advertise and execute the contract to deliver of the full pavement rehabilitation for Grace Street using the innovative and cost-effective FDR process. To allow for the design and procurement processes necessary for this phase, this work is estimated to begin as early as 2026.
The additional FDR work within the Windsor Woods subdivision remains unchanged and is slated for contractor completion this summer.
FDR is an innovative roadway reconstruction technique that rehabilitates and restores the service life of the pavement structure using recycled material from the existing roadway. Using this process, the existing pavement foundation is pulverized and mixed with a stabilizing agent on-site and then recompacted into a base layer for the new roadway, over which new asphalt layers are placed for a smooth and stable driving surface. FDR extends the life of the roadway, improves the durability of the road base, and provides time and cost savings by reusing the roadway material already available on-site.
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