Blacksburg’s Main Street Gets A Facelift

According to Blacksburg’s website, 1/2 mile of North Main Street in Blacskburg is getting a facelift.  It’s the culmination of years worth of discussion, and now the pavement’s about to meet the jackhammer.  It’s been covered here on NRVLiving.com a few times, and now it’s about to become a reality.  But I’m wondering what’s it going to mean for traffic on Main Street, which now abruptly narrows from four to two lanes (at Main and College) and feature a roundabout at one of the busiest intersections in Blacksburg?

I’ve seen comments online over the last few days from local residents, and a TwtPoll (yes, that’s spelled correctly) I posted earlier in the week yielded a mixed response.  Personally, I’d like to see Blacksburg be more bike-friendly – sorry, it’s not despite saying otherwise – and it looks like at least some of you agree.  In fact, in the public comments forum the Town held, it looks as if nearly 20% of those who spoke expressed an interest in making bike lanes a part of the plan.  The Town, however, did not, as evidenced from a letter in 2004, and I wonder why.  The proposed Right Of Way reduces

safe travel lanes for bikes because, in my opinion, it funnels the same number of cars traveling down Main Street through a smaller space.  On the other end of Main Street, how many of us have waited as multiple cars have run the turn signal to turn from Main Street on to Prices Fork Road?  A roundabout at one of the biggest – and busiest – intersections in Blacksburg seems to increase a dangerous situation.

The plans look nice, and I’m hoping that this will be a piece of the puzzle that helps make downtown Blacksburg more of a lifestyle destination.  It just looks – to me – as if it might still be dangerous to arrive there by bicycle.

Blacksburg’s Main Street Presentation … your thoughts?

17 thoughts on “Blacksburg’s Main Street Gets A Facelift

  1. Jeremy Post author

    Thanks, Andrew, for chiming in, and welcome to Blacksburg (although, for our area 2.5 years is kind of the on the high side!). 🙂

    You’re entirely right – there is a LOT to be excited about. I have heard (and don’t quote me on this) that Montgomery County VA is expected to be one of the fastest growing counties in the Commonwealth over the next two decades. Growth isn’t without its’ challenges, but certainly that’s exciting to see. And I’m pro-growth – provided it is done intelligently. It seems to me that there are a number of obstacles that a roundabout in this case is going to create, particularly when coupled with faster than average growth.

    You’re right … good things have happened in the last few years, and I expect good things will happen in the future, as well. Where I hope you’re also is when you mention a “controlled pace” of growth.

    Glad you stopped by, please come back and add to the conversation again!

  2. Andrew Witter

    I’m new to Blacksburg…2.5 years, but think the N Main project is excellent. People will learn to use the roundabout in a short period of time. Let’s not be negative because of unfamiliarity. Those not used to such a traffic pattern will grow into a new comfort zone soon…embrace the change. I think the point to the project is the added value and expansion of the central downtown area. If seems to me it’s long overdue and will add new life to what may have been a declining downtown community. When I think of what I have seen since my arrival, I get excited – First and Main, The new Farmers Market and now the N Main Project. All of this is a very positive impact on the town of Blacksburg. It shows a nice controlled pace to ensuring our town remains a great place to live, play and be happy.

  3. Jeremy_Hart

    Thanks, Bill. I was thinking about this over the weekend, as I drove down Main Street, and I tend to agree – I think there's going to be a lot of detouring down through Progress and Turner, and the neighborhoods there are going to be impacted. I have friends that just left Progress Street – I bet they're thrilled with their timing.

    But I also wonder how many people still really know about the scope of the project, if at all?

  4. Bill

    Most towns are looking for funds to expand roads, not making them smaller. I just don't understand the need for this. I was hoping that this project disappeared when the economy tanked, and they weren't going to find the funds to do this project. I really don't think they've done enough work to determine how many cars are going to start driving through residential areas to avoid main street. Not just once it's been completed, but as they are constructing it. After all the complaining that people did about the traffic a Wal-Mart would create on back roads (I am not trying to open a new can of worms here) I am surprised there hasn't been a bigger outcry about cutting number of cars the main road through town can handle by half.

  5. Ritchie

    roundabouts are great if you know how to use them they have worked in Europe for years even in very small spaces. In parts of the States they use them well but they have alot of them and are used to them. Most of the Students here don't even know how to stop for a stop sign just sail right through especially on bikes. I would say people need to be trained how to use them as they are in Europe where they are no problem at all. People their though although driving at higher speeds do use their turn signals and pay attention to the road. Maybe a tv slot on how to use one properly would help especially with the students.

  6. behindtherabbit

    other studies (e.g., http://bit.ly/8n0kfd ) have shown that roundabouts do improve traffic flow, decrease risk to drivers, decrease noise levels in the area, and lessen the environmental impact (less idling, accelerations). so from a purely auto-centric standpoint, they are a good choice as long as they are designed well.

    thanks for reading.

  7. behindtherabbit

    other studies (e.g., http://bit.ly/8n0kfd ) have shown that roundabouts do improve traffic flow, decrease risk to drivers, decrease noise levels in the area, and lessen the environmental impact (less idling, accelerations). so from a purely auto-centric standpoint, they are a good choice as long as they are designed well.

    thanks for reading.

  8. behindtherabbit

    A 2007 article in Accident Analysis and Prevention implicates roundabouts as a serious danger to cyclists, especially in congested areas. from the abstract:

    “The conversion of intersections into roundabouts produces a significant 27% increase in the number of injury accidents involving bicyclists on or nearby the roundabouts. The increase is even higher for accidents involving fatal or serious injuries (41–46%). Compared to the proven favourable effects of roundabouts on safety in general, this result is unexpectedly poor…

    When inside built-up areas, the construction of roundabouts increased the number of injury accidents involving bicyclists by 48%. For accidents causing fatal or serious injuries inside built-up areas, an average increase of 77% was found….

    Roundabouts that replace traffic signals perform worse when compared to roundabouts at other types of intersections.”

    article: http://bit.ly/4JYeHq

  9. behindtherabbit

    A 2007 article in Accident Analysis and Prevention implicates roundabouts as a serious danger to cyclists, especially in congested areas. from the abstract:

    “The conversion of intersections into roundabouts produces a significant 27% increase in the number of injury accidents involving bicyclists on or nearby the roundabouts. The increase is even higher for accidents involving fatal or serious injuries (41–46%). Compared to the proven favourable effects of roundabouts on safety in general, this result is unexpectedly poor…

    When inside built-up areas, the construction of roundabouts increased the number of injury accidents involving bicyclists by 48%. For accidents causing fatal or serious injuries inside built-up areas, an average increase of 77% was found….

    Roundabouts that replace traffic signals perform worse when compared to roundabouts at other types of intersections.”

    article: http://bit.ly/4JYeHq

  10. Jeremy_Hart

    My license was pulled after three months of driving, John, because I had an issue with maintaining a safe speed. In fact, I much preferred reckless driving – it was much more exciting, although the judge didn't agree.

    I can see your point that it'll be a non-issue once it's in place, and I honestly hope you're right. I can't speak for Katie, but in my opinion (you didn't ask for it!) while the roundabout seems dangerous, lack of planning for increased bicycle ridership seems even more dangerous. As someone who often commutes by bike during the spring and summer months – yes, I'm a fair weather rider and I freely admit it – this is of greater concern to me.

    Wonder if Blacksburg would consider making changes to their plans mid-stream?

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  12. John

    Roundabouts are easy after the first time you try it. I learned to drive them as a tourist in the carribean, driving on the wrong side of the road, in a right hand drive vehicle. If I could do that as an 18 year old, normal drivers here should have no problem (as long as they put down the cell phone).

    Roundabouts make so much sense. People are just scared of change. In a year, it will be a non-issue.

  13. Katie

    I am from Boston where there are a few roundabouts or as we call them rotaries, but they are big like a 1/4 mile. They are for getting on/off the interstate or for large merging roads and have multiple lane. These small roundabouts they want to put it are horrific. People down here don't know how to use them, aka when to stop, how to merge, etc, and it will slow down the traffic instead of make it better. I think the whole idea is stupid and the money could be spent in much better ways such as making College Ave a pedestrian area.

  14. Jeremy_Hart

    Thanks for the feedback, Ritchie. In your opinion is the biggest negative the lack of familiarity with the roundabout? Without having to play traffic engineer – which you may very well be, I don't know! – what recommendations do you have for that stretch of North Main Street?

  15. Ritchie

    most American's do not know how to use a roundabout as they very rarely come across them add to that students who are generally not paying attention to their surroundings. It is a major accident waiting to happen.

  16. Katie

    I am from Boston where there are a few roundabouts or as we call them rotaries, but they are big like a 1/4 mile. They are for getting on/off the interstate or for large merging roads and have multiple lane. These small roundabouts they want to put it are horrific. People down here don’t know how to use them, aka when to stop, how to merge, etc, and it will slow down the traffic instead of make it better. I think the whole idea is stupid and the money could be spent in much better ways such as making College Ave a pedestrian area.

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