Dear Friends and Community Members,

I am pleased to report significant progress following our community meeting on April 15, where over 60 members joined the representatives from the Department of Public Works (DPW) and our district representative, Misty Whitehead, to discuss the options for enhancing safety in the intersection. After a review of the preliminary results from a recent traffic study (conducted April 11-18), the DPW concluded that our intersection does not meet federal traffic volume requirements for a signal, as outlined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Given this constraint on our solution options, we explored alternative safety measures, including roundabouts, left turn restrictions, speedbumps, speed limit reductions, and speed limit enforcement by the local police. The focus of the meeting turned to the benefits of roundabouts. The DPW presented evidence and case studies to demonstrate that temporary quick-build roundabouts have been highly effective in other parts of Henrico since 2021. These roundabouts have not only reduced injury-causing crashes but also improved traffic flow and reduced delays significantly. For instance, the quick-build roundabout on Woodman Road Extension installed last summer has seen zero crashes since its completion.

After a thorough discussion of the community's concerns, a show-of-hands vote took place and, with a large majority of attendees in favor, it has been decided to proceed with a temporary roundabout at the Twin Hickory intersection. This roundabout will include pedestrian ramp adjustments and is designed to maintain high service levels during peak hours. The DPW has confirmed that their goal is to swiftly implement this solution, with potential to make it permanent in the future. 

Following the meeting, the DPW has confirmed they are currently working to refine the roundabout design, with construction expected to take a few weeks. To minimize disruptions, particularly during school pickup and drop-off times, the DPW is coordinating with the surrounding schools and preschool. 

For more information, including detailed presentation materials and the latest temporary roundabout concept sketches from the DPW, please visit the project page: Twin Hickory Lake Drive at Hickory Bend Drive Intersection Improvements - Henrico County, Virginia.

Thank you for your engagement and support. I will continue to keep you updated on this project's progress, developments, and timelines as soon as they become available. 

Warm regards,

Janna Kiseeva