Blog

Chesterfield County Transportation Department – Community Meeting Summary

Date: April 26, 2026

Attendees: Thomas McKnight, Ashlake residents, Justin Miller (Ashbrook board member), Chessa Walker (Director, Chesterfield County Transportation Department), Hong Lim (Senior Engineer, Chesterfield County Transportation Department), Kevin Carroll (Supervisor, Matoaca District)

Overview of the County Transportation Department

Chessa Walker opened by explaining that the county’s Transportation Department (11 staff) does not maintain roads — that is VDOT’s job. The department exists to identify, fund, design, and manage construction of road projects, then hand them off to VDOT for maintenance. They currently have nearly $890 million worth of projects on the books in various stages, covering 420+ square miles and a county population that just crossed 400,000.

Topic 1: Ashlake Parkway & Ashbrook Parkway Intersection

Hong Lim presented the history and status of this intersection:

• A feasibility study was added to the county’s list in October 2024, prompted in part by concerns from Thomas McKnight.
• The study analyzed crash data from 2019–2024, finding 12 reported crashes, 10 of which were angle crashes — the type a roundabout would eliminate.
• Three alternatives were studied: do nothing (ruled out), a traffic signal, and a roundabout. The roundabout scored significantly better on both safety and traffic throughput.
• January 2026: VDOT approved an all-way stop as an interim solution and a roundabout as the long-term solution.
• March 2026: VDOT installed the all-way stop now visible at the intersection.

Long-term plan: A roundabout, estimated to cost $6–10 million, depending on utility conflicts and other factors. The county will apply for competitive funding (no guarantee), and once funding is secured, construction would take an additional 4–6 years due to design, survey, stormwater, and VDOT coordination requirements.

Why roundabouts instead of signals? Walker explained that roughly 10 years ago, VDOT shifted its policy to make roundabouts the default preferred intersection control. Signals have higher lifecycle costs (mechanical equipment, staff to update timing every few years), and they permit dangerous left-turn movements. Roundabouts eliminate left-turn conflicts, reduce serious crashes, and move traffic more efficiently when volumes are reasonably balanced.

Resident concern raised: Justin Miller noted that residents of the apartment complex on the northwest corner can only turn right when exiting, forcing many to make U-turns — sometimes illegally across the grass median. Walker agreed to flag this with VDOT and look at whether delineators or other measures could discourage median-cutting.

Topic 2: McAnally at Spring Run Intersection

Hong noted this intersection has been added to the county’s future studies list as of December 2024. No active study has started yet, but they anticipate beginning it in the coming year, with a similar timeline to the Ashake/Ashbrook study.

Topic 3: Astoria Development Update

This was a substantial section covering the status of the Astoria residential development adjacent to the community.

Background: There are four approved zoning cases collectively called Astoria (Main, North, and South):

• Astoria Main: 669 dwelling units approved — 288 apartments, 74 townhomes, 307 single-family homes.
• A later amendment (2023) changed the lot sizing of some single-family homes from 80-foot to 60-foot lots.

• Combined with Astoria North and South, the total originally stood at 956 dwelling units. Following the cancellation of the Astoria South project and the county’s purchase of that portion of the land for a school site, the total has been reduced to approximately 868 dwelling units.

The school: Kevin Carroll explained at length that he pushed for an elementary school to be located within the Astoria development area to serve overcrowded schools at Winter Park and Spring Run Elementaries. The school system initially declined his suggestion, but after evaluating 15+ alternative sites, ultimately agreed. However, by the time they came back, Astoria North and South had already been rezoned for residential use. The county had to buy the land back from the developer at a higher price, removing about 88 units from the plan in exchange for the future elementary school site (replacing Grange Hall Elementary, which will shed ~50% of its students to the new school).

On the zoning approval question: Carroll was candid that he personally opposed the density of the development, but under Virginia law, the county cannot deny a zoning case solely because of school overcapacity — that legal justification doesn’t exist. If the development meets the comprehensive plan’s unit-per-acre guidelines and other criteria, a denial opens the county to a lawsuit the developer would likely win. He said the long-term fix is to change the comprehensive plan to reduce allowable densities in the western Hull Street area.

Current construction status:

• The only approved and active construction is Harpers Mill Parkway East — the first road segment into the development.
• Two additional road plans (Harpers Mill Parkway West and the Ash Lake Parkway extension north-south) are currently under review but not yet approved.
• Subdivision/apartment site plans are submitted but on hold because key road infrastructure must be in place before units can receive certificates of occupancy.
• Before more than 50 Single Family Homes or any apartments can be built, Harper’s Mill Parkway from Winterpock Road to the future Ashlake Pkwy/Winterpock Road must be constructed.
• Carroll estimated that even if road plans are approved later this year, construction of a mile of road would take another year to a year and a half.

Topic 4: Hull Street Corridor Projects

Walker gave a broader overview of the county’s investment along the Hull Street corridor, totaling over $161 million since a 2012 “Streamline Chesterfield” study identified the need:

• 288 Southbound Off-Ramp (complete): Added a second lane to the off-ramp for westbound Hull Street — a safety project to eliminate vehicles stopping on the highway. Cost: $25 million. Completed fall 2025.
• Bailey Bridge Connector (under construction, completing 2028): A new ~1-mile road connecting Bailey Bridge Road to Brad McNeer Parkway, including a 600-foot bridge over Swift Creek. Includes a shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians. This creates a back-door route to Commonwealth Center (Target, Kroger, Chewy’s) for residents south and west of Hull Street, pulling traffic out of the 288/Hull interchange.
• Craig Rapp Boulevard Roundabout (in design): A roundabout to be added on Brad McNeer near Kroger/Commonwealth Center to improve access management as traffic increases with the Bailey Bridge opening.
• Hull Street & Brad McNeer Continuous Green T Intersection (in design, advertised for construction 2029): This will be the first “Continuous Green T” intersection in VDOT’s Richmond District. Westbound Hull Street traffic will flow continuously without stopping, while Brad McNeer left-turn traffic gets a protected phase. This is designed specifically to improve the PM peak westbound flow.
• Hull Street Widening – Woodlake to Otterdale (funded, in design): Widening Hull Street to six lanes for approximately one mile, from Woodlake to Otterdale Road. Funding includes $32 million from CVTA and $12 million from a bond issuance.
• Hull Street Widening – Otterdale to Magnolia Market (funding sought): The county is currently applying for funding for the next segment west.
• Woodlake Southbound Triple Left Turn Lane (VDOT-managed, construction 2028): Adding a third southbound left-turn lane from Woodlake to Hull Street.

Topic 5: Regional/Broader Projects

• Powhite Parkway Extension:Currently funded from its current end near Charter Colony west to Woolridge Road (~2 miles, $200 million, project #14 on the map). The ultimate vision extends 8 more miles, crossing Otterdale and Genito Roads, past the county’s large “mega site,” eventually tying into Route 360 near the zoo. Total cost estimated at roughly half a billion dollars. Funding strategy involves cobbling together federal, state, and local dollars for the first two-lane phase. Carroll noted $8 million in federal geotechnical study funds secured through Congressman Rob Wittman, matched with $2 million county funds, plus $21.6 million from CVTA.
• Courthouse Road Toll Removal: The 75-cent toll at Courthouse Road on Powhite’s southern segment comes off January 8, 2027.
• Woolridge Road Extension (under construction, completing 2028): Building the connection from Woolridge Road all the way to 288, so drivers can avoid Hull Street.
• Woolridge Road Widening (construction starting 2026): Widening Woolridge Road to four lanes north of Genito Road.
• Old Hundred Road Improvements (funding recently secured): Widening lanes to 12-foot width, adding 8-foot paved shoulders, relocating power poles from the clear zone, and adding a shared-use path. Funding won’t be available for two years, so construction is still several years out.
• Hampton Park / Sterling Glen Road Gap: A road connection between Hampton Park and Sterling Glen has been stalled because the developer cannot make the finances work — the road segment costs approximately $12 million, which the number of approved units won’t support. Walker noted this is a key missing link in creating a parallel grid to Hull Street.
• Cloverly Development (near Old 100/Hull/Millridge): About 400 units with a restaurant and hotel planned. A new signal at Market Square Lane off Old Hundred will be installed to manage access. The dangerous Millridge/Old Hundred intersection will be reconfigured to restrict left turns out of Millridge.

Topic 6: CVTA Funding Background

Carroll explained the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (created 2020), which pools transportation tax revenues from nine jurisdictions (Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Ashland, Powhatan, New Kent, Charles City). The authority has taken in over $1.2 billion since inception. Chesterfield’s 50% share, combined with bond issuances (~$311 million), has allowed the county to finally compete for federal and state “Smart Scale” funds on par with Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads — historically the county lost out because those regions could offer large local matches. In the most recent funding cycle, the Richmond metro area scored the most projects of any region statewide.

Key Takeaways for Residents

• The all-way stop at Ash Lake/Ashbrook is in place now. A roundabout is the approved long-term solution but is likely 4–6+ years away pending funding.
• The Astoria development is moving slowly — only one road segment is under active construction, and no homes will receive occupancy certificates until key road infrastructure is built. A new elementary school will be co-located with the development.
• Major Hull Street improvements are in various stages but most are still years from completion — the corridor is a long-term rebuilding effort.
• Residents can track development plans and site plans on the county’s Accela/ELM citizen portal at Chesterfield’s website.

PDF Slides from presentation.