ATCS partnered with the City of Newport News to deliver the Patrick Henry Drive Extension, connecting Turnberry Boulevard and McManus Boulevard at the Newport News-Williamsburg Airport. This $4.5 million VDOT state-aid revenue sharing project addressed a longstanding need in the City’s comprehensive transportation plan while supporting the relocation of the City’s Public Schools Transportation and Operations Center (SCOT Center). The City identified this 2,800-foot extension as essential for improving traffic flow, multimodal conditions, and roadway connectivity in the Patrick Henry Commerce area.
Working closely with City engineering staff, ATCS provided comprehensive services, including surveying, engineering design, public outreach, and construction administration and inspection. The roadway was designed as a GS-7 Urban Collector with a 44-foot curb-to-curb width to match the existing section of Patrick Henry Drive. The design included bicycle lanes, a flush median, curb and gutter, an 8-foot sidewalk, and LED roadway lighting to meet the City’s multimodal transportation goals. Two specialized intersections anchor the extension: a fully signalized intersection at Turnberry Boulevard and a single-lane roundabout at McManus Boulevard.
Implementing Technical Solutions for Unique Challenges
The City of Newport News faced several complex design and construction challenges that ATCS helped overcome through innovative approaches:
- Specialized Roundabout Design: The City needed a solution to maintain access to the Newport News-Williamsburg Airport while minimizing right-of-way impacts. ATCS designed a 105-foot inscribed diameter roundabout with a mountable stamped concrete truck apron that accommodated WB-67 design vehicles within the existing right-of-way. This design eliminated property acquisition needs while ensuring continuous access for the airport and adjacent industrial facilities throughout construction.
- Comprehensive Utility Infrastructure: To support the City’s development goals, ATCS designed new 10-inch sanitary sewer main and 12-inch water distribution main systems for the SCOT Center and future development in the area. Additionally, ATCS rerouted approximately 1,100 linear feet of sanitary sewer main to address existing sanitary sewer overflow issues in the basin, coordinating extensively with franchise utilities affected by the project.
- Advanced Traffic System Integration: The City’s traffic operations required seamless integration of the new signalized intersection with existing systems. ATCS assessed the City’s fiber optic traffic network and designed necessary upgrades to connect the new intersection. The implementation included audible pedestrian features, CCTV video detection, and red light confirmation lights, enhancing safety and operational efficiency for the City’s transportation network.
- Efficient Stormwater Management: The project needed to meet the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board’s Stormwater Management Program Permit regulations while working within existing City infrastructure. ATCS analyzed an existing regional stormwater BMP owned by the City to verify adequate quantity control capacity and secured nutrient credits for quality treatment. This approach maximized the use of existing City facilities while meeting all regulatory requirements.
Meeting Accelerated Timeline Requirements
The City of Newport News required an expedited delivery approach to coordinate with the SCOT Center development:
- Streamlined Design Process: To meet the City’s schedule constraints, ATCS eliminated the formal FI milestone submittal process and instead conducted regular coordination meetings with City stakeholders. This collaborative approach enabled the team to produce complete construction bid documents in under five months, meeting the March 2018 advertisement date and allowing construction to begin in June 2018 as the City required.
- Synchronized Construction Phasing: The City needed careful coordination between the roadway project and the SCOT Center development to ensure the new school facility could open before the academic year. ATCS developed detailed MOT phasing plans and worked closely with City staff, Newport News Public Schools, and Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport personnel to minimize impacts while maintaining the critical schedule.
- Budget-Conscious Design Solutions: ATCS helped the City maximize the value of its infrastructure investment by configuring the roadway extension and roundabout entirely within existing City property and right-of-way. This approach eliminated property acquisition costs and schedule delays while still delivering all required project elements, bringing the project in at the anticipated $4.5 million construction cost.
Delivering Lasting Community Benefits
The Patrick Henry Drive Extension has enhanced transportation infrastructure for Newport News residents and businesses. By completing this connection in the City’s comprehensive transportation plan, the project has improved traffic flow and roadway connectivity throughout the Patrick Henry Commerce area, supporting economic development opportunities. The multimodal design with bicycle lanes, 8-foot sidewalk, and accessible pedestrian features has enhanced safety and travel options for all transportation users.
For Newport News Public Schools, the project provided essential access to their new Transportation and Operations Center (SCOT Center), a critical component of its purpose. This infrastructure improvement supported the School Board’s facility relocation needs, ensuring the new school facility could open before the academic year began, benefiting educational operations throughout Newport News.