Article: New Rt 9 @ Keyes Gap + Construction Photos

[cjb]

ok...so maybe i'm dense on this one but if i am traveling from Va on Rt 9 towards Charles Town and then turning left onto Mission, how will that be cha\nging? If i'm reading this right, they are going to be demolishing part of that section of Rt 9. Help me understand please!!

First part to clarify - you won't be "turning left onto Mission". You will be turning left onto the "old Rt 9 / aka new 115" in order to GET down to Mission. There is no known change anticipated at Mission Rd & old Rt 9 by the community Center.

Everything that is being talked about here is up at the VA / WV line where the new Rt 9 intersects with the "old Rt 9 / aka new Rt 115" and Chestnut Hill Rd.

Traffic traveling East and West on the New Rt 9 will NOT stop for any reason. They will have right of way at all times. Traffic attempting to change directions onto the "old Rt 9 / aka new Rt 115" will have to stop and yield right of way to oncoming traffic. There is one more aspect of this. Cars traveling Eastbound on the New Rt 9 will be slowed by Gravity. That is one big hill.

Personally, I think the easiest thing to do during "rush hour," rather than to try to make a left on old 9, will be to go right on chestnut hill and then left and up Hostler (Hostetler??) road then right on old 9 to Mission.

Yes, when traveling Westbound it will be "easy" to make a Right onto Chestnut Hill, but you won't be doing yourself TOO many favors when you have to make a left a Hostler. That intersection is no fun either.

[LFE]

Traffic traveling East and West on the New Rt 9 will NOT stop for any reason.

Just wait until the first snow/ice storm... and for all those that drive like that black GMC that passed KatA this morning to cause a nice wreck right around that area and I think you'll see some stopped traffic (yes, I am being nit picky and over analyizing things once again :-)

Yes, when traveling Westbound it will be "easy" to make a Right onto Chestnut Hill, but you won't be doing yourself TOO many favors when you have to make a left a Hostler. That intersection is no fun either.

So what we need is a nice round about here too :-)

[KatherineA]

I am sure too, that the plowing and salting of "old" RT 9 won't happen until all those many miles of the NEW 9 are done. Taking those Manning curves and getting up and down old 9 will be a nightmare.

[Neal]

There is very little chance that this intersection is going to work effectively.
I would request that the County Commissioners request to see the traffic pattern and vehicle count studies that WVDOT has done by time of day (or have they???).
Torlones business is going to boom during evening traffic just to calm everyones nerves after sitting waiting to make a left turn on to Rt. 115.

[Willis]

There is very little chance that this intersection is going to work effectively.

An understatement of prodigious proportions, Neal. And traffic studies have any bearing on the new patterns, which will be so altered as to be altered beyond recognition? On the bright side, I foresee opportunities for several predictive contests in the making.

[Willis]

LFE and I rode out the roadbed from the overpass on the Rt 9 bypass, across Cattail Rd and out to the river where the new bridge will take flight to the east bank of the Shenandoah on the Mountain. It had been mentioned earlier at a Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition meeting that a trip down the mountain will be sure to give a motorist vertigo. The view of that last turn before approaching the east end of the span from the mountaintop certainly confirms that belief. The shot below was taken at the approximate height of the bridge deck on the west side of the river.

click the pics for closer views

The view from under what will eventually be the bridge span gives some more detail including the roadway on the weir/dam under which the Shenandoah is temporarily flowing. It allows traffic from one side of the construction to the other. Note that little yellow cage nearly level with the girders atop the bridge supports.

The slack-jawed doofus in the foreground is easily 40' below the height of the eventual deck of the bridge, standing on the access road that leads to the dam and some fine fishing. This bridge has Bungee Day written into its future.

In the close view you can see the little yellow cage a bit clearer. LFE wanted to drive down and ask the construction guys if we could take a ride. Fortunately, he listened to reason. But MY OH MY, what a ride that would be!

[Ricky]

So... you can just drive out on the road bed?

[Willis]

So... you can just drive out on the road bed?

Or you COULD fly, Ricky

Fred Blackmer sent us this YouTube clip taken via jdslowlo's collection. It was taken from above 4/30/2011:

And one Fred took 11/2011 that gives perspective from the east side of the river that is chilling to this acrophobe

[Black Dog]

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We took a walk this afternoon from the top of new Rt 9 down to the new bridge over the Shenandoah. It's quite a road!

[rooneymom]

Makes me dizzy!

[Willis]

WOW! what an expedition! Where is that underpass, Dog?

[Black Dog]

Yeah, it was a pretty good hike. We figured we'd better do it now before there's traffic whizzing up and down the road.
The underpass is on the mountain side directly past the new Shen River Bridge. I guess it's access for folks living past there.

[Ricky]

Here are some shots from yesterday (6/24/2012) while fishing along the Shenandoah above the dam.

[Willis]

Great Photos, Ricky. All you river rats, keep those pics coming. Some shots from the east and west bridge landings would be super. It's a shame we can't duplicate the view below taken from the once iconic "Scenic View" on Rt 9
click for a larger view

Little's Falls are on the left and you can see the dam and the road accessing it in the distance on the left where the bridge will land on the western bank.

[Tony]

Just wondering...

• How large are those struts? Were they driven here?
• What type of bridge is this and what are some other examples of the type?

[KatherineA]

I'm wondering how long it will take before the tunnel over Bloomery Road collapses once the new road starts being used heavily by heavy trucks.

[Ricky]

It's already being used by heavy trucks. There are multiple construction vehicles (and not the small ones) using the concrete lanes that make up a good bit of the new road all day long.

[KatherineA]

I am guessing that I will be avoiding that tunnel in the near future then

[Ricky]

It's really nothing new. They've been using the top since there was a top. I agree with your concern, but in my opinion if something bad was going to happen it would've already happened by now.

[Willis]

how long it will take before the tunnel over Bloomery Road collapses once the new road starts being used heavily by heavy truck

It's already being used by heavy trucks.

This is one of the photos posted upthread in mid-December

As a firm believer in Murphy's Law, though, I'd be unwilling to guarantee you wouldn't be mashed flat in the future.
Take some precautions