Virginia’s Route 658 to Get Bridge Over Norfolk Southern Railway Becoming a Reality

Warren County to Benefit from Improved Traffic Flow and Future Rail Needs Accommodation

In a push to improve traffic flow reliability and accommodate future rail needs, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has announced a new bridge construction project on Route 658 (Rockland Road) over the Norfolk Southern Railway in Warren County.

This is a video released by VDOT in 2021 as an overview of the project.

This project will develop a grade-separated crossing over the Norfolk Southern Railway, strategically situated near Front Royal and the Virginia Inland Port. The endeavor is driven by the need to mitigate frequent and lengthy traffic disruptions experienced by motorists due to trains accessing this track multiple times a day.

The bridge, standing 220 feet long and 42 feet wide, will boast a minimum vertical clearance of 23 feet over the railroad tracks. Its height is designed to accommodate double-stacked freight containers, allowing uninterrupted passage of trains beneath the bridge and ensuring traffic on Route 658 continues unimpeded.

The Route 658 project will also incorporate enhancements to the roadway approaches. In addition, it aims to improve the alignment of Route 705 (Fishnet Boulevard) with the entrance to Rockland Park. The shift of Route 705 and the park’s entrance away from the railroad tracks will facilitate the construction of a right-turn lane into the park, aligning it with a new entrance road for Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Another notable feature of the project includes the installation of a new access road to the natural gas facility and a realigned service road for Alleghany Power. Route 658 will also boast paved shoulders wide enough for both bicyclists and pedestrians, including the stretch over the railway.

Crucially, the project design takes into consideration environmental factors, ensuring the preservation of sinkhole areas which serve as the habitat for the protected Madison Cave Isopod species.

Construction is set to kick off in early 2024, with the project advertised for construction in summer 2023. The construction phase is projected to span 19 months, with Route 658 closed for the duration and traffic rerouted. However, Rockland Park will remain accessible to the public throughout the construction period.

As of 2021, Route 658 experienced an average daily traffic count of 2,600 vehicles, a figure expected to swell to 6,400 vehicles per day by the design year of 2046. The project, with a total estimated cost of $28,096,042, is partially funded by a BUILD grant awarded to the Virginia Port Authority by the United States Department of Transportation.

This significant infrastructure improvement will not only eliminate waiting times for the thousands of vehicles that use Rockland Road each day but will also future-proof the route to meet anticipated railway expansion needs.

VDOT held a virtual public meeting last year – click here to watch the recording.