Construction to improve Route 17 intersections in Gloucester starts Aug. 2

FREDERICKSBURG – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and its contractor will begin work to improve two Route 17 intersections in Gloucester County on Sunday, Aug. 2.

The existing directional crossovers at Route 17 and Fox First Street and Route 17 at The Shoppes of Gloucester will be modified to reduce the risk of crashes.

The $5.1 million project will reconstruct the current Restricted Crossing U-Turns (RCUT) to better align with Fox First Street and The Shoppes at Gloucester. Left turns out from side streets will continue to be prohibited,

During construction, Route 17 travelers are urged to slow down, use caution and stay alert when navigating the work zone between the two intersections.

Most lane closures and potential traffic shifts will occur overnight during off-peak hours to minimize travel impacts.

Message boards will be posted this weekend to give motorists advance notice to the upcoming work zone.

The safety improvement project, funded through Virginia's SMART SCALE program, is anticipated to be complete in June 2027.

According to the latest traffic count, about 27,000 vehicles a day travel on Route 17 in this area.

The project contractor is Branscome Operating, LLC.

The online project page is www.vdot.virginia.gov/Rt17Gloucester.

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