Construction for East Campus On- and Off-Ramps Begins

New on- and off-ramps are being built to create another connector to Liberty University’s East Campus from Route 460.

The on-ramp will shift about 100 feet north of its current location off of Liberty Mountain Drive across from David’s Place, and the new off-ramp will be a mirror image of the on-ramp. A traffic circle will connect the two ramps to Liberty Mountain Drive.

Todd Carroll, Liberty’s corporate civil engineer, said that when the current on-ramp is moved, they will also raise the ramp’s grade slightly for the traffic circle.

“By raising the grade, the vertical curve of the on-ramp will be raised and become a better situation,” Carroll said.

While the current on-ramp has been closed for the construction, Carroll said that the construction should not have an impact on Liberty Mountain Drive traffic. The project is expected to be completed September 2019.

The need for an on-ramp was discovered several years ago. Carroll said that often when Liberty wants to upgrade something, the university must first conduct a traffic study. The engineering firm that did this study showed Liberty several options that would ease traffic as the university and city continue to grow over the next few decades.

Carroll said the project has not been without its challenges.

“This has been an interesting project in that we’re dealing with the local governments and that we’re making sure we have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed,” Carroll said. “We’re dealing with (the Virginia Department of Traffic), we’re dealing with Campbell County and we’re dealing with the city of Lynchburg on one project. It’s not a bad situation, but sometimes there are delays.”

However, Carroll said the project has been rewarding overall.

“It’s really nice to see that we’re going to make the traffic situation better and safer,” Carroll said. “I lived overseas for a while, and I love traffic circles. I think they’re a great thing and help traffic move safely and efficiently.”

Some other roads on campus will also be upgraded in the project. Previous upgrades to Liberty Mountain Drive, Phase 1 and Phase 2, involved roads to Liberty’s natatorium. Phase 3 will continue Liberty Mountain Drive to the Odd Fellows Road interchange that the city of Lynchburg is building across Route 460. According to Carroll, Liberty does not have any monetary involvement with the Odd Fellows Road interchange.

Carroll said this is a positive change for the community.

“Campbell County residents, Lynchburg residents and students will certainly gain an advantage by being able to use the Odd Fellows interchange and then come down to the pool or the track,” Carroll said.

The project to ease traffic congestion around Liberty is being paid for through a revenue-sharing partnership between Liberty and the state and local governments. Liberty is covering half of the cost, while the governments are covering the other half and managing the project.

“As part of that deal, Liberty provides the design for the road that we want to utilize on that side of the highway,” Carroll said.

Because the roads will not be in the campus proper, Carroll said the roads will be maintained by the VDOT, Campbell County or the city of Lynchburg. Carroll said this is beneficial to Liberty because in the long run, the maintenance of the roads over 30 or 40 years can often be more expensive than the initial cost of building them.

“It’s a win for the city, and it’s also a win for the county as well,” Carroll said. “They get a new road that serves the community, not just Liberty.”