[ALUmnus]

They're finally going to make a roadway under the railroad tracks. This is so long overdue, but something's finally getting done. And what's this? Pedestrian access? In Lynchburg? That can't be!

http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... ws!archive

LU Traffic Heading Underground


By Ron Brown
rbrown@newsadvance.com / (434) 385-5542
March 18, 2006

Planned changes to traffic flow on the Liberty University campus could ease congestion on Wards Road and eliminate a dangerous intersection with existing railroad tracks.

The plan calls for construction of two automobile tunnels (16 feet in diameter and 120 feet long) that would intersect Wards Road at Harvard Street.

The tunnels would be under the existing railroad tracks.

The traffic from the tunnels would be regulated by a traffic light, allowing campus traffic to enter or exit the tunnels in an orderly fashion.

Motorists exiting the campus onto Ward Road would be able to turn either right or left.

Currently, many LU students exiting the campus use a small, private road to cross the tracks and enter Wards Road. That road allows for right turns only and traffic flow is regulated by a stop sign.

The road is often blocked by stalled trains.

At rush hour, students weave their way into congested Wards Road traffic.

If the students are heading to a destination in the other direction, they often U-turn on the heavily traveled road.

The small road, which enters Wards Road near Sonic Drive-in, has also been the preferred route for many LU students walking to Wards Road stores, like Wal-Mart or Target.

Under the revised plan, the school will add a pedestrian tunnel from the campus to Wards Road. That tunnel also will be under the railroad tracks.

The existing private road would be closed to both pedestrian and automobile traffic.

Currently, Wards Road has no designated crosswalks in the area, a matter that is being talked about by university and city officials.

“We need to discuss how to create pedestrian access,” said Lynchburg City Manager Kimball Payne. “When you have a college campus next to a shopping center, you need pedestrian access.”

Just how to get that accomplished will be a matter of planning.

Payne said one possible pedestrian crossing would be at Atlanta Avenue, which runs next to the Wards Crossing shopping center near Barnes & Noble.

Jerry Falwell Jr., LU’s vice chancellor, said an additional pedestrian crossing may be needed at a recently constructed bridge leading from Wards Road into parking lots at Wal-Mart and Sam’s.

On the LU side of the hill, the city will be asked to complete about a half-mile of new two-lane road to complete Ericsson Drive, which is about only one-third paved.

Much of the roadbed has been graded, but was never completed, although the project was conceptualized in the late 1980s.

Although the road would be a public road, the city and university would have to decide on who is responsible for maintaining the tunnels.

LU would spend about $1 million on the automobile tunnels and $150,000 on the new pedestrian tunnel, Falwell said.

Ericsson Drive, when completed, would link Wards Road to U.S. 460. It would also provide a vital link from Wards Road to LU’s North Campus, which is located in the former Ericsson manufacturing plant.

The road would also provide access to the Williams football stadium, the Tolsma indoor track, the LaHaye Student Center and LaHaye Ice Center, several of the major draws to the campus.

Once the Ericsson Drive work is completed, the campus will have a continuous loop of road, which could be used to provide a shuttle bus service for students and visitors on campus.

The loop would include Ericsson Drive, U.S. 460 and Wards Road.

“With our growth, we have no choice but to establish a shuttle service,” Falwell said.

With a shuttle service, the school could move some student parking to the east side of U.S. 460 and let students ride the shuttle buses to their cars.

Falwell said Greater Lynchburg Transit Company officials and Payne met with school officials a couple of months ago to discuss future needs. One scenario would be to have GLTC providing the shuttle service for the campus.

“The road will open up the campus,” Falwell said. “It could be a great benefit to Liberty and the city as well.”

[Sly Fox]

It sounds like the City is willing to play nice with us ... for once. Clearly we are ponying up as well. But considering the ones most likely to benefit financially from the construction are the busineses along Wards Road it certainly is justified for the City to pay their share.

[PAmedic]

Man, there's an unbelievable amount of progress being proposed in that article. A pedestrian tunnel, vehicle tunnel(s), Erickson Dr extension, shuttle bus service. whats next, Falwell Aviation establishing a heliport atop Williams?

[SuperJon]

Thank God. Maybe that tunnel will be finished before I graduate. No more pulling out on the road and praying the car coming up the road actually saw me. I had a friend get hit pulling out earlier this year there when the car on Wards didn't see him.

[bigsmooth]

it is good to see the city of lynchburg do the right thing. with all the congestion of the new businesses on wards rd, and the city's failure to keep up with the infrastructure, this seems to be a good way of trying to make things better.

[ATrain]

I for one am definitely looking forward to this...and as far as a heliport, wouldn't go QUITE that far but there is talk about extending Lynchburg Regional's runway a couple thousand feet to handle bigger planes.

[Flamesfanva]

WOW!! I'm shocked. I was just telling someone the other day (when I noticed cars stuck due to a train) that there should really be a tunnel, but that it would never happen. I know when I was going to school there, I hardly ever went that way because of the chance of a train making me late.

It's good to see Lynchburg working with Liberty, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[El Scorcho]

There was talk of this, in the past, but the problem was working with Ericsson to make the intersection with Wards and Harvard happen. Not so much a problem anymore. This will happen, and probably faster than you'd expect. Think about how fast the tunnel under 460 went in.

[Flamesfanva]

It's great news no doubt and the faster it happens the better for the students, folks going to events at LU, and folks driving on Wards road. I'm very thankful that there hasn't been more accidents due to that area. I'll be looking forward to it and will most likely use that entrance more than the Candlers Mountain Road one.

[Guest]

LU must have taken quite a windfall. When I was in school, just four years ago, I would have never thought all this possible. Amazing progress at LU. Way to go!

[Brokeback Flamer]

LU must have taken quite a windfall. When I was in school, just four years ago, I would have never thought all this possible. Amazing progress at LU. Way to go!

Either that or they have raised their debt ceiling.

[Hold My Own]

Nah, LU has never been in a better financial situation...

but anyways back to the topic at hand, it just doesnt make much sense to close down the current crossing, you would think they would want as many exits and entrances as possible...we've been living with these "Dangers" for years without a problem

[TallyW]

The two intersections are likely too close to have that many exits onto Wards. At present it's bad enough that people have to catch up to traffic and merge from stop right there.... can you imagine merging quickly and then someone makes a right out in front of you? I suppose they could go with no right turns but I don't think Wards is big enough to handle two exits from Campus.

I am very pleased to hear of this improvement. It seems very positive that they will extend that road down to Harvard... this is one of the reasons I've loved Liberty... it is ALWAYS growing.

[Brokeback Flamer]

Nah, LU has never been in a better financial situation...

but anyways back to the topic at hand, it just doesnt make much sense to close down the current crossing, you would think they would want as many exits and entrances as possible...we've been living with these "Dangers" for years without a problem

That''s like saying Mary Kate Olsen has never been less fat

[Hold My Own]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_University

In 2005 Liberty University finally put the financial woes of the 1980s and 90s behind them, and according to a recent IRS 990 filing, now pulls in $12 million of surplus revenue annually.

and that's only what the IRS knows about!

[Brokeback Flamer]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_University

In 2005 Liberty University finally put the financial woes of the 1980s and 90s behind them, and according to a recent IRS 990 filing, now pulls in $12 million of surplus revenue annually.

and that's only what the IRS knows about!

OR what we TOLD KPMG and the IRS. Sometimes, especially with money, the truth and facts are strangers. But hey, spend big or go home!! There is so much book cooking on the mountain we should have our own guest spot w/ EMIRLE (or however you spell the name!)

[PAmedic]

Campus Growth

In the past five years Liberty University has experienced a rapid growth rate. In order to accommodate the growing student body, the university has had to take some drastic measures, including the construction of new dormitories, classrooms and other facilities, the hiring of more faculty and staff and enhanced efforts by theuniversites spiritual life leaders.

Jerry Falwell Jr. said that in a recent conversation with a 2002 LU graduate, the graduate couldn’t believe how different Liberty seemed now because of all the new buildings and other changes. In regard to whether the university would continue its current rate of growth, Falwell Jr. said, “It is hard to say whether the physical changes on campus will be as dramatic over the next 10 years as they have been over the last five years, but the changes will be significant.”

Director of Field Operations J.O. Renalds said that they are currently most concerned with dealing with traffic and parking issues.
More specifically, the university hopes to construct several new roads to improve traffic flow.

“A road will be built between the Worthington Baseball Stadium to connect the David’s Place parking lot with the Reber-Thomas parking lot, continuing through the ravine below the Vines Center to the Dorm Circle,” said Falwell Jr.

He also said that the university is working with officials from the Virginia Department of Transportation and Campbell County on a plan that would link the road in front of Campus East (Liberty Mountain Drive) to U.S. Hwy. 29 close to Lynchburg Regional Airport. There will also be the addition of two new tunnel accesses to Wards Road, one for vehicles, the other for pedestrians. In order to assist students without cars, Falwell Jr. said, “We are also working with city officials to establish a shuttle bus system between campus and local destinations. An on-campus shuttle is also being seriously considered.”

With the university planning on maintaining a steady increase in the student population, there is the obvious need of additional housing. Falwell Jr. said the university is planning on building five dorms within the next year. They are also considering the possibility of building two high rise buildings, in replacement of the men’s dormitories, 1, 14, 15 and 16. In addition to accommodating student’s living facilities, the university recognizes the need for more recreational services, and plans on developing a better trail system on Liberty Mountain for student use.

More students also mean a need for more classrooms. There will be seven new classrooms built in Campus North. Within the next five years, construction on the third and fourth floors of DeMoss Hall should be finished. More classrooms will allow the university to hire more faculty. “Liberty will improve its academic programs by hiring only the most qualified new faculty members,” said Falwell Jr. Students should also expect to see the expansion of available academic programs, which would include a graduate school of business.

Liberty University also plans on the expansion of intercollegiate athletics. Falwell Jr. said this may include a swim team, and that “certain club sports, like hockey, plan to become team sports.” The football team will also be proceeding towards its goal of NCAA Division 1-A status. As with the other athletic programs, this means a higher level of performance, which would draw dedicated fans. Dedicated fans would, in turn, help the teams to become financially self-sufficient.

Finances are of great concern to the university. None of these plans can be accomplished without the necessary funds. According to Liberty University’s “Five Year Strategic Plan,” most of the school’s funds come in the form of tuition and fees. Falwell Jr. said, “One of the university’s most important goals over the next decade will be to build a strong endowment. As a young school, Liberty has a huge responsibility to build its endowment from scratch with the goal of one day achieving the value of $1 billion.”

Contact Hilary Dyer at hadyer@liberty.edu.

[SuperJon]

It looks like they're starting some preliminary work on the road. Hopefully it'll be done by next fall.

[Libertine]

They're dumping a lot of fill dirt in there but that's all coming from the foundation excavations for the multi-story dorm being built on East Campus. I wonder if they're actually working on the road or just dumping the dirt in a useful location.

[mrmacphisto]

This is a lot of good news, the only downside being the eventual mandatory U-turn that will be required to access Sonic from campus. They should really push to at least keep that (Sonic) entrance (from campus) open.

[PAmedic]

you could walk.

back in MY day...........blah blah blah........grilled our OWN hamburger.........in the snow..........uphill both ways........raised the cattle ourselves..........

[mrmacphisto]

I might consider it if I lived on campus, but if I'm picking someone up from their dorm and we decide to go to Sonic before doing other things, it makes little sense for us to park by the railroad tracks and walk down. I'm just saying that Sonic should fight for that entrance, otherwise they might lose a chunk of business.

[SuperJon]

I figure they'll keep the entrance to Sonic open and just take the entrance directly onto Wards out.

[Hold My Own]

I figure they'll keep the entrance to Sonic open and just take the entrance directly onto Wards out.

99.9% chance it will not stay open...it's just a matter of time before something happens and with lawsuits the way they are today it wont take long to blame LU for being liable....at least LU Council will jump to defend us, I hope

[SuperJon]

Ok, so I was wrong. It happens a lot.