I-64 / I-295 Interchange Modification Project Photos

I-64 / I-295 Interchange Modification Project Photos - February 2009

The following 22 photos were taken on February 1, 2009 by Roads to the Future. Click on the photo to get a large version of the photo. The large photos have sizes ranging from 152 to 273 kilobytes, with most of them being under 196 kilobytes. With a broadband or network Internet connection each photo will download within seconds, but with a dial-up Internet connection it will be somewhat slower.

On January 12, 2009, the third lane on I-64 eastbound (toward Richmond) opened to traffic, from VA-288 to I-295, along with the 2-lane semi-directional flyover ramp for the movement from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). One lane of the ramp opened initially, and one lane remains closed as of the April 28th release of this website article, as work is still underway on the underside of the bridge.

I-295 Flyover Ramp to Open Tonight, VDOT news release, Jan. 12, 2009. Excerpt (blue text):
Drivers along I-64 east in western Henrico County will soon enjoy faster and safer access to I-295 thanks to a new, two-lane flyover ramp and extra travel lane between Route 288 and I-295. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) expects to open one lane of the new flyover bridge to traffic by 8 p.m. The third travel lane along I-64 east will also open. The flyover ramp replaces the current loop from I-64 east to I-295 south. “The existing double traffic loop requires I-64 east drivers to maneuver around merging traffic in order to access I-295 south,” said project manager Ray Johnston. “We expect more than 14,000 drivers will use the new flyover ramp each day, greatly reducing congestion and the potential for crashes at this interchange.” Once the new flyover ramp is open, I-64 east motorists coming from Route 288 will have a dedicated travel lane to I-295. This extra lane increases I-64 east from two to three lanes. “Since opening Route 288 in 2004, eastbound traffic has increased 40 percent,” said Johnston. “Having this additional travel lane should cut down on congestion, particularly during morning rush hour.”

	I-64 looking westward from over the I-64 eastbound roadway (toward Richmond), from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass.
	I-64 looking westward from over the I-64 eastbound roadway (toward Richmond), from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass. Two new lanes have been constructed on the left of the photo, for the approach roadway to the 2-lane semi-directional flyover ramp for the movement from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). A new mainline lane has been constructed, to widen eastbound I-64 to 3 lanes between VA-288 and I-295. The two lanes to the right are I-64 eastbound. One lane is open on the new ramp and flyover. These photos were taken a day after chemicals were utilized on the highway to treat for icing conditions, and that is why the roadways look 'whitish'. It looks messy, but the desire was to take the photos right after opening, while the ramp's one-lane construction zone was in operation (still is in operation as of the April release of this article).
	I-64 looking westward from over the I-64 eastbound roadway (toward Richmond), from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass.
	I-64 looking westward from over the I-64 westbound roadway (toward Charlottesville), from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass. A new lane has been constructed on the right, to widen westbound I-64 to 3 lanes between I-295 and VA-288.The fourth lane that is merging in on the right is from the ramp from westbound I-295 to westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville), the one-lane ramp that is being widened to two lanes and being relocated in two places to provide a higher-speed alignment (design speed 110 kph or 68 mph).
	I-64 looking eastward over the westbound roadway, from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass. The ramp from westbound I-295 to westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville), enters I-64 from the left side of the photo. This one-lane ramp is being widened to two lanes, and is being relocated in two places to provide a higher-speed alignment (design speed 110 kph or 68 mph).
	I-64 looking eastward over the westbound roadway, from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass. In the distance is the 2-lane ramp that includes flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk).
	I-64 looking eastward over the median, from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass.
	I-64 looking eastward from over the eastbound roadway (toward Richmond), from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass.
	I-64 eastbound and westbound roadways to the left, looking over the approach roadway of the 2-lane ramp that includes flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Vantage point is from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass.
	I-64 eastbound and westbound roadways to the left, looking over the approach roadway of the 2-lane ramp that includes flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Vantage point is from the VA-271 Pouncey Tract Road overpass. LARGE PHOTO - 453 kilobytes - larger than standard browser window.
	The beginning of the flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining walls were constructed on the earthen fill approach to the flyover bridge. Looking from the I-64 southern right-of-way line toward the end of the retained fill structure that is the west abutment (terminal structure) of the flyover bridge. Looking from the rear of the Lowe's home improvement store loading area. There is less than 100 feet separating the Lowe's property and roadway for the flyover bridge. The Lowe's property is adjacent to the entire length of the elevated earthen fill approach to the flyover bridge.
	Completed and opened 2-lane flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Looking from the rear of the Lowe's home improvement store loading area. The next 2 photos are from the same vantage point, but with a successively narrower angle.
	Completed and opened 2-lane flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). The flyover bridge is 1,765 feet long and 35 feet above I-64.
	Completed and opened 2-lane flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Notice the "straddle bent" bridge piers that extend outward to fully span the I-64 roadways. A straddle bent is a pier structure that spans ("straddles") a roadway because a conventional pier would plant a pier in the middle of the roadway. A bridge crosses over a roadway on a very sharp skew (degree of difference from the perpendicular), to where conventional piers would be in the middle of the roadway, so the crossmember extends well outside of the bridge footprint, so that the piers are outside of the roadway. The closeness of the Lowe's home improvement store to the highway, was the reason why the straddle bent design was required, as otherwise there would have been enough space available for the ramp to curve farther from the highway, and to cross over the highway at a lower skew.
	I-64 westbound (toward Charlottesville), approaching the bridges to and from I-295. The flyover bridge is the higher bridge, and the original I-295 bridges are at the lower bridge level.
	I-64 westbound (toward Charlottesville), approaching the bridges to and from I-295. The flyover bridge is the higher bridge, and the original I-295 bridges are at the lower bridge level.
	Completed and opened 2-lane flyover bridge from eastbound I-64 to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Looking across the loop ramp from westbound I-295 to eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond).
	The ramp from westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). The existing one-lane ramp is being widened to two lanes. This and the next four photos are in the same driving sequence.
	The ramp from westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). The existing one-lane ramp is being widened to two lanes. Notice the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall constructed on the earthen fill approach to the flyover bridge.
	The ramp from westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk).
	The ramp from westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk).
	The ramp from westbound I-64 (toward Charlottesville) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). Notice the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall constructed on the earthen fill approach to the flyover bridge, the new 2-lane semi-directional flyover ramp for the movement from eastbound I-64 (toward Richmond) to eastbound I-295 (toward Washington and Norfolk). These two ramps merge together ahead to become the 3-lane eastbound I-295 roadway.

Lead article - I-64/I-295 Interchange Modification Project

Roads to the Future photos by Scott Kozel.

By Scott M. Kozel, Roads to the Future

(Created 4-28-2009)