Proposals for new bridge among transportation news to watch – Fredericksburg.com

A bigger roundup of major roadwork last year and for 2024 can be found in a story coming Tuesday. But transportation news goes beyond roadwork.

There has been talk in recent years of creating a transportation authority for the Fredericksburg region, something used in other Virginia regions (Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads) to raise funds through various taxes to be used for transportation projects.

In November, the Policy Committee for the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved the creation of a working group on the matter, something likely to be a big local topic in 2024.

In 2023, talk heated up about the possibility of building another bridge over the Rappahannock River.

The talk resulted in a study that eventually moved to the federal stage — a National Environmental Policy Act study will determine the least impactful alternative for a new span.

The $600,000 NEPA study is expected to take several years to complete.

A study from the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization proposed several options for crossings over the river. During several meetings, residents who could be impacted by a new span spoke against the idea. Other area residents said a new bridge will help alleviate traffic problems.

The rehabilitation work on the 112-year-old downtown Fredericksburg train station was set for completion in December, but the schedule has been pushed back into 2024.

The work on the station is focused primarily on the crumbling concrete problems while also extending the platforms and improving the communication system.

The project also calls for each of the 400-foot platforms to be extended. The extended platforms require the addition of another stair tower, at the southeast corner of the station. Rehab work also includes upgraded lighting and improvements to allow better access to elevators.