The western sidewalk along 9th/Avon between East Market Street and Garrett Street has been completed and will reopen to pedestrians. This will allow the eastern sidewalk to be completed and expanded with new, permanent pedestrian lighting.
Daytime work continues at both the East Market Street intersection of 9th/Avon Street as well as Garrett Street/Levy Avenue intersection which will require temporary closure of lanes on the side streets. All movements (straight, right, left) will be accommodated but please pay attention to workers as lanes may shift or be closed.
The work zone has been extended north of East Market Street in the far right lane of Northbound 9th/Avon Street. Barrels have been placed in the right NB lane to protect the new stormwater inlets as well as new signal pole.
Construction vehicles will be entering/exiting the work zone on 9th/Avon Street both north and south of the bridge and railroad tracks. Travel lanes will be shifted and delineated with barrels between the 2 signalized intersection on 9th/Avon Street as work is finalized on the bridge deck. Please watch for the shifting travel lanes as well as follow the instructions of any flagger directing traffic. Currently, the SB 9th/Avon through movement and left turn lane at the Levy/Garrett/9th/Avon intersection has merged into one lane as work continues on the western sidewalk/curb.
Old Avon is closed between Garrett Street and East South Street to continue construction of the new pedestrian plaza.
Old Avon, East South Street (between Old Avon and Graves Street), Monticello Road (between Graves Street and Old Avon) and Graves Street (between 9th/Avon Street and Monticello Road) will be flagged as utility relocation continues, materials are moved and pedestrian lighting is installed.
Vehicular traffic at the bridge on Water Street will be flagged with both pedestrian and vehicular travel being intermittently stopped for vehicles entering/exit the work area. Water Street has been reduced to one lane in the westbound direction between 10th Street NE and 4th Street SE. Detour signs direct eastbound traffic to 2nd Street SE to Garrett Street to 9th/Avon Street to East Market Street to 10th Street NE to Water Street. On-street parking spaces are available on both sides of Water Street while Water Street is one-wayed (please park with vehicle pointed in the same, westbound direction).
The sidewalk detour on Water Street will change as needed to allow work on either side of the street. The northern sidewalk on Water Street will remain closed between the pedestrian underpass and the bridge. Pedestrians will be directed to the southern sidewalk (east of the bridge) and the western crosswalk at the Transit Center to the northern sidewalk to destinations to the west. The eastern crosswalk at the Transit Center will be closed. The pedestrian underpass to the Pavilion/Downtown Mall is open and remains available as an alternative route for pedestrians.
To accommodate construction, segments of sidewalk and crosswalks will also be closed as work progresses. No street will have both sides of the sidewalk closed at the same time. The pedestrian ramp south of the Pavilion leading to 9th/Avon Street is closed so pedestrians should use 7th Street NE or another adjacent side street to reach East Market Street and 9th/Avon Street. The northern sidewalk along Graves Street is closed between Monticello Road and 9th/Avon Street with pedestrians directed to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. The northern sidewalk along Garrett Street will be closed between the entrance to 310 Avon Street and Old Avon Street with pedestrians directed to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. The northern and western crosswalks at 9th/Avon/Levy/Garrett intersection will be closed with pedestrians directed to the other 2 crosswalks. The southern sidewalk along Old Avon Street is closed between Monticello Road and where it terminates near East South Street.
During the signal construction, one or more corners of an intersection will be closed at a time with pedestrians directed to the crosswalks across the other legs of the intersection. At the Levy Avenue/Garrett Street intersection, work will begin in the NW corner before moving to the SW corner then the SE corner and finally the NE corner. At the East Market/9th/Avon intersection, work will begin in the SE corner before moving to the SE corner then the NE corner and finally the NW corner. Associated crosswalks will be closed and pedestrians will be directed to the other crosswalks within each intersection.
ADA Deficiencies: Existing ramps at the northeast and southeast corners or Market and 9th Street used as alternate routes do not have truncated domes. Cross slopes on sidewalks at driveway entrances exceed 2%. In the instance that pedestrians are attempting to head east/west along Market Street and the southeast ramp is closed, the detour will be along existing sidewalks along 10th Street and E. Jefferson. 10th Street sidewalk does have a slope greater than 8%.Temporary solar powered lights have been installed along the eastern sidewalk of 9th/Avon Street between Graves Street and East Market Street. An alternate pedestrian route to either Water Street or East Market Street is available via Garrett Street to 4th Street SE.
Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the project area and access to private parcels will be accommodated.
Construction is being conducted by Caton Construction Group, Inc. for the City of Charlottesville’s Department of Public Works. The pedestrian pushbuttons at the 9th/Avon/Levy/Garrett intersection have been relocated to the large, wooden signal poles (NE, NW and SW corners) and an auxiliary wooden post with metal conduit (SE corner).
Work zone is posted at 25 MPH – please drive carefully with phones down.