Local and state officials are reviewing the safety ramifications of Liberty University’s planned vehicular tunnel in response to concerns from neighboring Central Virginia Community College.
CVCC objected to its lack of involvement in the project during a public hearing last month. Officials cited the influx of through traffic the tunnel would create, and the new safety considerations that would mean for the college.
The school, which at no point objected to the tunnel itself, has since met with the city, LU and the Virginia Department of Transportation to brainstorm solutions. The group agreed to postpone further talks until a traffic study could be performed when college classes reconvene in August.
“So far, we’re progressing nicely,” John Poole, CVCC’s vice president of finance and administration, said Tuesday. “I think we’re taking the right steps and have the time to make this work.”
Future measures under consideration include traffic-calming devices, pedestrian improvements and the redesign of certain entryways. All changes would occur on Harvard Street, which provides the entrance to CVCC and is owned by the State Board of Community Colleges.
No alterations are expected on LU’s side of the Wards Road corridor.
LU, which recently revised its master plan as part of its ongoing expansion, is preparing to build a vehicular tunnel that will empty onto Wards Road directly across from Harvard Street.
Currently, Harvard and Wards create a three-way crossing. The addition of the tunnel will result in a four-way intersection.
Liberty officials are moving forward with the design phase of that project, but have no target groundbreaking date. School leaders have said they hope to have it complete by next summer.
Plans for the tunnel are currently under city review. Those assessments have turned up “nothing out of the ordinary,” according to City Planner Tom Martin.
Martin added the dialogue with CVCC has been productive and he expressed confidence that a solution acceptable to all sides could be reached.
“I think all along the concern of the community college has been with the safety of their students, and that’s one of our primary concerns as well,” he said.
It’s not yet clear who will shoulder the financial burden of the improvements under discussion. Poole said they hoped to secure a local-state funding partnership.
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