July 19, 2021

Contact:
Jim Talian
Department of Water Resources
(434) 455-3953

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TWO-WAY TRAFFIC RETURNING TO DOWNTOWN

LYNCHBURG

Over the next several months, two-way traffic will be returning to Main Street and Church Street
in downtown Lynchburg for the first time in decades and in accordance with the 2040
Downtown Master Plan adopted by Lynchburg City Council on November 13, 2018. The
transition from the current one-way streets to two-way streets will occur in three phases in order
to mesh with the current Main Street Renewal Project.

The purpose for restoring two-way traffic is multifaceted; however, the all-encompassing factor
is to create a downtown environment that is more comfortable for pedestrians. The one-way
traffic scenario was instituted during a time period when people did not spend time downtown.
The prime objective of the street pattern was the quick movement of cars into and out of
downtown. Today, that environment is gone. Living, working, shopping, eating and relaxing are
quickly returning to Main Street and the surrounding blocks. Vehicular traffic now needs to
move through the area at much slower speeds, and two-way traffic is an important component in
achieving that goal.

Additional factors in the decision to restore two-way traffic include:

 Increased business visibility due to drivers approaching from two different directions instead
of one
 More efficient vehicle circulation options both for everyday activities and during special
events, emergency events and construction activities
 Less confusing to visitors
 Less turning movements required

Conversion Sequence
Phase 1 - Main Street from Fifth Street to 11th Street: As currently scheduled, during the
week of July 26, Main Street will become two-way between Fifth Street and 11th Street while the
1100 block of Main Street (between 11th Street and 12th Street) will remain closed to all through
traffic. This closure is to allow construction of the “arrival pad,” a geometric pattern of tiled

(Continued)
 Page 2

pavers to be constructed in that block at that time. All east bound traffic on Main Street (the new
travel direction) will be required to turn right at 11th Street due to the closure of the 1100 block.
All west bound traffic on Main Street will be detoured at 12th Street.

Message boards will be posted on the John Lynch Bridge approaching downtown from Amherst
County, on the Rivermont Avenue bridge approaching downtown from the west and on Fifth
Street approaching downtown from the mid-town area to remind drivers of the new traffic
patterns. In addition, signs will be posted on Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and 11th Streets
approaching Main Street alerting motorists to the new pattern.

Phase 2 - Main Street – full length: Near the end of September and upon completion of the
arrival pad in the 1100 block of Main Street, that block will open to two-way traffic allowing
through traffic in both directions on Main Street from Fifth Street to the end of Main Street
beyond the Lynchburg Expressway.

Phase 3 – Church Street – full length: Also occurring near the end of September, Church
Street will be converted to two-way traffic from Fifth Street to Washington Street. Once again,
message boards will be posted at the John Lynch Bridge, Rivermont Avenue and Fifth Street
approaching downtown, along with a message board on 12th Street approaching downtown
alerting drivers to the new traffic pattern. Signs will be posted at Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, 11th,
12th, 13th and Washington Streets approaching Church Street noting the change in the traffic
pattern.

Seventh Street and Eighth Street: Concurrent with the conversion of Church Street from one-
way to two-way, Seventh Street (between Main Street and Church Street) and Eighth Street
(between Commerce Street and Church Street) will be converted from their current two-way
configurations back to one-way. Traffic on Seventh Street will become one-way only heading
downhill from Church Street towards Main Street. Traffic on Eighth Street will become one-way
only heading uphill from Commerce Street to Main Street to Church Street. This will allow the
addition of more parking spaces in all three of these blocks. Signs will be posted on Main,
Church and Commerce Streets alerting drivers to the changed configuration.

Rivermont Avenue Approaching Fifth Street: The split of traffic from the Rivermont Avenue
Bridge towards Church Street and away from Main Street will retain its current one-way
configuration.

Note: Attached is a map of Phase 1.