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The idea is to improve safety, both for drivers and those walking near the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and South Main Street in Farmville. On Thursday, March 27, officials from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) held a public hearing at their Farmville headquarters on Commerce Drive to answer questions and give residents an idea of what changes are coming and when that’s going to happen. 

First off, we’re not talking about an immediate change here. VDOT is still going through the design phase of the project now. This won’t start construction until Fall 2026 and then won’t be finished until December of 2027. And VDOT is still accepting questions and comments for another week, so if there’s something not answered here, you can use the email at the end of the story to ask their engineers.  

The project has been funded by VDOT, at a price tag of $3.8 million overall. That includes $2.8 million for construction, $787,433 for preliminary engineering and $223,558 to purchase right of way, which is what will be taking place this summer. 

Details on the Griffin Boulevard changes 

This is going to completely rework the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and South Main Street. Currently there are multiple lights operating on different poles and there’s been some concern raised about safety for people walking across from the medical center to Burger King or vice versa. 

“There will be a dedicated left turn lane onto Griffin and then a dedicated left turn lane onto Sanford Street,” said Raina Rosado. She serves as VDOT’s Engineering Manager for the Lynchburg District, of which Farmville is part. “There will (also) be a dedicated through lane traveling northbound on (South Main).” 

Rosado said the project will also replace about 200 feet of existing sidewalk to create a safer route, one that’s also easier for disabled travelers to get through. The new 6 ft. wide sidewalk will also include handicap ramps and pedestrian signals, where none currently exist. And then there’s the changing of the lanes. Currently as you’re heading northbound on South Main Street, both lanes of traffic go through the intersection. As part of this change, the left lane will become a dedicated left turn lane, for people wanting to exit onto Griffin Boulevard. 

Also, Rosado said VDOT will eliminate one signal pole and replace another, so there will just be one stretching across to serve the entire intersection. She also said they will work on adjusting signal timing, in order to cut down on crashes at the intersection. In addition to all of that, VDOT will also be resurfacing that section of South Main Street. 

Closures and shifts 

One of the questions brought up at Thursday’s meeting involved closures and delays. Yes, since there will be so much work going on, VDOT will have to close traffic lanes at times and possibly shift traffic completely during construction. Rosado said however that throughout the project, all businesses and houses along the road will be able to be accessed. Nobody is going to be blocked from their driveway or anything like that. 

As mentioned, right of way will be purchased this summer, with construction scheduled to start in Fall 2026. This project is being bundled with another one, so that VDOT work crews can move from one to the other. That second project is the planned roundabout further down Griffin and Oak Street. Currently, it’s not scheduled to start construction until Spring 2027.

Editor’s note: Emilio Salgado-Garcia contributed to this report.