Bedford County hears concerns as three Smart Scale road projects advance to staff review

Bedford County supervisors on May 26 heard a technical overview of three candidate Smart Scale road projects and multiple, sharply focused public comments raising safety and property-access concerns.

Community engineer Eric Fedler told the board the Smart Scale round is now open and described three potential applications: adding a center two-way left-turn lane along Route 122 near Hailsport Bridge and consolidating access points; reconfiguring the Route 460/Me Road intersection with new turn and acceleration lanes and concrete islands to enable future signals; and a package on Route 221 that would add crosswalks, restrict certain left turns and install a new signal at Ambassador Drive and Walmart to improve traffic flow and pedestrian accommodations. Fedler said the program is scored on cost‑benefit criteria, county letters were mailed to impacted property owners, and applications are due later this summer.

Residents who spoke during the public hearing pressed the board for changes. "Under the proposed plan, that access is removed and replaced with the requirement to drive up to a half mile in 60 mph traffic … Attempt[ing] to safely move over to the left lane to slow down on approach … is highly dangerous," said Paul Kendall, a nearby property owner, arguing the proposed median would force dangerous U-turns for local residents.

Courtney Kendall said eliminating direct access would reduce functional utility and could affect property values. Steve Fisher asked the board to extend the proposed center left-turn lane farther up Route 122, citing elevation changes and curves that make turning hazardous, and warned large lighted signage would add distractions on that corridor.

Board members and staff acknowledged the concerns. Fedler said county staff will revisit the 460/Me Road concept to determine whether the proposed concrete barrier can be replaced with striping or signage and whether a no‑U‑turn approach would be viable. He said if a less invasive application cannot be developed, the county may remove that project from this Smart Scale cycle. The board scheduled a work session for June 9 to review refinements and next steps.

No formal resolution or vote on the Smart Scale projects was taken May 26; supervisors emphasized the presentation was an early step in a process that includes district scoring, draft score release in early 2027 and final Commonwealth Transportation Board selections next June. If a project is selected and funded, Fedler said preliminary design and right‑of‑way work would push toward construction years later.