The $64 Million Intersection

The Virginia County of Chesterfield is planning six so-called "superstreet" treatments for junctions in the county. One junction, where Route 10 meets Rivers Bend Boulevard, will cost $64 million.

1 minute read

November 12, 2019, 9:15 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Virginia Transportation Engineering

Virginia’s first "Superstreet" is planned for Route 10 where it meets Rivers Ben Boulevard in Chesterfield County. | McCormick Taylor

Wyatt Gordon reports on transportation planning efforts from Chesterfield County in Virginia, which stands as a counterpoint of car-centric priorities compared to the recent public transit successes of the neighboring city of Richmond.

"Over the next decade Chesterfield plans to transform at least six of its widest junctions into so-called 'superstreets,' multi-lane behemoths that shift the flow of traffic from perpendicular designs to 15-lane-wide, swooping intersections," writes Gordon.

One of those junctions planned for the superstreet treatment also sets a lofty standard for expense, pricing out an estimated $64 million, which has some in the state questioning the wisdom of this kind of road engineering.

The relationship between Richmond and Chesterfield County is more than just a question of proximity: Both own half of the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), and the price tag for one $64 million intersection outpaces the entire region's spending on the GRTC, reports Gordon.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019 in Greater Greater Washington

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

: Construction of massive Samsung semiconductor fabrication plant

In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland

Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.

November 3 - Inside Climate News

A construction crew working on SunZia.

How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on

The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.

November 3 - Grist

A rendering of the basketball court, a green court under a blue sky.

MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court

The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.

November 3 - Gothamist