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Pulaski County leaders looking to make Route 11 safer by new middle school

PULASKI COUNTY, Va. ā€“ Pulaski County leaders are working with VDOT on a multi-million dollar project to make a stretch of road safer.

ā€œOh yes, a lot of accidents here at this intersection,ā€ Ronada White, who works at Cougar Express, said.

White has worked at the Cougar Express for 27 years and can attest Route 11 can be dangerous for drivers, especially when school is in session.

ā€œMost of the people pull out in front of people going across the highway,ā€ White said.

Pulaski County Board of Supervisor Mike Mooney says he wanted to address safety for students that attend the newly consolidated middle school.

ā€œWe started this project with the state in about 2019,ā€ Mooney said.

To address the concern, Mooney says the county and VDOT are entering a revenue-sharing agreement to start the Hatcher Road Realignment Project that will ease traffic flow around the school.

ā€œIā€™ve got grandkids in these schools, theyā€™re riding the busses every day and it means a lot to everybody,ā€ Mooney said.

Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet says the project in total costs slightly more than $8 million, nearly half coming from VDOT, the other from the county.

ā€œMore importantly, the middle school will have another point of egress, ingress, entry, and exit, at the site,ā€ Sweet said.

Leaders say the project will include a traffic signal at Hatcher Road at Route 11.

It will also include a lane behind the middle school that will connect to Route 11 to allow better traffic flow at the school.

Another portion of the project will include four lanes with a median. It will have bike lanes and crosswalks that lead into a nearby neighborhood.

ā€œIt feels great signing the revenue sharing agreement, itā€™s important for residential development, commercial development,ā€ Sweet said.

Pulaski County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Graham is pleased as well and tells 10 News, ā€œWe feel certain that this initiative will provide a much safer arrival and dismissal time traffic pattern for our students, staff, and the community.ā€

County leaders recently signed a deal with VDOT, and construction is expected to last for about two years.