Flyover isn't needed at Watkins Centre
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

A decision by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) last week that eliminates the need for a flyover at the Watkins Centre saved developer Zaremba Metropolitan Midlothian Group, LLC about $20 million. The next hurdle is securing water permits by federal and state agencies so construction can begin on Westchester Commons, the 870,000-square-foot retail portion of the Watkins Centre.

"We've reached an agreement with the county on what the road requirements on the developer will be," said VDOT's Richmond District Administrator Tom Hawthorne.

Most importantly, VDOT ruled that a flyover above the southbound lanes of Route 288 connecting to northbound 288 isn't necessary. A previous VDOT estimate calculated the flyover would cost at least $14 million to build. There was speculation that the flyover could have brought the project to a halt.

Instead, Zaremba will have to build an additional lane on the eastbound bridge of Route 60 over Route 288. That improvement is expected to cost $2-3 million, but it won't be necessary until Westchester Commons is closer to build-out and traffic counts are higher.

Zaremba will also have to pay for adding one additional lane to the off ramp on Route 288 northbound under Route 60 where traffic merges.

"Other relatively insignificant [road] details" have yet to be worked out, Hawthorne added.

If the flyover had been required, Zaremba would have had to hike the cost of land to retailers or increase the rent to future tenants, possibly making it too expensive for some stores to locate there.

Securing water permits could also drive up development costs.

VDOT's decision indicates it generally accepted the conclusions reached in a study from Vokert and Associates last month that said more traffic will be coming from the west (Powhatan County) on Route 60 than from the north over the next 20 years. Hawthorne doubted shoppers from north of the James River would bypass Short Pump Town Center in Henrico's West End to shop at Westchester Commons.