In June 2025, the Harrisonburg-Rockingham MPO completed a comprehensive study of the Port Republic Road / Peach Grove Avenue / Neff Avenue intersection and surrounding corridor in the City of Harrisonburg. Working with VHB Engineering the study team conducted operational and safety analysis, traffic data collection, and future condition modeling for five major intersections within the study area. The study team worked with City staff, VDOT, James Madison University, Rockingham County, and community stakeholders to evaluate existing constraints and develop improvement alternatives.
The study’s preferred alternative proposes extending the eastbound turn on Devon Lane to provide dedicated left-turn capacity, expanding the southbound Port Republic Road approach to accommodate dual left turns onto Neff Avenue, and constructing a 10-foot shared-use path along the east side of Port Republic Road. The study’s recommendations include shared-use paths on Neff Avenue and Peach Grove Avenue, safe pedestrian crossings at key locations, and low-cost safety countermeasures including high-visibility signal backplates.
VHB Engineering developed preliminary engineering drawings for the Preferred Alternative to meet VDOT Smart Scale application requirements, with implementation strategies tailored to coordinate with ongoing development in the corridor. Since the study’s completion, CSPDC staff have worked with regional partners to identify funding opportunities to construct the improvements.
Review the final study report here: https://hrvampo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CSPDC-Port-Republic-Rd-Peach-Grove-Ave-Neff-Ave-Small-Area-Study-FINAL-Report-06.25.2025-Scaled2x.pdf