Harrisonburg, Virginia is moving to fix two of the most dangerous spots for pedestrians and cyclists near James Madison University, with construction planned for Port Republic Road at Bluestone Drive and Bradley Drive.
The two intersections sit along one of the city's busiest corridors, where student foot and bike traffic collides daily with a road built primarily for cars. Bluestone Drive is a gateway to JMU's campus, and Bradley Drive connects to residential neighborhoods where many of the university's roughly 22,000 students live. Both spots have drawn longstanding safety concerns, particularly during the academic year when pedestrian traffic surges.
The improvements go beyond repainting lines on pavement. The city is building physical sidewalks and separated bike lanes, meaning cyclists will have a barrier between them and moving traffic rather than just a painted stripe. Research has consistently shown that physical separation significantly reduces cyclist injuries. Intersection geometry at both locations will also be reconfigured.
The projects have been years in the making, originating in VDOT's Six-Year Improvement Program and reflecting priorities the city first laid out in its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan more than a decade ago. State and federal funding, including dramatically expanded Transportation Alternatives Program money from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, made the investment possible for a city of about 55,000 with modest fiscal resources.
Harrisonburg's transportation challenges are shaped by its college-town makeup. A large share of residents, including students, immigrants, and refugees, rely on walking and biking rather than personal vehicles, giving pedestrian infrastructure an equity dimension beyond campus safety. The city has earned a Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists, and the Port Republic Road corridor has been a recognized gap in that network.
The city is now seeking a contractor to build both projects under a single contract, bundling them to coordinate construction timelines and reduce disruption along the corridor. Construction plans are already complete, meaning the projects are shovel-ready once a contractor is selected. Residents and commuters along Port Republic Road should expect construction activity on a busy stretch of road once work gets underway.
