IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Parallel-Peninsula Corridor Project

This project will realign Parallel Drive west of Costa Drive, directly connecting it to Peninsula Drive, reconfiguring several intersections along Costa Drive in the process. In addition, the intersections on Costa Drive with Parallel Drive, Peninsula Avenue, Villeneuve Street and Eastshore Circle will be improved to allow for better traffic flow on these streets. The disconnected western segment of Parallel Drive left by the project will be closed and subsequently demolished, as it is in the path of the new Highway 261 alignment.

The Parallel-Peninsula Corridor Project is a joint project between TDOT and the City of Argentum.

(all pics looking north)

This is a shot of the existing intersections of Costa Drive with Parallel Drive, Peninsula Avenue and Villeneuve Street--two major signalized intersections within a very short distance.

The subdivision behind the Safeway on Costa Drive has been demolished to make way for the new Parallel Drive alignment. The 4-lane route shown is Peninsula Avenue.

A temporary roadway is built to connect Parallel Drive up to Peninsula, allowing for the reconfiguration of the Peninsula and Villeneuve intersections on Costa Drive without disrupting access to nearby homes and businesses.

Peninsula Avenue is subsequently closed to begin work on the new S-Curve that will connect it to Parallel Drive.

A look at the end of one alignment, and the beginnings of another. Pavement has been laid on the new Parallel Drive alignment.

Reconfiguration of the temporary access road, and more work on the curve.

The temporary access road is removed, as it is in the way of the new alignment. Motorists accessing Peninsula Avenue were directed to use Isthmus Avenue as a detour.

The Peninsula Avenue intersection with Costa Drive has now been closed. The sharp curve connecting Peninsula and Villeneuve will be removed, in favor of converting the last segment of Villeneuve from essentially a "glorified slip lane" to a full-on 4-lane road, with a signalized intersection at Costa.

The new Villeneuve intersection is built, and the old Peninsula Avenue alignment has been converted to a residential street.

In order to further consolidate the intersections along Costa Drive, Villeneuve will be directly connected up to Eastshore Circle. As a result, the police station for the Isthmus Precinct had to be relocated.

The finished Peninsula/Parallel connection. Due to intersection geometry concerns, the access to the former section of Peninsula Avenue and the connected neighborhood only has RIRO (right-in, right-out) access to Peninsula/Parallel, and motorists from the other direction must use Costa Drive to access the old Peninsula alignment.

Tune in next time for a new Armadillo Realignment. Same Armadillo Channel. Same Armadillo Time.

(sorry--couldn't resist the reference to the original Batman TV show from the 60s . . .)

-Alex (Tarkus)