Officials Celebrate N. Main Project
City and state leaders gathered outside Virginia Military Institute’s Corps Physical Training Facility last Wednesday morning to celebrate the completion of the North Main Street improvement project, a $4.1 million upgrade that expanded sidewalks, added a bike lane, and widened the roadway at the city’s north entrance.
The six-block project, which stretches along U.S. 11 Business from Massie Street to Hook Lane, widened the east-side sidewalk by 5 feet to meet Americans with Disability Act standards and replaced on-street parking with a dedicated 4-foot bike lane on the west side. The work also included replacing underground utilities and improving connections to the Chessie Trail and Washington and Lee University.
VDOT awarded a $3 million contract for the project in late 2024 to North Construction Inc. of Ashburn, with an August 2025 completion date. The work started in March.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board selected the project for full funding through the SmartScale process in 2017, which prioritizes transportation projects statewide based on cost-benefit scoring.
Mayor Frank Friedman, who served as master of ceremonies, called the upgrades a testament to “planning, preparation, inconvenience, dust, debris, dollars, and hard work” that culminated in a safer, more welcoming gateway into town.
Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard “Shep” Miller, the event’s keynote speaker, praised the project as an investment in both safety and quality of life. “This is more than just an infrastructure upgrade,” Miller said. “It makes Lexington more welcoming, not just for drivers, but for cyclists, pedestrians, and those who want to explore your charming city.”
He praised the collaboration among VDOT, the city, and VMI, adding that the project was an example of how SmartScale has shifted Virginia’s transportation planning toward objective, datadriven results.
“Highways and projects used to be [decided by] a bunch of folks sitting in a room and sort of trading and jockeying what was going to get done across the commonwealth,” he said. Now, projects are decided by a score of cost versus benefit.
“Now when we see projects that we really need to get done, we’ll get them done. This road isn’t just Route 11, it’s Main Street,” Miller continued. “It connects VMI, Washington and Lee, the Chessie Trail, and neighborhoods into downtown. It’s how families get around town, how students get to class, and how fans get safely to VMI football games.”
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracy Lyons, during her comments, emphasized the project’s role in economic vitality, saying that wellmaintained gateways “drive our economy and our ability to welcome visitors into our historic downtown.”
Jamie Goodin, representing the Healthy Green Neighborhoods Coalition, highlighted the health and community benefits of more walkable and bikeable streets.
VMI Deputy Superintendent Col. Jeff Boobar placed the project at the end of nearly a decade of institutional improvements along Main Street, from renovated athletic facilities to the post’s new Aquatic Center. “It’s a fitting culmination and final project along this thoroughfare,” he said, noting that the changes will improve safety for cadets, residents, and visitors alike.
Wednesday’s event included seventh grade civics students from Lylburn Downing Middle School, who were invited to take part in the ribbon cutting. Friedman encouraged them to view the project as an example of civic leadership and teamwork.
“This project represents an investment in the quality of life for everyone who lives in or visits Lexington,” Miller said. “It ensures that this city, with all its history, culture, and natural beauty, will continue to expand and thrive.”
