Nash/Beach Traffic Circle

The Traffic Circle is Complete

Nash/Beach Road roundabout/teardrop update from Bill Arel, Chesterfield County Transportation Department .

Good afternoon:

I’m glad to let this group know that paving at the Beach Road / Nash Road roundabout is complete. There are a few more pavement markings that crews need to add, but the paving and concrete work is complete.

We’ve created the attached one-page document to help spread the word about how to navigate the roundabout in its final condition. Please share this amongst your family, friends and neighbors.
Please reinforce the need to:

  1. Pick your lane on the approach
    • Nash Road Approaches (with ramps):
      – Left lane to turn left or go straight. Right lane to turn right.
    • Beach Road Approaches (without ramps):
      – Left lane to turn left. Right lane to go straight or turn right.
  2. Slow down
  3. Look left and yield to traffic in the roundabout|
  4. Do not change lanes in the roundabout

Thank you one more time for your patience and have a great holiday weekend. Travel safely!

Bill Arel, PE

Chesterfield County Transportation Department

The Reason for the Hybrid Teardrop

The following email is from Bill Arel with Chesterfield County and it concerns the reason for the hybrid teardrop at Nash/Beach Roads.
It is encouraging to note that the timing to fully open that area is hopefully by the end of this year.

Jim –
The teardrop shape is the result of the ‘hybrid’ design. The hybrid roundabout design has two quadrants with two lanes and two with a single lane – with the goal of defining the different paths of travel.

If you look closely, you can see that vehicles are able to immediately enter the roundabout in the correct lane – and see that the teardrop ‘pulls’ the left turn more to the left and the through traffic and right turns remain on the outside. The left turn is clearly separated from the right turn and through movement. At the same time, the curves and movements aim to lower travel speeds.

Another note we’d like to pass on as you’re sharing information:

  • Large vehicles, like tractor-trailers and fifth wheel campers, come through with less frequency than passenger cars and trucks. But when they do:
    • The roundabout is designed such that the largest of large vehicles can and should drive over the inside curb. It’s typically the rear wheel that tracks over, and that’s by design. That’s why there is an inside circle and an outer circle (they shouldn’t ever track into the inside circle)

To answer your last question, the final completion is officially May 2026 – this is the contract requirement. That said, work is ahead of schedule and we’re growing more hopeful for a late 2025 opening.

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