Albemarle County has been selected as the recipient of two Virginia Locally Administered Projects (LAP) Awards from the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Local Assistance Division. The Crozet Square and Oak Street Improvements Project received the Community Impact Award and was named the 2026 Project of the Year.
Completed four months ahead of schedule, the project transformed aging and inaccessible streets around Crozet Square into safe, ADA‑compliant, fully connected public infrastructure. Improvements included enhanced stormwater management, upgraded pedestrian facilities, 52 clearly marked general and ADA parking spaces, and roadways ready for acceptance into the VDOT system. The project also installed more than 400+ feet of sidewalk—with ADA ramps and crosswalks—completing the full sidewalk network around the block and widening existing walkways in front of local businesses. These upgrades improved the area’s aesthetic and sense of place, strengthened safety and traffic flow through a right‑in/right‑out configuration and improved access spacing, and created a strong foundation for future commercial and community activity.
During the five project phases, the Shop the Square campaign provided project updates and encouraged visitors to support local businesses that remained open throughout construction. Access to businesses was maintained throughout the project…