Race weekend so plan your driving accordingly

Do any residents want to share their secrets or do you just avoid the whole area?

September 4, 2014; 11:10 AM • by Richard Hayes

As all but the brand new residents know, race weekend brings more than the background hum of car traveling in circles. It brings thousands for cars full of folks to watch the other cars.

RTD posted this set of advice on how to avoid various spots.

In Henrico, the following traffic pattern changes will be in place Saturday:

From 1 p.m. until the race starts, the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Road will be one-way southbound from the Hanover County line to Azalea Avenue.

Starting about 10 p.m., the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Road will be one-way northbound to Atlee Road in Hanover County. The road will revert to two-way traffic after race traffic clears.

After the race, Carolina Avenue will be one-way, and Laburnum Avenue will be one-way eastbound from Carolina Avenue to the Mechanicsville Turnpike, with no eastbound traffic allowed on Laburnum from the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Road to Carolina Avenue.

Also after the race, Azalea Avenue from the Richmond-Henrico Turnpike/Meadowbridge Road to Henrico High School will go to three lanes westbound and one lane eastbound, which means all median crossovers in this section will be closed starting about 10 p.m. Police will assist those wishing to turn from Azalea onto Thrush Lane or Pony Farm Drive.

Henrico police recommend local traffic for the race take the following routes:

From the east — Take Interstate 64 west to the Laburnum Avenue exit, turn right and proceed to the raceway.

From the north — Take Brook Road (U.S. 1) to Azalea Avenue, turn left and proceed to the raceway.

From the west — Take Interstate 64 east to the Laburnum Avenue exit, turn left and proceed to the raceway.

From the south — Take Interstate 95 north to Interstate 64 east to the Mechanicsville Turnpike (U.S. 360) to Laburnum Avenue. Turn left and proceed to the raceway.