Road improvements near Goochland’s Rockville Opportunity Corridor underway

GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Goochland County officially began construction on a series of road improvements along the eastern region it calls its "Rockville Opportunity Corridor."

Many people associate Goochland County with rolling hills, greenery and open space. According to county officials, that will not change. Their newest wave of improvement projects is specifically targeted in parts of the county focused on development.

"We really do see it as an opportunity," said Goochland County's Economic Development Director Sara Worley.

8News visited the county's Economic Development headquarters to speak with Worley, who explained that part of the county's mission is to ensure it remains 85% rural and 15% commercial. Officials aim to maintain this balance by stimulating the local economy while keeping their reputation as a scenic, close-knit community.

"Commercial development is very important to keeping our very low tax rate at $0.53," Worley said. "So bringing in commercial development and allowing our existing businesses to expand and to have opportunities to be more accessible throughout the corridor is going to help residents across the county stabilize their tax base."

This means developing the county's east side -- paving the road to opportunity. However, opportunity to some may mean the fear of over-industrialization for others.

Some residents previously told 8News they love Goochland's small-town charm and agricultural emphasis and that they would not want to see it become oversaturated with commercialism.

Worley told 8News that her team kept this perspective in mind, which is why the corridor's location is strategic.

"If we can concentrate industrial and commercial growth into areas where our infrastructure is located, where our water and sewer is located," Worley began, "It does help to keep the rest of Goochland County more rural."

As warehouses and business ventures pop up along Route 623 and development inches closer to Hanover County, new traffic lights, entrance roads and turn lanes will gradually roll out to match the zone.

"That key corridor, Route 623/Ashland Road, is now becoming the opportunity corridor for industrial development," Worley said.

These projects will be completed in phases, which will extend through summer 2029. For details about the specific infrastructural changes and their predicted impacts, visit Goochland County's website.