West Broad Street Short Pump Road Improvements: What VDOT’s Route 250 Project Means for Retail Tenants and Owners

The main West Broad Street Short Pump road improvements project is VDOT’s West Broad Street (Route 250) Short Pump Operational Improvement: a $24.3 million effort to improve traffic flow on Route 250 from I-64 to East Pouncey Tract Road, with construction estimated to run from fall 2028 to fall 2030. It reconfigures the intersections at Tom Leonard Drive, Brownstone Boulevard, and John Rolfe Parkway, which means turning movements into some of the corridor’s busiest shopping centers may change.

For retail tenants and property owners, the practical questions are which entrances are affected, how long construction will disrupt traffic, and what a lease should say about it. This post covers the project details from VDOT’s project page, the related projects around it, and the lease terms worth negotiating. For rents, vacancy, and site formats across the corridor, see our Short Pump retail space for lease guide.

What is the West Broad Street Short Pump operational improvement project?

VDOT describes the project’s goal as improving traffic operations along the West Broad Street corridor between I-64 and East Pouncey Tract Road. According to the project page (last updated September 17, 2026), the scope includes:

• Flex post delineators separating traffic merging onto West Broad Street from I-64 from traffic trying to turn left at the first intersection, Gathering Place.
• A continuous through-right option lane for the entire stretch of the corridor.
• Reconfigured intersections at West Broad Street and Tom Leonard Drive, Brownstone Boulevard, and John Rolfe Parkway.
• Sidewalk upgrades along the corridor to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

The project is tracked as UPC 123583. VDOT noticed its willingness to hold a public hearing in February 2025 and received no written requests, so no hearing was held. The page does not say whether right-of-way will be acquired from adjoining parcels, and it does not publish lane-by-lane plan sheets, so owners should request the current design from the project manager listed on the page.

On funding, Richmond BizSense reported in April 2024 that Henrico had secured $26 million in state SMART SCALE funding for Broad Street improvements. VDOT’s current estimated cost for this project is $24.3 million. The two figures come from different points in the process, so treat VDOT’s page as the current number and expect estimates to move as design advances.

What else is under construction or planned nearby?

The operational project is one piece of a larger package. VDOT’s Short Pump Area Transportation Improvements study grouped seven proposals, including a partial cloverleaf at the Route 250/I-64 interchange and the Tom Leonard Drive through-cut. Several now have their own schedules:

The Dominion Boulevard and Cox Road figures come from VDOT’s project page (UPC 118597, design public hearing held May 8, 2026). The Gayton Road figures come from a September 2026 Henrico Citizen report on regional funding approvals. The takeaway for retail: the corridor is likely to see overlapping work zones from 2028 into 2031.

How could the West Broad Street Short Pump road improvements affect retail access?

Operational projects change how cars move, not just how many lanes there are. Reconfiguring an intersection can shift where drivers can turn left, lengthen or shorten turn bays, or close a median opening. A center that relies on a left turn from westbound West Broad could gain or lose that movement. A through-cut or lane conversion can change how easily drivers reach a right-in entrance.

Over the long term, the aim is less congestion. For most centers that is good news, since gridlock near the I-64 interchange discourages shopping trips. During construction, expect lane shifts, reduced speeds, and some temporary entrance changes. Restaurants and convenience users that depend on quick in-and-out trips feel this first.

What lease protections should Short Pump retail tenants ask for?

Landlords do not control VDOT’s work, and most standard leases put the risk of public road changes on the tenant. With a known project on the calendar, it is reasonable to ask for specific protections:

1. 1Access covenant — the landlord agrees to keep the center’s existing curb cuts and internal drive aisles open, or to provide a reasonable substitute, and not to agree to access changes without notice to tenants.
2. 2Construction-period relief — rent abatement or a reduction if a named entrance is closed, or customer access is materially impaired, for more than a set number of consecutive days.
3. 3Temporary signage rights — permission for “open during construction” and wayfinding signs, subject to county sign rules.
4. 4Co-tenancy — relief if the anchor that drives your traffic closes, including if it closes during the construction period.
5. 5Condemnation clause — spells out what happens if VDOT acquires part of the property (parking, landscaping, an entrance), including termination rights if the taking materially harms your premises or access, and how any award is split.
6. 6Timing flexibility — a delivery or opening date that allows for a construction start, or an early-termination right tied to access loss.

Have a real estate attorney draft the language. The value of these clauses depends on specific triggers and definitions, and landlords in a market this tight will push back on broad versions.

What should property owners do now?

Owners should compare the design to their entrances, parking fields, and pylon signs, and raise concerns with VDOT while the project is still in design. If any land is needed, Virginia’s eminent domain statute, Code of Virginia § 25.1-230.1, requires the body determining just compensation to include loss in market value of the remaining property from lost access, and, if strict conditions are met, lost profits for a business on the property. Whether a given change qualifies is a legal question for an eminent domain attorney, not a broker.

Owners also need to plan leasing around the project. Tenants who know about the project will ask for the protections above. Being ready with clear answers and realistic concessions will close deals faster than stonewalling.

When is the right time to sign a Short Pump retail lease?

Waiting until the roads are finished is rarely practical. Short Pump posted 0.7% retail vacancy in Q2 2026, and good space does not sit empty for years. A better approach is to sign with the project in view. Negotiate the clauses above, time your opening so the business is established before construction peaks, or plan a later opening to avoid the worst of it. A lease starting now with a five- or ten-year term will run through the construction window either way, so the terms matter more than the start date.

For the broader picture on rents, formats, and lease terms, go back to our Short Pump retail space for lease guide. If you are a restaurant operator, our guide to restaurant space for lease in Short Pump covers the build-out and permitting side.

Need help evaluating a site on West Broad Street?

If you are weighing a location affected by the Route 250 work, I can help you pull the current plans, compare alternatives, and frame the lease terms worth asking for. You can see the services I provide, or get in touch to talk through a specific site.