Scott Shenk

Fredericksburg

Reporter at The Free Lance-Star

Veteran reporter covering Spotsylvania County and transportation in the Fredericksburg region.

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Articles

Rezoning for a Smith Station Road development approved

1 week ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

A rezoning request was approved this week for a planned 99-home neighborhood off Smith Station Road in Spotsylvania County. The Board of Supervisors heard an update on proposed changes to proffers for the proposed Smith Station Crossing development at Tuesday’s meeting. The board then approved the rezoning, from residential to planned development housing district, in a 5-2 vote. Supervisors Jake Lane and Lori Hayes dissented.
Spotsylvania sets new water, sewer rates

1 week ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Water and sewer rates will be increasing for Spotsylvania County residents who use the public system. A growing population and two major infrastructure projects are the key drivers for the higher rates in fiscal 2026 and 2027. Fiscal 2026 starts on July 1. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the new rates after a public hearing during the Tuesday evening meeting. There was a staff and consultant presentation on the updated water and sewer rates as part of a public hearing.
Old Plank Road getting pavement overhaul in Spotsylvania

1 week ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Crews are about to start work on a month-long project aimed at improving the pavement and safety of Old Plank Road in Spotsylvania County. The work is set to start early Monday, June 2, the Virginia Department of Transportation said on Tuesday. Crews will be working between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for approximately four weeks, depending on the weather. There will be a mobile work zone with one-way alternating traffic during the project.
CTB approves Smart Scale projects

1 week ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Four Fredericksburg District projects will get funding through this year’s Smart Scale program. That result is not what area planners wanted in the sixth round of the state program that scores and funds projects sent in by localities across Virginia. At its Wednesday, May 21, meeting the Commonwealth Transportation Board unanimously approved the staff recommended “consensus scenario” for Smart Scale projects in round six.
Work to close Spotswood Furnace Road in Spotsylvania in June

2 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Scheduled pavement repair work is expected to close a two-mile section of Spotswood Furnace Road in Spotsylvania County in early June. Crews are scheduled to start travel surface repairs on June 2, the Virginia Department of Transportation said. Work will be done from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during weekdays. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Crews will be working on a section of the road between River Road and U.S. Ford Road.
Cosner campus data center project milestone hit, opens soon

2 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Spotsylvania County’s first data center facility is set to go online soon, and progress on the work was celebrated Wednesday morning. Hundreds of workers filled several aisles of tables in the large lunch facility on the Cosner Tech Campus data center complex around 10:30 on the rainy morning. There was catered food and a band to mark a milestone for the tech-giant Amazon project. Before the crews ate, Amazon employees and supervisors with companies building the complex spoke.
City trail expansion planned

2 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

Fredericksburg planners are in the process of adding a $9.3-million connector to link current and planned trails around the city, and they are looking for public input. Residents can learn more about plans for the Dixon Park Connector, including the project’s scope and timeline, on May 29 at a spot where the trail connector will run. At 6 p.m. on that day, city officials will meet residents at the end of Caroline Street (100 block) to talk about the project.
Small travel increase expected for Memorial Day

2 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

More travelers are expected over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, but it could mark one of the lowest spikes in nearly a decade. The auto club AAA predicts 45 million people will travel at least 50 miles across the U.S. during the long holiday weekend, from Friday to Tuesday.
I-95 express lanes extension in Stafford earns award

3 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

The 10-mile-long Interstate 95 express lanes extension in Stafford County has earned an award from a nonprofit organization that focuses on sustainable infrastructure work across the globe. The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by the American Public Works Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Council of Engineering Companies, recently announced the express lanes project had earned its Envision Silver award.
Rabid racoon found in Spotsylvania

3 weeks ago | fredericksburg.com | Scott Shenk

A racoon found in Spotsylvania County has tested positive for rabies, the Rappahannock Area Health District said in a Friday statement. The racoon was found near the 7000 block of Stubbs Bridge Road, which is in the Lake Anna area of the county. The health district did not release details about when the animal was found, who found it, or if the animal was alive or how it was acting if alive.