Varina residents are cautiously eyeing proposed road improvements along the Route 5 corridor, worried that upgrades could usher in new development and alter the character of their community.

The corridor is the main artery for people traveling into and out of the southern end of Richmond from Rockett’s Landing. At rush hour, residents say, the traffic bottleneck can stretch a mile and take nearly 30 minutes to clear.

Most agree safety and traffic flow need improvement. But some fear major expansions will open the door to sprawling shopping centers, apartments and industry — growth Varina has long resisted.

“Which comes first? Do you build out the infrastructure through the neighborhood in anticipation of something that might be built? Or is that a way of saying, ‘Go ahead and build it b

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