RICHMOND
South Hampton Roads, like regions across the state, would lose hundreds of millions of dollars for new roads under a plan to sharply cut the state road building budget.
Virginia highway department officials on Thursday announced a $1.3 billion reduction in construction funds that would cause the delay of some new road, rail and transit projects and the cancellation of others. Those affected would include the U.S. 17 Steel Bridge in Chesapeake, improvements to the Interstate 64 and Interstate 264 interchange in Norfolk, and the Interstate 64 widening in Newport News.
On its face, the revelations are a stark reminder of the economic crisis sweeping Virginia and the nation.
But the downward revision, which follows a $1.1 billion reduction to the $9.3 billion six-year construction plan in June, actually sends another signal: Virginia's highway department plans to dramatically change its function.
"The paradigm we have operated under for the last 75 years is broken," said E. Dana Dickens III, president of the Hampton Roads Partnership and a member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Historically, the state highway department has taken the lead on building new roads and fixing old ones. Going forward, state transportation officials said, new major road projects will be "episodic" and maintenance will take priority.
That harsh reality is because of dwindling state and federal money for road projects - both funding sources are fueled by gas taxes, a declining revenue source - which leaves Virginia with an overall $2.6 billion reduction in transportation revenue.
"We have to look at what the transportation system and funding stream of the future is going to be," Dickens added during a break in Thursday's transportation board meeting in Richmond. "It is not what we are currently used to."
The planned transportation budget cuts were announced one day after Gov. Timothy M. Kaine unveiled a bleak budget picture calling for billions in state spending cuts to offset a $2.9 billion revenue shortfall.
And like the overall state budget, which some lawmakers suggest needs deeper cuts, the road fund might have to be slashed further, transportation secretary Pierce Homer said.
"I wish I could say this is the end of the budget reduction process," Homer said at Thursday's meeting as he detailed the proposed project cuts.
From interstates to city streets, many road and rail projects will be stalled or scrapped outright under the revised state highway department construction plan. Other savings would come from the elimination of about 1,000 jobs at the department.
Transportation officials hold out hope that a stimulus package proposed by President-elect Barack Obama will provide an infusion of money.
For the moment, officials said, funds for the development of the Martin Luther King Freeway extension and the Midtown Tunnel projects will be preserved.
A study of the various options for expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, meanwhile, is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Were funding available now for that project - it isn't - the price tag would exceed $3 billion.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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think about it
Now we can use this money to give the road construction companys a bailout- See how it works... Then we can increase taxes to pay to for another bailout. There's a whole in the boat and we keep bailing out rather then fixing the problem.
Money needs to go back to the people, give every american $300,000 dollars and watch what happens. I would feel much better then giving to a guy that make 30,000,000 for a bonus regardless if he makes a profit. The you won't need to bail out GM, I'm sure alot of people will buy new cars, I'm sure the housing market will pick up, and jobs will be back. This might be the only chance to own for some. We already have a system in place to hand it out, the IRS.
The "Buck" Started Rolling with Hubris & Greed
The "buck" has to stop somewhere, but where did it start? No crystal ball was required to sense that deregulation of our financial & securities industry - in a free market, free wheeling, special interest-dominated democracy - was based on individual greed, not the demos. Remember Ivan Boesky, Micheal Milkin and other Wall Street thieves such as Marty Siegel, Dennis Levine, Robert Freeman - all written about in James Stewart's '92 Pulitzer Prize winning book, Den of Thieves? Look back at the players, follow their special interest group money through Congress. Remember the selling of the Iraq invasion? Contrived of lies that have been affirmed, re-affirmed and are now indisputable. Cost: $1 trillion and climbing @ $10 billion monthly. Wall Street's principle players loved it - as did Abramoff & Co. Remember him? Founded a Israeli Sniper School with funds bilked from Indian Tribes - a killers' training school? Did anyone think that was helping our economy worldwide - esp those who were financing our insane spending sprees? Now Madoff & his $50 billion theft, all the result individual greed, hubris and SEC & congressional complicity - AND deregulation in a democracy in dire need of ro
Unpredictable
It seems a lot of people want to toss out blame on this but I'd like to know who successfully predicted the recession and the downturn in revenue? There are a lot of state and federal officials that would love to have that crystal ball.
The money for these projects doesn't just materialize out of thin air: it has to come from somewhere. Current revenue streams are barely able to keep up with road maintenance let alone be enough to fund projects. This is a reality everyone in the state needs to recognize.
PSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!
What happen to the lottery money that was supposed to be used for road improvements? Lots of money, lack of improvements. Maybe it's being used for education? No, can't be, there isn't money in that budget either. Where IS that money going?????
Connecticut hires with a bonus for every day ahead of construction's date of completion with excellent results. Another consulting job to be had!!
Have no fear folks...
... because northern Virginia's constant road projects that drain every transportation budget the Commonwealth has ever made will continue as always, behind schedule and over budget. One day these horrible roads in HR and Richmond will actually be driven on by politicians who realize Yes Virginia, there is a state outside of Fairfax County.
So when are we going to start making that area of the state pay more towards the budget since they keep using money that could be re-allotted instead of draining our children's educational resources and stretching law enforcement to dangerous levels?
Don't matter
Who needs road improvements. You can always ride the light rail.
who is accountable??
Didn't someone have to approve this budget that is now in so much trouble??? If the people in charge of my company fell short by millions of dollars someone would be in trouble. What kind of preparation or insight went into the budget that it should now be so short? Doens't say much for whoever put the budget together. sad. I don't understand.
? Question
Does anyone still use the "Lane Der Shoulds" ?
And yet
He is cutting funding for projects that will actually help transportation in tidewater, but continues to ensure $280 million is dumped into a train to no where in norfolk.
Where is the sanity? Did someone cut education funding when he was taking fiscal responsibility class?
IMO, the biggest road "white elephant" project in Virginia is...
The Pocahontas Parkway/I-895 in Richmond!!!!
Cuts to Highway budget
The saga continues. I have to say, that the Lynnhaven Road interchange is one of the worst, along with the Witchduck and Independence Blvd interchanges. Whomever came up with those designs...On the more serious side, I don't look forward to budget cuts, but something has to be done. I see a lot of suggestions and complaints, but no real solutions. If you all can do a better job, run for public office and deal with this nonsense. See if you can offer any better solution and I will vote for you.
Gee - time to scrap that Beach Light Rail mistake, right?
Okay - so perhaps the nice-to-have low volume VA Beach connection to Norfolk's "Tide" needs to be placed on the back burner and the MPO redirct the $3M they spent yesterday for more studies to actually helping pay for real needs?
Worst Governor
Kaine neglected Virginia until he found out he was not Obama's choice for VP. He is without a doubt the worst Governor since Wilder pardoned Alan Iverson.
fine with me
Enuff of the gotta have it yesterday approach to budgets. patience is a virtue especially in these tight times. Get the state whole again then ease into the "nice to have done" projects. It's not the best roads in america, but we're doing just fine. Kind of like, "it's not the newest or biggest TV, but i can watch it just fine"....;-)