Local rail, road projects get federal aid, but need more

RICHMOND

Federal economic stimulus money for transportation is starting to flow, sending millions to Hampton Roads for road and rail projects.

But even with that infusion of cash, Virginia lacks the financial resources to fully address its transportation needs. The federal dollars will jump-start several delayed projects, but they'll only go so far.

"Virginia's priorities have focused on meeting the basic needs of our transportation system - transit equipment and bus replacements, structurally deficient bridges and pavements, and economic development," state rail and public transportation director Charles "Chip" Badger said recently.

So far, state officials have programmed about half of the nearly $577 million in discretionary transportation stimulus money Virginia received.

The deadline for making decisions on the first half of the money is the end of this month; the remainder must be committed by March.

In Hampton Roads, the transportation money will help pay for rail projects designed to relieve road congestion to and from the ports by creating additional means of transporting cargo. It also will fund several local road-widening jobs on prominent arterials and pavement resurfacing on local highways.

Specific projects include:

- Widening Princess Anne Road between Dam Neck Road and Nimmo Parkway in Virginia Beach, a four-year project beginning next summer.

- Widening Witchduck Road between Princess Anne Road and Interstate 264 in Virginia Beach, a two-year project that could begin as soon as October.

- Repaving sections of Interstates 264 and 464 in Portsmouth and Norfolk.

- Moving rail lines into the Va. 164 medians to better allow cargo from the port to be shipped by rail.

- Building additional train tracks at the Norfolk International Terminals central rail yard.

Other regional projects to receive federal funds are the planned Fort Eustis Boulevard widening in Newport News and York County, paving Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, and the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail enhancement in Chesapeake.

Funding for these projects is separate from the $41 million in nondiscretionary stimulus dollars pledged to the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Planning Organization earlier this spring.

That money will be used primarily for fixing potholes, improving traffic signals and repairing bridges, regional officials have said.

Transportation officials last week approved the Virginia Department of Transportation's $7.4 billion, six-year road construction plan, which is $1.4 billion less than earlier projections - $650 million in cuts were made to highway funds alone.

As part of its ongoing expense-reduction strategy, VDOT will close more than half of its 42 rest areas, scale back its roadside assistance program and cut its work force by more than 1,000 employees.

State road revenue collections - largely derived from taxes on fuel and vehicles sales - have suffered during the recession, making it tougher to pay for transportation needs. At the same time, the cost of building roads is escalating.

Pilot writer Debbie Messina contributed to this report.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com