The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Hampton Roads gained hundreds of millions of dollars in the draft transportation plan presented to the Commonwealth Transportation Board on Wednesday - the region's biggest road-building budget in a decade, local leaders say.
Over six years, Hampton Roads would get at least $1.1 billion, about $200 million more than the last six-year plan. Funded projects include Virginia Beach priorities: the Lesner Bridge replacement and the widenings of Lynnhaven Parkway and Witchduck and Holland roads.
The region also stands to gain a large chunk of $1.4 billion reserved for public-private toll projects. Four projects are vying for that money, and two are in Hampton Roads - expanding the Midtown Tunnel and rebuilding U.S. 460 to interstate quality.
"It's a great day for Hampton Roads," said Aubrey Layne, who represents the region on the transportation board. "We're seeing in hard numbers that money is coming to Hampton Roads."
Dwight Farmer, executive director of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, agreed.
"This is the best news we've heard this decade, and it's all being done within the existing revenue stream."
Virginia Beach officials, however, were expecting about $360 million for road improvements; instead, the city will get about 40 percent of that, said Bob Matthias, assistant to the city manager.
Projects that were not funded include Dam Neck, Indian River and Laskin roads.
"While we're appreciative of we got, we don't know what happened to the rest of the money," Matthias said. "We don't know, and no one seems to know."
He said it will take time to review the document to see "who the winners and who the losers were."
For several years, the state's road-building budget has shrunk due to declining fuel tax receipts. But thanks to a $3 billion infusion of borrowed money that was part of Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation package, the proposed budget has grown 33 percent, to $10.4 billion. About $8.1 billion is for roads and $2.3 billion for rail and public transit.
"It's the first time in years that projects have actually been added and will be able to be funded," McDonnell told the transportation board in releasing the draft plan. "This is what the citizens have been asking about for a while.
"We'll be able to get a lot of projects jump-started locally."
McDonnell said the expanded plan is not just about money but also accountability for VDOT's performance.
The transportation package included 900 projects statewide that he said would be accelerated or completed as a result of the funding plan.
Rita Busher, VDOT chief of planning and programming, said the list represents projects that are candidates for funding and was never meant to be a building plan.
"The list was definitely more than the available funding," Busher said.
Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com
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how much will TME Enterprises pocket ?
sure would like to know the cozy relationship between the mysterious TME Enterprises & Richmond ???
One day they showed up & took over the VDOT fleet of trucks . It was assumed they would continue to maintain 264 , 64 etc.
What a joke , a shovel full of asphalt in a concrete crater is not maintenance ! They don't even attempt to make a repair last , they don't even compact the asphalt in the hole , just a little pat down from the same shovel.
I sure would like to know what they get ($) for the same holes they plug over & over.
Where's the Beef?
You really have to hand it to this Governor; never has so little been promoted as so much. First, everyone who looked at the list of 900 projects thought every one of them would get done. Divide $4B by 900, and the $4,500,000 or so per project is not enough for the road contractor to buy donuts. This should have been the first clue. Next, realize we now have $8 Billion in deferred maintenance of roads, bridges, and tunnels, and realize this borrowing does not touch maintenance. Third, borrowing has to be repaid, yet transportation revenues for the trust fund continue to decline. But the smoke and mirrors really worked for our Governor to tout his transportation program, and some urban projects will get done. A+ for PR; debt worked.
Start with fixing the yellow
Start with fixing the yellow dot matrix signs that tell drivers about the back up at HRBT
or..
st rt wi h fixi g the ellow dot ma rix si ns tha te l dri ers abou the ackup at H BT
Just a thought
Since the bridge-tunnels won't be built, why not refund the money back to citizens according to dmv title records to cover fuel and personal time lost waiting in 12 mile backups.
Convenient
Is it just me, or has this money become available just about the time a new 3 year study was needed on the HRBT? That should just about even out the funding situation.
Shorter story: McDonnell agrees with Obama / Dem Stimulus plans
And in doing so, he refutes 2+ years of frothy, vapors-suffering, Socialist-Commi-Marxist name calling hurled at Obama from the GOPT. Nice job Guvnha.
"Statewide, the transportation work should create 100,000 jobs & generate $13 billion in economic activity, McDonnell told the CTB." Sounds like a good idea to stimulate the economy. Hey, wasn't that what the Dems were after?
"McDonnell plans to borrow $3 billion over the next 3 years." Another Reagan/Bush/Bush "Borrow and Big Spending" Republican.
The next governor will be saddled with McDonnell's $3 billion IOU and that Guv will get the blame. Worked for Bush.
The Teaps will surely go ballastic on this. Or they'll apologize for their 2+ years of histrionics. Or they'll be very quite.
for those who believe in higher road taxes
Please make your checks payable to:
Commonwealth of Virginia Department of the Treasury
and then mail to:
PO Box 1879
Richmond, VA 23218-1879
Feel free to contribute as much as you like, there are no limits on voluntary tax payments.
Why wait(?) for the state to pass new taxes, give now, give often, and give till it hurts.
The rest of us give enough and with the right management the funds are now being allocated properly instead of being diverted to leachocrat special interest groups.
There is no free lunch
Sorry, if this state will not support maintaining its highways, I will not volunteer to take up your slack. What you cannot see is that a minimum level of funding needed to finance road maintenance. Minimum levels exist in other fields as well, such as maintaining a house, a business, etc. If you research it you will find that every state in this region with the exception of VA has a gas tax that is about 30% higher than VA. These states all have a better maintained road network. Curiously the price of gas in these states is not much more than the price in VA. I am relocating to one of these higher tax states. You see, I will gladly pay the tax but my money will be spent elsewhere,You will pay the "tax" in higher car maintenance cost.
Something's missing...
I agree that we need better roads, but where did they "borrow" the money? If the Federal government (Congress & Obama) didn't give it to them, then private investors would probably demand TOLLS later. McDonnell promised us TOLLS during his campaign, and it would drive up the cost of commuters everywhere, maybe even destroy some tourist trade.
This article needs more detail. The money has appeared -- from where, and how did Virginia's government promise investors a return? TOLLS or HIGHER TAXES later?