Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland get stimulus money for road projects

The Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has allocated $20.8 million of federal stimulus money to three priority transportation projects in Chesterfield, Goochland and Hanover counties.

"We wanted to get them the money as soon as possible," said Chuck Gates, a spokesman for the 28-member planning organization.

The group, representing nine local jurisdictions, serves as the federally designated agency responsible for developing regional transportation plans and programs.

Representatives from local governments, the Virginia Department of Transportation, GRTC Transit System, the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission and other transportation agencies are members of the group.

The money allocated to Chesterfield will help widen West Hundred Road from four to six lanes (eight in some sections) between U.S. 1 and Meadowville Road. Combined with county money and acquired right of way, the allocation will enable the first phase of the $59 million overall widening project to begin later this year.

"This is a huge, very important decision for Chesterfield and for the region in a lot of ways," said County Administrator James J.L. Stegmaier, noting that because the project will go to contract soon it will create much-needed work for road builders.

The Goochland project, which will widen a nearly 1-mile stretch of Broad Street Road from two to four lanes between Hockett Road and Manakin Road, has been 12 years in the making.

"It looks like we might finally get the road built now," said Malvern R. "Rudy" Butler, a Goochland supervisor and member of the planning organization. The $10 million overall project already had additional federal and state funding.

"It's going to help trafficwise and probably help some of those people develop their land later on because it'll be more appealing," Butler said.

Butler said they hope to break ground by next summer.

The Lewistown Road Bridge in Hanover over Interstate 95 has been a source of problems for years, causing congestion and delays caused by large trucks colliding with the low deck.

"It is a structurally deficient bridge," said Tom Hawthorne, Richmond District administrator for the Virginia Department of Transportation. "It has been struck at least twice in the last year or so by over-height loads, which has caused quite a bit of disruption and maintenance."

The project involves two phases: widening the road as it approaches the bridge from the west and replacing the current two-lane bridge with a four-lane bridge.

Thursday's vote will help fund both phases.

"We're very excited at the opportunity to replace the bridge in the near future," said Hanover County Administrator Cecil R. "Rhu" Harris Jr.

Contact Wesley P. Hester at (804) 649-6976 or .