Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochland get $20.8 million for road projects
The Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will allocate $20.8 million of federal stimulus money to three transportation projects in Chesterfield, Goochland and Hanover counties.
The vote on Thursday designates:
- $10 million to widen VA-10 (West Hundred Road) in Chesterfield County.
- $6 million to widen US-250 (West Broad Street) in Goochland County.
- $4.8 million to replace the bridge over I-95 at Lewistown Road in Hanover County.
The Lewistown Road Bridge over Interstate 95 has been a source of problems for years, causing congestion and delays due to large trucks colliding with the low deck.
The widening of state Route 10 in Chesterfield County will take West Hundred Road to six to eight lanes between U.S. 1 and Meadowville Road. The stimulus funds, combined with available county funds and right-of-way, will enable the project to begin before 2010.
In Goochland, West Broad Street will be widened from two to four lanes between Hockett Road and Manakin Road.
-- Wesley P. Hester
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The RAMPO welcomes public involvement and comments. The public is invited to attend the monthly meetings on the 2nd Thursday of every month (begins immediately following the RRPDC meeting - approx. 2:30 PM). The next one is October 8th.
The 3 projects chosen are ranked #1 (portion), #3, and #5 on the Regional Transportation Priority Projects list, which is maintained by RAMPO to manage efforts to obtain funding from state and federal agencies. The projects were chosen because they were further along in the preparation stages, and therefore, able to meet the immediacy requirement (i.e., “shovel-ready”) of the stimulus funds.
A few people mentioned widening I-64 between Richmond and Hampton Roads, which is #7 on the list. (The list can be found at http://www.richmondregional.org/MPO_Div_Cats/tip_files/Regional_Priority_Projects_March_2009.pdf.)
Although the Route 10 project is somewhat near the new Meadowville Technology Park, the new interchange for Meadowville (that Anon asked about) is actually on I-295. That project is also on priority list. For cib258, traffic on Rt. 10 between I-295 and Old Stage Rd. exceeds 43,000 vehicles daily, which supported the need for widening.
Finally, it should be noted that repaving a road is considered differently (and funded through much different sources) than projects requiring significant engineering and construction (such as widening existing roads or building new roads). The stimulus funds in question were directed to the latter type of projects.
If you have other questions or concerns, feel free to contact your local elected town or county official who either sits on the RAMPO or has a representative for them.
These are some great comments on regional transportation issues. While I am grateful for the feds help, I wouldn’t agree that “Virginia has chosen for the past 30 years to not address our transportation” in the Richmond Region. As a newcomer to the area who has lived in Los Angeles and DC, Richmond’s roads are spectacular. (Although the public transit options are more lacking.)
INRIX - a private company that collects traffic data from over one million GPS-enabled vehicles and mobile devices - recently issued a report that showed Richmond as only the 63rd worst traffic of the 100 most populated areas in the US (and Richmond is 43rd most populated!). Called the National Traffic Scorecard, it can be found at http://inrix.com/scorecard/Top100Metros.asp.
What’s more, the study showed that our “traffic hour” is quite insignificant. We were second best (only 98th worst, but still 43rd most populated) of the 100 in the impact on one’s commute during the peak time. Richmond’s Travel Time Index was only 1.01. TTI expresses the average amount of extra time it takes to travel in the peak relative to free-flow travel. For us in Richmond, that means that the peak hour of traffic in Richmond only adds 1% extra time to your commute (LA=34%; DC=22%, Norfolk’s=11%).
hmm, seems that this money could be better spent but then again, 250 in Goochland will be busy within a few years with all the people moving past Short Pump. Growth keeps moving west, why not widen the road now for cheap? AS for the comments on the roads here being fine, they’re not bad but not great. All of 64 around Richmond needs to be repaved.
oneuser, stop whining about a gas tax. Unless you drive 300 miles a day for work it’s not going to kill you. 5 cents extra a gallon times a 15 gallon fill up equals an extra 75 cents to go to roads. If you can’t deal with paying that maybe you should walk everywhere. Virginia has the 10th lowest gas tax in the country at 19 cents.
truthmachine, you’re why politicians suck. Blaming problems on liberals, dems, republicans, whips, etc…Stop the blame game and name calling and offer real solutions.
Isn’t Meadowville supposed to be getting it’s own I-95 interchange? Or is this the acknowledgment that that will never happen?
thinklogical… you should try that.
Tell me, how long will the jobs created for these road expansions last? Maybe three months? Great full-time work there. The stimulus is supposed to create JOBS, not a little work here and there. I’ll criticize Obama’s ridiculous porkulus garbage all day long because even if you expand these roads, no one is headed to any new jobs on those roads.
The Meadowville Technology Park provides many jobs and needed tax money for the county. I guess you want to pay more real estate taxes and do away with Meadowville?
“The widening of state Route 10 in Chesterfield County will take West Hundred Road to six to eight lanes between U.S. 1 and Meadowville Road. The stimulus funds, combined with available county funds and right-of-way, will enable the project to begin before 2010.“
Going from six to eight lanes? Whoa! That’s a lot of traffic.
I wonder what the traffic counts are?
Chesterfield County is the developer of Meadowville Technology Park. As the developer, are they being allowed too much say on roads? If Meadowville Technology Park were a private development, would the county government would find the case for eight lanes linking Meadowville to I-95 as compelling?
Here’s a map:
I certainly can’t vouch for any one road improvement over another… this wasn’t determined by the Government, but by the Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization—I have to assume they know the priorities in the Richmond area… this is about an overall problem - and absolutely we need to widen I-64 also! Anyone who has sat on I-64 for hours going to/from Va Beach will agree with that!
thinklogical, Why would anyone in their right mind want to add to the cost of gasoline? Guess it is self explanatory. We here in Virginia pay FEDERAL taxes too or did you overlook it? The roads are in good shape we just need a toll booth on the entrances to Virginia. Let the ones who use 95 pay to keep it fixed.Let them take the responsibility. I already have enough bills.
I agree with truthmachine. They need to widen I-64 between Richmond and Newport News. I travel broad in Goochland all the time and never have any problems. This is typical government inefficiency at its best.
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