Visit Kelly Hannon's blog: On the Road

- Visit the Photo Place

View the Spotsylvania County community page

Route 3 bypass re-emerges

Local officials intrigued by idea to let private company build welcome center and toll road.

Date published: 4/28/2006

By KELLY HANNON

Some local officials are exploring a tentative proposal to build a State Route 3 bypass and new Virginia welcome center with private funds.

The idea is still in the early stages of discussion and it was not clear yesterday who is behind it. But it calls for a private company to rebuild the existing welcome center on southbound Interstate 95.

Starting at that spot, a private company could build a four-lane toll road bypassing Route 3. As proposed, the road would not require public funding.

Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors Chairman Hap Connors said details are "very murky," but he is interested in any project that will improve traffic flow on Route 3.

"I think it's important to my constituents, and the county, that we try to find some creative solutions, and to do that, it's going to take a local public-private endeavor," Connors said. "I just don't think there's any value in waiting for the General Assembly, or VDOT, or anybody from the outside to fix the problem."

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer was briefed on the idea in February, said Bob Hagan, president of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and former Spotsylvania supervisor.

Connors and Hagan attended that meeting along with Linda Worrell, who was then the chamber president. Worrell left the chamber to oversee commercial development projects for The Silver Cos. several weeks ago.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has not made a commitment to allow the project to move forward. Also, no private company has been identified to fund the project.

Connors said Homer requested more information on the idea.

VDOT has not received any formal public-private proposals related to the welcome center or bypass, said Tamara Neale, VDOT spokeswoman.

VDOT and the Federal Highway Administration would have to approve the dual access point off Interstate 95, where both the welcome center and bypass would be located.

The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors and Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization have passed resolutions asking for dual access.

If a bypass is built, motorists would have more direct access to Celebrate Virginia and the U.S. National Slavery Museum planned on the development site.

Follow us on

Date published: 4/28/2006