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Elected officials, citizens, ask for money at transportation budget hearing Date published: 10/31/2007
By KELLY HANNON No one misses an opportunity to lobby for transportation projects. The state's top transportation leaders were in Stafford yesterday to hear comments on the six-year budget that builds roads, interchanges and bridges in Virginia. Stafford supervisor Paul Milde asked for money to advance the Courthouse Road/State Route 630 interchange on Interstate 95. So far, the $185.4 million project has $28.8 in funding. The Falmouth intersection and U.S. 17 in Stafford were mentioned, too, by Stafford supervisors George Schwartz and Joe Brito. Redesigning the Falmouth intersection may cost around $21 million. It has $11.9 million in funding. The U.S. 17 widening needs $44 million. It's got $15 million. Taking in the requests were Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer, and two members of the state Transportation Board, Mary Lee Carter, the Fredericksburg area's representative, and Stafford resident Cord Sterling, an at-large urban member. Homer recalled the Falmouth signal from his tour of the area this summer. "This is the longest stoplight in the world you're talking about?" Homer asked, drawing knowing laughs from the crowd. The money already in the state budget for the Falmouth intersection and U.S. 17 widening will pay for design work and project engineering. "Until we get the engineering completed, it's hard to price what the construction will be," Sterling said. "Every step forward is a step forward," Homer said, noting the projects have been languishing for years. Spotsylvania requested funding to replace the U.S. 17 bridge over I-95. The county has identified more than $1.5 million to help VDOT finish design work. "We hope this will 'jump start' the project to be in a position to request the CTB to consider allocations to complete the construction," said Rebecca Golden, director of Spotsylvania's capital projects management department. Caroline supervisor Calvin Taylor, on behalf of his board, asked for money to improve the Ladysmith I-95 interchange, and to widen State Route 30 beyond the intersection with State Route 652, anticipating Virginia State Fair traffic. One Stafford woman asked the board not to fund a project, High Occupancy Toll lanes on I-95. The combination HOT and High Occupancy Vehicle lanes will give access unfairly to wealthy drivers, said Susan Kelly, a vanpool driver.
I BELIEVE YOU MEAN ROCKET SCIENCE. I'M SURPRISED YOU CAN EVEN ADD 1+1!!!! I'M GLAD YOU ARE NOT TAKING PART IN MAKING THE DECISIONS. WE WOULD REALLY BE AT A DEAD END.
"Redesigning the Falmouth intersection may cost around $21 million. It has $11.9 million in funding. The U.S. 17 widening needs $44 million. It's got $15 million" So 15+11.9=26.9 So rather than standing and doing nothing design the Falmouth intersection or complete 3/4 of RT 17. Rather than delaying both projects waiting for $. This ain't rocket surgery!!!
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