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| Tue, Dec. 01 - - Mobile - RSS | |
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VDOT braces for deep cutbacks
State transportation leaders lay out a "blueprint" for coping with less federal, state money for roads and rails
Date published: 10/16/2008
By KELLY HANNON RICHMOND --Trouble on Wall Street has trickled down to cause problems on your street.Yesterday, Virginia transportation leaders announced the state is facing a $2.1 to $2.6 billion loss in road funding from 2009 to 2014. The Virginia Department of Transportation had planned to spend around $10 billion on roads over that period, but it had to cut $1.1 billion last summer. Now, Virginia will deduct several billion more, leaving it with around $6 to $7 billion. "As we witnessed so dramatically over the last few weeks, the world and the economy have changed very, very dramatically, and the transportation world needs to catch up," said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer. "No aspect of transportation, no agency, no service, no project will go untouched," Homer said. A drop in state sales tax is responsible for the cuts. Fewer people are buying cars and trucks in Virginia. And until recently, gas prices were averaging between $3.50 and $4 a gallon, and fewer people were fueling up. The same trend is occurring nationally so federal gas taxes will also bring in less money than expected. No one yesterday could say specifically where the cuts will fall, but VDOT Commissioner David Ekern said services around the state will be reduced. "Probability is that the conditions of the system will not be as good as they are today," Ekern said, addressing members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board in Richmond. Drivers may see less frequent road striping, road maintenance, paving, mowing, lighting, new signs and signal work. Ekern said he may seek legislative approval to commercialize rest areas. "Everything is on the table," he said, "and I cannot predict where you feel the pain." Safety and emergency response will remain a priority, and so will the state's highways, he said. But VDOT "will be a smaller agency with a different look," Ekern said. The department will shrink staff from 8,400 to 7,500 employees. Twenty percent of senior management positions will be cut. Wage and temporary positions will go from 1,200 workers to 500. VDOT will combine and reduce area residency offices, central office divisions in Richmond and equipment repair facilities, Ekern said.
Date published: 10/16/2008
Impact on referendum
(posted by
DeanFetterolf
, Oct. 16, 2008 10:50 am)
So does that mean that any potential "matching funds" will not be there if voters approve the $70M road bond referendum? If approved will there be projects that cannot be completed? Can the money be redesignated for different projects that can be completed?
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