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Kaine cheers road help by feds Gov. Tim Kaine celebrates Route 3 widening project at Spotsylvania groundbreaking event Date published: 10/29/2009
By KELLY HANNON Gov. Tim Kaine was pleased to attend yesterday's groundbreaking in Spotsylvania County for the expansion State Route 3 near Gordon Road. He just wishes it were under different circumstances. "I thought I'd be doing it because the state had decided to pony up and pay for transportation. That was not to be," Kaine said. Instead, the federal government--compliments of taxpayers nationwide--are paying to widen Route 3 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the federal stimulus package, passed in February. The widening from Rutherford Drive to Gordon Road was supposed to be paid using state transportation money. But the Commonwealth Transportation Board had to cut the project last winter, along with 800 other road projects statewide. Transportation revenues were expected to fall by $4 billion in coming years, since fewer people were buying vehicles and gas during a recession. Then, just as suddenly as it was cut, the work was revitalized two months later. The same transportation board devoted $25.2 million of Virginia's share of the federal stimulus money to the Route 3 widening. Spotsylvania County is managing the project, and the Board of Supervisors recently hired a project contractor, Henderson Construction Co. To celebrate, Kaine and local officials turned dirt outside a 7-Eleven at Gordon Road yesterday, under a sign announcing the project was "Putting America to Work." One lane of Route 3 east was closed for the ceremony, as was a section of northbound Gordon Road. Kaine estimated 700 jobs will be affected directly or indirectly by the widening, where work will be visible to drivers next spring and will finish by summer 2012. "Even though we're inconveniencing a few of these folks today by closing off the lane, they're very happy we're doing this today," Kaine said. "By 2012, the road's going to look an awful lot better." Today Route 3 narrows from six to four lanes between Chewning Lane, Rutherford Drive and Gordon Road, only to expand to six lanes farther west just before the Harrison Crossing shopping center. The lane pattern causes merging and weaving as drivers must realize the lane they are traveling in ends.
Date published: 10/29/2009
Doesnt the Governor have better things to do? This project won't start until next spring. His cost, his entourage, and the dozen police cruisers (yes dozen - I was delayed and diverted for this event) all are a waste for a few pictures of something happening. Build the road then invite the governor to open it!
Those of us that use Route3 on a regular basis will view the completed project as a step in the right direction. And WE all know more needs to be done on 3.But this is a step in the right direction. Obivously missing from yesterday's groundbreaking was Congressmen"NO" Cantor & Witman who would rather give tax breaks to their rich friends than help their constituents fix the road.
How can it be a campaign stop if no one speaking yesterday is campaigning for re-election? And Obama is not running this year, either. Good Lord.
Just move the back up further down the road. Complete BS.
This was nothing more than a well-timed campaign stop. No
work until spring. How much money (VDOT, sheriff, etc.) was
used just for Kain to campaign to prop up Obama before next
week's election.
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