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Another $851 million to be cut from state's highway construction budget Date published: 11/29/2009
By KELLY HANNON Another round of cuts will hit Virginia's six-year transportation budget, but the Fredericksburg area may not see dramatic changes. When the Commonwealth Transportation Board meets Dec. 16 and 17, it must trim away another $851 million. In the Fredericksburg area, pavement work on interstates is at greatest risk. Under the proposed changes to the budget, there would be $22 million less for paving on interstates in the 14-county Fredericksburg District. However, in recent budget drafts more money has been shifted into primary pavement work, so the net loss to pavement improvements generally is $11 million. There would be $3.9 million less for preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition for widening U.S. 17 in Stafford County, but the change is ultimately positive. Money that is available for the widening has been shifted to earlier budget years, so more work can be accomplished sooner, said Stafford Supervisor Cord Sterling, a member of the CTB. The $851 million cut follows $4.6 billion in cuts to transportation funding since spring 2008. The cuts were needed because state revenue projections for the next six years--forecasts for tax money coming in--had to be adjusted as the economy slowed and people bought fewer cars and insurance policies, less gas and fewer other material goods. Many of the changes noticeable to drivers resulted from cuts to VDOT's budget. The CTB closed rest areas and trimmed ferry service and the frequency of road median mowing as a result of the billions in cuts. Secondary road budgets at the county level also have taken a severe hit. Stafford and Spotsylvania typically receive several million dollars each year to spend on secondary roads. Now, the counties are getting roughly $4 million to spend over six years. Before the next round of cuts, a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at VDOT's state headquarters at 1401 East Broad St. in Richmond. Comments can also be e-mailed to sixyear Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Local governments need to stop subsidizing growth. VRE is the latest example. This probably won't happen now that the developers are back in control of Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania. Instead we will continue to blame Richmond for poor local govt. planning.
More budget cuts for transportation, wonder how the new govna plans on re-opening the closed rest area's when that much money still has to be cut? Got a better idea, start cutting the salaries of all state workers. Just a small cut state wide would make a huge difference. Here's another idea, stop taking money from the Fed's for roadwork and sending that money elsewhere within the state budget just because there is a budget shortfall elsewhere. That's misappropriation of funds.
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