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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
Email: program@vdot.virginia.gov.

Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com