Public asks VDOT to continue funding

Richmond — Culpeper, Fredericksburg and Richmond residents and officials tried to drive home their messages Monday with comments about the importance of maintaining and creating new transportation projects in their respective counties.

Some people came in person, while others sent their requests via mail.

Either way, the Commonwealth Transportation Board received various public requests from folks urging them to fund specific road projects within the 2010-2015 Six-Year Improvement Program.

After passing security officers, about 20 people walked down a narrow hallway before gathering in the spacious Virginia Department of Transportation Central Office auditorium in Richmond.

The nine-member panel — including John “Butch” Davies, CTB representative for the Culpeper District, and James Utterback, Culpeper District administrator — sat behind a long table in the front of the room facing the audience for the 20-minute meeting.

Pierce Homer, secretary of transportation for VDOT, welcomed the small crowd before warning them of the additional funding cuts to highway and rail projects stemming from federal and state revenue shortfalls.

The proposed budget already reflects $650 million in cuts to highway programs and $880 million in reductions to rail and transit, according to VDOT officials.

The CTB will vote on the proposed $7.4 billion multi-year budget on June 18 in Richmond.

Funding local projects
Culpeper County Planning Director John Egertson mailed his comments to the VDOT programming director last week urging the agency to maintain funding for the Route 666 and U.S. 29 interchange and the final widening phase along Route 3 between Lignum and Stevensburg.

“This interchange is critical for the Route 29 corridor on a statewide and regional basis as well. Route 29 is a connecting road between two interstate highways, Route 66 to the north and Route 64 to the south,” Egertson wrote. “It is a critical component of the transportation network in the Commonwealth, as evidenced by multiple VDOT studies of the Route 29 corridor over the years including one which is ongoing.

“It should be noted that Culpeper County has made a significant effort through its Comprehensive Plan and through its actions to preserve Route 29 as a corridor to move traffic through the region.”

Egertson also stressed the importance of funding the final phase of the four-lane widening project along Route 3 — the direct road linking Culpeper to Fredericksburg.

“This corridor connects Route 29 to Route 95. Route 3 is currently four-laned with the exception of a segment in Culpeper County,” he wrote. “This segment has now become a major safety concern which needs to be addressed.”

A recent VDOT study revealed that there were 85 wrecks reported on this two-lane section of Route 3 near Stevensburg between 2004 and 2009.

In March, four people died on Route 3 when their sedan struck an SUV during a head-on collision. Two other crashes in the last two years have killed two others on that stretch of road.

Fritz Alderman, acting engineer for the town of Culpeper, traveled to Richmond on Monday to thank VDOT representatives in person for funding the town’s Six-Year Improvement projects.

“We realize and understand the financial difficulties during these trying economic times and are grateful that you continue to support our projects,” said Alderman, standing behind the lectern.

The town projects include: the four-lane widening of Route 229 near the intersection of Route 29/15 and Fairview Road.

“This section of road carries a large volume of traffic in addition to being the primary route for a number of schools and emergency routes for the rescue squads,” Alderman said.

Davies describes this particular intersection along Route 229 near McDonald’s and Wendy’s as Culpeper’s “mixing bowl.”

“That’s because of all of the traffic confusion and congestion,” he said. “It’s one of a couple of projects that I have in the entire Culpeper District where we kept the funds. So we are very fortunate to have it.”

Alderman added that the town recently approved a concept plan for a western inner loop in the town limits.

“We would like for you to keep in mind that we’d like for part of that project to be a connection to that intersection in order to alleviate traffic and make it safer for people to get through that part of town,” Alderman said.

The final project Alderman mentioned was possibly funding the widening project of Route 229 from Fairview Road to the northern town limits.

“This section of road is an integral part of the previous project and also carries a large volume of traffic as well,” he said.