First steps on our way to electing a ‘new’ transportation governor

Tomorrow, Virginia Democrats (and any Republicans who’d like to) will vote for nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. Whoever is chosen for the top of the ticket will then face Bob McDonnell in the fall. And no matter how the election plays from here forward, next January, we’ll inaugurate a new “Transportation Governor.”

Tim Kaine thought he was filling that role. He identified transportation as the number one issue facing the Commonwealth and traveled throughout, including a stop in Culpeper, even before he was sworn into office. Of course, once comfortably seated in Richmond, he found a legislative branch in no hurry to make him a hero, and the rest of us now have a case of déjà vu.

There are many differences between 2005 and 2009, but one thing that has stayed the same is the need for more and better roads. The biggest difference is that in 2005, we were in better economic standing to actually build them. But the mistakes of the past can’t be repeated. This time around we might not get the public forums on the issue, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone from the minds of those using the roads every day.

The candidates themselves bring backgrounds that should incline them to be supportive of this cause.

McDonnell grew up in Northern Virginia and represented Virginia Beach in the House of Delegates, two of the most horrendous driving areas you’ll find. Either he’s been living his entire life with blinders on, or he will answer the call from all of his former neighbors to get something done.

On the Democratic side, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran both reside in NoVa. And while Creigh Deeds may have grown up in Bath County, I’m sure he’s seen enough of Virginia’s roads in the past year to get the picture.

Of course, if any of the candidates would like a refresher, I’d skip the predictable I-66 and I-95 daily parking lots and instead ask them to attempt the Virginia Beach to Richmond drive on a Sunday — there’s nothing lazy about that afternoon.

So Tim Kaine will leave office as the “Cassandra of the Commonwealth” having been fated to warn us of impending transportation catastrophe only to have his cries unheard. And his successor will be left to fight the same battles, only this time handicapped by a struggling economy and a Department of Transportation already forced into tough budget choices.

In local roads news
On the local road front, it’s great to see progress on James Madison Highway north of town. With most of the new shopping construction in the county moving in that direction (Target and the soon-to-open Martin’s come to mind), four lanes were essential. In the meantime, we’ve been stuck with a messy intersection at Montanus Drive, but you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Before you know it, we’ll all be complaining about the bottleneck at Inlet. I’ll take it.

And lastly, I’ll have more to say about “Plan B” for the Western Outer Loop next week; but for now, I’ll simply comment that if the town can divert the $1.5 million allocated to that down-the-road project to instead widen VA-229 in the short-term, I can live with that. As we’ve seen statewide, an actual lane on the road is worth two or more on a planning map.

Clements’ column runs every Monday on the editorial page.