Transportation funding in jeopardy

Additional funding for Culpeper’s outer loop road may be in jeopardy after the state slashed the fund-matching revenue sharing program from $50 million to $15 million for the 2011 budget year. And even more dire straits are on the horizon — complete elimination of the program is proposed for the 2012 budget year.

“My hope is that the legislature rejects that. My hope is that the legislature says ‘this is unacceptable’, and that the legislature will reinstate the program,” said John “Butch” Davies, who represents the
Culpeper District on the 17-member Commonwealth Transportation Board.

News of this year’s sharp funding reduction and the proposed cancellation of the revenue sharing program emerged earlier this month at the CTB’s regular meeting.

Although it’s unlikely the outer loop road project will be stopped cold, officials say the move to kill the revenue sharing program doesn’t bode for this project or dozens of other transportation projects statewide.

Project background
The outer loop road would be a 2-½ mile link between Eggbornsville Road, north of town, and U.S. 522, west of town, with the goal of reducing traffic in the heart of town. In the future, when expansion is deemed appropriate, the road could be extended to the south and widened to four lanes, connecting with U.S. 29 at a new interchange.

Right now, County Planning Director John Egertson said, the Virginia Department of Transportation is completing surveying and wetland studies. Substantial engineering work should be completed by the end of this year. At that time, he said the county could approach VDOT to discuss how to reduce project costs.

“We have enough funding to proceed ahead with no delay or impact by the lack of funding this year,” Egertson said. “We are hopeful that we may have enough to complete the project with the funding we already have on hand, but VDOT estimates indicate we need more.”

Earlier this year, local leaders expressed concern about a jump in the project’s estimated cost, from about $12 million to $15 million. However, Egertson said the higher figure is a worst-case scenario.

Full funding unlikely
Davies explained what makes the revenue sharing process effective.

Under the process, cash-strapped communities around the state often can pick a project, save up for two or three years, and then combine their money with revenue sharing money to get the project done.

“Keeping revenue sharing alive is I think critical for communities like Culpeper,” Davies said.

“We’ve seen such a dramatic decline in funding ability,” he continued. “Most people in our community don’t realize that the Ira Hoffman was a (public-private enterprise project) and the rest was built with revenue sharing. McDevitt drive — that extension that serves the college and Swift. That extension, which opened up the town’s east side, that was done with revenue sharing, and jointly paid for.”

The Board of Supervisors last month formally moved to ask the state for another installment of revenue sharing funds, matching $1 million put up by the county. However, Egertson said it’s not immediately clear if or when the state will consider the request.

Regardless, “The indication at this point is that full dollar-for-dollar funding is not going to be available,” he said. “What is available will be determined by the number of applications.” However, Egertson stressed that all previous funding for the project is safe; only the county’s most recent request is in jeopardy.

Based on the applications received so far, Davies said it’s possible the county might receive a maximum of $450,000 in state funding or 45 percent of what was requested. Both the county and town have contributed at $7 million and $1.5 million respectively, according to Davies.

Looking ahead
Davies, whose term on the CTB expires this month, said Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania and Del. Ed Scott, R-Madison, helped secure a letter to VDOT declaring that sufficient work and funding are in place to prevent state officials from withdrawing any money from the project, which is entering its fourth year of planning and preliminary design work.

“That was very, very helpful,” Davies said. “We’ve done our homework; the real concern is now any future funding the county has applied for.”

Egertson said the county has no other revenue sharing projects pending. If the state does not match the county funding committed to the project, the Board of Supervisors may decide to contribute the county’s funding to the project without a match or they could the money. If the state awards only partial funding, Egertson said he was uncertain if the county could reduce the match money.