The Virginia Department of Transportation announced Wednesday it will suffer major reductions in state and federal funding. These coming cuts will hurt state and regional projects in the City of Charlottesville and surrounding areas, including the project to widen U.S. 29 to alleviate traffic delays, officials said.
The current situation facing VDOT is the product of “the decline in revenues in the transportation trust fund and lack of will in General Assembly to raise revenues as necessary to ensure the viability of our transportation infrastructure,” Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville said.
As a result of the perceived problems and budget shortfalls, VDOT’s funding will be reduced by an estimated $2.5 billion during the next six years and the department will experience significant cuts in jobs and services and revamp its overall business plan, Gov. Timothy Kaine spokesperson Gordon Hickey said. Hickey said VDOT plans to reduce the number of employees by 900 during the next two years and “will probably become a smaller agency.” Additionally, layoffs are a distinct possibility.
Because of this downsizing and reduced funding, officials said many major transportation projects, some in the Charlottesville area, including the U.S. 29 project and construction on Georgetown Road, will be delayed indefinitely, Toscano said.
Hickey said the changes to VDOT as a result of the budget cuts will be “across the board” and permanent.
Toscano noted, though, that it remains to be seen whether any of the commonwealth’s multiple proposed transportation projects will be cancelled altogether.
Although many transportation projects will be delayed or perhaps even cancelled, the VDOT budget cuts will not affect all transportation projects in the state, including the Albemarle County Meadowcreek Parkway project, which was initially proposed 41 years ago. VDOT staff engineer Joel DeNunzio said this project will not be affected because that specific project has already been funded by previous state allocations and requires no new funding from the state.
The lengthy process of finalizing the Meadowcreek Parkway project, which will connect McIntire Road and Route 250 in Charlottesville to Rio Road at the Norfolk Southern Railroad in Albemarle County, can be attributed to the fact that the Parkway “crosses jurisdictional boundaries,” said Lou Hatter, VDOT spokesperson for the Culpeper district Such a situation often results in the various governments and groups involved sharing differing opinions that have the potential to delay construction, Hatter added.
The VDOT budget cuts, though, will still affect Albemarle County more so than the City, officials said. In fact, the cuts will have “little impact on the City,” Charlottesville City spokesperson Ric Barrick said.
Construction on the Meadowcreek Parkway is set to begin in February and should be completed by fall 2011 for use starting in spring 2012, according to an e-mail from Timothy Hulbert, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce president.
Read More
U.Va. loses over $60 million in federal research cuts
By Bertie Azqueta | YesterdayThe impacted grants include three from the NIH, seven from the NEH, one from the United States Agency for International Development and four from the State Department.
Department of Education reverses course, awards Federal Executive Institute to U.Va.
By Ford McCracken | 4 days agoThe ED had previously awarded the institute to Charlottesville City Schools.
Students reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis
By Bertie Azqueta | 4 days agoAt the University, students shared a range of perspectives on his legacy of reform, inclusivity and his impact on the global Catholic community.
