|
|
|
| Thu, Dec. 03 - - Mobile - RSS | |
|
|
Culpeper's Outer Loop may be another six years
Culpeper has money to build next phase of Western Outer Loop, but not happy with VDOT scheduleDate published: 7/8/2009 BY DONNIE JOHNSTON If Virginia Department of Transportation revenue sharing funds come through as expected this year, Culpeper will have more than enough money to construct the next phase of the Western Outer Loop Road. The problem is that VDOT has indicated that even though the money might be there, it could be six years before the state can start actual construction. If that's the case, Culpeper County Supervisor Tom Underwood yesterday suggested that the county consider doing all or part of the project itself. But county planner John Egerston told the Board of Supervisors that he wasn't sure that was a good idea. "VDOT is better-equipped to handle that project than we are," Egerston said. "I'm not convinced we could do it faster." However, the county planner, like every member of the Board of Supervisors, didn't want to have all the project money in hand and then be forced to wait until 2016 to get the much-needed road started. To that end, the board, at Egerston's urging, voted to send a letter to VDOT asking that the project be expedited as much as possible. "We really want to get this project rolling," Egerston said. The section of highway in question will link Ira Hoffman Lane with the Sperryville Pike, exiting near the VFW Building (about 1.5 miles). That will help re-route rush-hour commuter traffic around the town of Culpeper instead of through it. A third phase (perhaps two decades away) would ultimately take traffic all the way to U.S. 15/29 South near the Culpeper Agricultural Enterprises. Counting about $1.5 million in revenue-sharing money the town will contribute, the county now has about $8.5 million tucked away for the $10.4 million project. The supervisors voted yesterday to seek an additional $1 million in revenue-sharing money from VDOT this year. The county has set aside the required $1 million match in this year's budget. VDOT estimates that planning and engineering, much of which has already been done, will total $880,000. The acquisition of right-of-way will be a little less than $4 million, with actual construction costing about $6 million. VDOT requires that a jurisdiction have 70 percent of a project's estimated cost in hand before getting started. Culpeper, which has been planning and saving for the Western Loop for almost a decade, already has more than the required amount.
Read more stories about Culpeper Date published: 7/8/2009
Rush Hour
(posted by
curtnfaye
, July 8, 2009 5:01 am)
It is amazing at how much money and land is wasted to cater to commuters for just a few hours of the day.
|
 |
|||
|
|||
