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Last Updated: Nov 14, 2008 - 12:49:26 PM |
Chesterfield County’s transportation needs plate is full, and the state of Virginia isn’t offering to help digest the massive funding requirements the Chesterfield’s transportation department needs. Chesterfield is turning to a higher authority.
Fourth District Congressman Randy Forbes met with the County Board of Supervisors on the morning of Wednesday October 8. Congressman John Boozman, who represents the 3rd congressional district in Arkansas, was also in attendance. Board Chairman Art Warren led the meeting. Supervisors Dan Gecker, Dorothy Jaeckle, and Jim Holland were also in attendance.
The meeting began with general praise from board chairman Art Warren for Congressman Forbe’s support and praise of the county from Congressman Forbes.
During a power point presentation led by county administrator Jay Stegmaier, the county’s critical transportation needs were reviewed for the two congressmen.
The transportation needs and available funding are not aligned. The county has
approximately a billion dollars worth of transportation needs and a large portion of that is unfunded at the present time and appears to be unlikely to be funded. It has been projected that the state will run out of money for road construction projects in 2012. The structure of the funding process in the state of Virginia designates maintenance first and by 2012, all of the funding stream will be necessary for maintenance.
One important project in the county was discussed in greater detail in the overview for the congressmen. The particular project emphasized was the I-295 interchange at Meadowville. Having an interchange at this site would improve the county’s ability to promote economic development in the surrounding Meadowville Technology Park. The primary holdup in the allocation process is the lack of dedicated state funding.
A quote by county administrator Jay Stegmaier toward the end of the meeting helped draw attention to the Meadowville interchange as the most critical transportation need for the county. “Virginia is on the map for economic development due to global economic changes.”
Global economic forces of the last few days also appear to make this transportation project even more relevant for the citizens of Chesterfield today.
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