Approved plan funds projects
Published 10:23 am Thursday, July 6, 2017
Counties across the Heart of Virginia are set to see more than $44.9 million in road improvements, according to the latest Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the plan June 20, which allocated $18.6 billion to transportation projects, including roundabouts, bridge repairs and safety enhancements — some of which won’t begin until after 2020.
According to an online VDOT database, Prince Edward County will see almost $12.45 million in road improvements for fiscal years (FY) 2019-23 and approximately $1.85 million of improvements in FY 2018.
The funded improvements in the county include a SMART SCALE-funded project that will add dynamic flashers on U.S. Route 460 at Route 626, which will be funded at $216,000 for construction in FY 2018, construction of a roundabout on Route 15 at Route 692 at Kingsville, which will be funded by more than $1.75 million for construction in FY 2021 following allocated funds of $708,000 in FY 2020, and a bridge replacement project on Route 622 that is .003 miles east of U.S. Route 360 that will be funded almost $2.15 million for construction in FY 2019 on top of an additional $1.471 million funded previously for the project.
“That’s the program we have used successfully in the past to get some of our more dangerous intersections or sections of roads improved,” Prince Edward County Administrator Wade Bartlett said of SMART SCALE. “Most of those won’t start until 2021 for actual construction, so that’s important.”
The Town of Farmville will be allocated more than $3 million between FY 2019-23 for a project that would add a protected left-turn lane into Tractor Supply Co. for northbound traffic and the same for Milnwood Road traffic headed south.
“I was a little disappointed they pushed the project start date back quite a bit,” Town Manager Gerald Spates said.
Right-of-way funding will begin in FY 2019, with a total of $324,000, and funding for construction will begin in FY 2020. An additional $1.230 million will be allocated in FY 2021.
According to the database, Buckingham County will see more than $12.43 million in funding for road improvements for FY 2019-23.
Improvements include more than $7 million in funding for shoulder widening and rumble strips on both Route 20 and U.S. Route 15. Route 20 will be funded with $6.38 million for construction in FY 2021 on top of $1.6 million of funds allocated between FY 2018-21. U.S. Route 15 will be funded with $2.073 million for construction in FY 2023 on top of receiving $550,000 of allocated funds for the project in FY 2019-22.
Buckingham County Administrator Rebecca Carter said the county’s top priorities will move forward as planned.
Cumberland County will see more than $6.7 million in funding.