$150 Million in Project Funding in Hampton Roads
Posted By HR Partnership on September 22, 2009
Two major projects were approved September 17th at the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) meeting held in Richmond, Virginia. The Board approved the Gilmerton Bridge Replacement and the Fort Eustis Boulevard expansion projects, along with several paving maintenance projects, bringing over $150 million in highway construction and roadway maintenance spending to the Hampton Roads region.
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From the Daily Press: E. Dana Dickens III, an at-large representative on the transportation board, said the project is important to the military. “The military base is important to our economy, so anything that helps with transportation along that route is good,” he said. Aubrey Layne Jr., the Hampton Roads District board representative, said he was told that the Fort Eustis project could create 25 jobs over a two-year period and would have about 75 people working at its peak. Dickens said the James River Bridge project, which is expected to be completed by March 2011, would be geared primarily toward maintenance and upkeep. “You have to maintain what you have,” he said. |
The $133.8 million Gilmerton Bridge Replacement project was awarded to PCL Civil Construction, Inc., headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla. This project will replace the Gilmerton Bridge, which carries Route 13 (South Military Highway) over the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River. The existing bridge currently accommodates four lanes of traffic and includes a double leaf bascule span over the river. The new 1900 foot long bridge will include a 250 foot long lift span for a 135 foot clearance when raised, increasing the vertical clearance over the channel from 15 feet to 35 feet. The deck will accommodate six lanes of traffic, three in each direction. Fixed completion date: June 15, 2013
The Ft. Eustis Boulevard expansion project was awarded to E.V. Williams, Inc., based in Virginia Beach, Va. The purpose of this American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) project is to construct parallel, westbound lanes along Ft. Eustis Boulevard, widening from two to four lanes with a raised median, turn lanes and a new traffic signal. This project is located east of Route 143 in the City of Newport News and west of Route 17 in York County. The first phase of the $15.8 million project includes construction of new drainage systems and a temporary widening north bound to accommodate the median barrier necessary for subsequent phases. Fixed completion date: April 16, 2012
A $2 million dollar bridge rehabilitation and pavement upgrade project was awarded to Lanford Brothers Company, Inc., based in Roanoke, Va. The project, on Route 17 over the James River, will repair the joints, superstructures and substructures of the James River Bridge. Fixed completion date: March 1, 2011
In Greensville, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry and Sussex Counties, a $3 million paving overlay project was awarded to B.P. Short and Son Paving Co., Inc., headquartered in Petersburg, Va. The project consists of pavement overlays on multi-lane divided and rural primary routes. Fixed completion date: July 16, 2010
In York County, the $2.2 million asphalt concrete pavement maintenance work on Interstate 64 contract was awarded to Basic Construction Company, L.L.C., based in Newport News, Va. The maintenance work will consist of milling and re-surfacing the eastbound lanes on I-64 in Hampton, from the I-664 Interchange to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Guardrails will also be undated. Fixed completion date: August 15, 2010
Branscome, Inc., headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., was awarded a $3 million project to perform asphalt concrete pavement maintenance work on Interstates 64, 264, and 564 in the cities of Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. The work consists of milling and resurfacing the reversible High Occupancy Vehicle roadway on I-64 in Norfolk. Fixed completion date: November 15, 2010
These projects were championed by Aubrey Layne, Jr., Hampton Roads District Commonwealth Transportation Board representative and Hampton Roads Partnership President and CEO E. Dana Dickens, III, an At-Large Urban representative from Hampton Roads.
The 17-member CTB, appointed by the governor, establishes the administrative policies for Virginia’s transportation system. The CTB allocates highway funding to specific projects, locates routes and provides funding for airports, seaports and public transportation.
For more information on these projects visit ctb.virginia.gov or the Virginia Department of Transportation website, VirginiaDOT.org.
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Virginia Ranks Last for Spending Transportation Stimulus Money
By Debbie Messina
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 2, 2009
Virginia ranks dead last among states for spending transportation stimulus money, having used only 16.5 percent of its federal award through August.
The state and Gov. Timothy Kaine were scolded for the poor performance in a letter dated Oct. 1 from Congressman James L. Oberstar, chairman of the House transportation and infrastructure committee.
Nationally, 42.7 percent of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding has been spent.
“I strongly urge you to refocus your efforts to implement the Recovery Act and use the available funds to create and sustain family-wage jobs,” Oberstar’s letter stated. “These jobs are critical to Virginia’s and the nation’s long-term economic growth.”
Va. lags in spending stimulus money for roads
By Debbie Messina
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 3, 2009
“Speed should not be the only criteria,” Virginia Transportation Secretary Pierce R. Homer said. “We’ve met every federal requirement and deadline.
“We made a deliberate choice to play for the long haul.”
Homer said that while money is being put into quick repaving projects, as in most states, there also is an effort to select other projects that provide “lasting economic benefit.”
Those include highway widening projects into Fort Eustis on the Peninsula, Fort Lee in Petersburg and Fort Belvoir in Northern Virginia, where there are prospects for job growth.
“Those are not going to move as fast as laying down 2 inches of asphalt on top of an existing roadway,” Homer said.
Virginia Department of Transportation spokesman Jeff Caldwell said some states have progressed faster because they used federal stimulus money to replace state funding on existing projects.
“We started from scratch on our projects so we’re truly creating new jobs,” said Gordon Hickey, Kaine’s spokesman.
Read the full story at
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/va-lags-spending-stimulus-money-roads