A gap in the Peninsula’s expanded highway network is among the dozens of issues to be resolved when some of the most powerful members of the General Assembly present their compromise proposal for a state budget on June 1.
The gap is the 29 miles of Interstate 64 between Lightfoot in James City County and Bottoms Bridge, in New Kent County, that’s still only two lanes in either direction. The rest of the highway between Hampton and Richmond is three or more lanes.
But to do the work means coordinating funding from three different sources: the state, Washington and a new regional transportation body for the Richmond area.
In the state Senate, budget-writers saw a promised two-for-one federal match for any state or local funding as a chance to accelerate work on what is they believe will be a $750 million project, said state Sen. Monty Mason, D-Williamsburg.
So the Senate budget includes $190 million to expand I-64. This money would go for work between mile marker 234 in James City County, at the northern interchange for state Route 199, and the New Kent County line, at mile marker 223.
The House budget proposes $20 million for work to improve traffic flow between mile 234 and mile 205, at Bottoms Bridge in western New Kent county, near the Henrico County line.
The new Central Virginia Transportation Authority, which uses regional sales, gasoline and diesel tax surcharges to accelerate projects around the Richmond area, has a request from New Kent to commit $397 million to widen I-64 in that county — that is, from mile 223 to mile 205.
It is currently ranked 21st of 21 requests to the authority for highway funding on its most current “Regional Funding Scenario” document.
Mason said Richmond legislators, in both House and Senate, are supporters of the widening project.
“All the localities are, too,” he said.
The federal match looks like a one-time opportunity that Mason believes will lead the conferees to opt for the state Senate’s proposed funding.
Del, Mike Mullin, D.-Newport News, said he’s hoping the state funds will encourage the regional authority to chip in so “we’ll be able to bring down a substantial amount of federal dollars and we can get shovels in the ground very soon.”
“VDOT has told me if we get the money we could get a design-build out this year,” Mason said.
A proposal two years ago to steer any extra money from the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission pool funding by this region’s gas tax surcharge hasn’t worked out because of rising interest rates, he added. Mason is a member of the commission’s board.
Dave Ress, 757-247-4535, dress@dailypress.com
