THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503010176
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANCIE LATOUR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
For more than a decade, lack of funding has stalled Chesapeake's single most important road priority: South Battlefield Boulevard.
But this year's General Assembly action may finally give the project the momentum and the dollars city officials have been seeking to turn a series of designs and maps into an actual road.
The city's pleas for help in funding a proposed toll road parallel to the existing Route 168 were heard and answered in more ways than one by the General Assembly this year: Where the city had no options for funding the road before the legislature convened, it now has three.
Two companion amendments to the state budget passed by the General Assembly last week direct the state Department of Transportation and Appropriations Board to come up with a plan for financing much-needed improvements on the road.
The amendments, spearheaded by Sen. Mark L. Earley and Del. J. Randy Forbes of Chesapeake, mark the first attempt to make the state responsible for a funding plan for the road.
``The reason it's significant is that it identifies the Virginia Department of Transportation and puts language in the budget that asks them to come up with a financing plan,'' said public information director Mark S. Cox, who followed the path that these and other measures took in Richmond. ``Before, VDOT would say that it's a city street and isn't their responsibility.''
Mary Ann Saunders, assistant to the city manager, said the state will have to cooperate with and get the approval of the city in designing their plan for funding.
``They can't just go off and develop something that isn't feasible for the city,'' Saunders said.
For example, Saunders said, making the city raise taxes by 25 cents would not be an option.
``It has to be acceptable and realistic,'' Saunders said.
In a letter to City Manager James W. Rein, Commissioner David R. Gehr said the Department of Transportation would continue to help the city in building a funding strategy to back up any private-public partnership Chesapeake is considering for a toll road to be owned and operated by a private firm.
That bill, the Public-Private Transportation Act, was also passed by legislators during this session. The bill allows businesses to construct and operate major roadways across the state. by CNB