VBT : Transportation in Hampton Roads: Moving Forward to Unlock the Region Mar 09 2016 After decades of gridlocked funding, Virginia’s transportation situation has recently begun improving thanks to the passing of House Bill 2313 in 2013. One of the most successful initiatives put forward by the bill was the creation of additional funding for Hampton Roads. We spoke with Executive Director Kevin Page of the newly formed Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) to learn more about the status of transportation in what he calls “the economic engine of Virginia.” Hampton Roads, home to the world’s largest naval station as well as thriving tourism destinations, surprisingly had no legal entity to secure funding for regional transportation construction before HRTAC was created. As a result, construction proposals spent years on the shelf waiting for approval, resulting in projects becoming backed up and unaffordable. Page has led HRTAC since only August 2015, yet the commission’s beneficial impact on Hampton Roads is already apparent. HRTAC is “making the best use of funding available,” Page explained. “Most regions discuss what [projects] they need to build; we are discussing how we pay to build them.” To illustrate this point, HRTAC has already approved and begun securing funding for nine projects through 2040, including the widening of I-64 and the new Patriots Crossing bridge-tunnel. This degree of transportation planning is greatly needed in Virginia. “We need to move forward to unlock the region,” Page said, “We can not afford to wait.” Tags: Hampton RoadsHB2313I-64 back to News & Views
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