VBT : The Consequences of Limited Resources, Part 1 Apr 10 2017 While SMART SCALE (HB2) helps prioritize important transportation projects in Virginia, we must acknowledge the hundreds of projects that still can’t receive adequate funding. This became evident in Round 1 of our SMART SCALE program, where 321 projects were submitted for funding, but only 163 of those could receive the money they needed. That left 158 Virginia transportation projects unfunded. In Round 2, a greater number of projects were submitted—more than 400—which means that, in all likelihood, even more than 158 projects will have to be turned down this year. These are projects that local leaders have determined are needed for their Virginia communities. The consequences of limited resources can be serious. In many cases, it means increased traffic, decreased safety and that important repairs will have to be delayed another year (or more). For example, in Richmond, some of the submitted projects for Round 2 include: • Work on I-95 auxiliary lanes between Rte. 288 and Rte. 10 • A park-and-ride lot for Cogbill/Hopkins/Chippenham in Chesterfield County • Route 155 shoulder wedging and bicycle accommodation • Emergency pull-offs at the I-95/I-64 overlap • Phase 1 of safety operations improvements for US360 Hull St. • Connectors for Bailey Bridge, Brad McNeer • Improvements to the roadway as well as pedestrian and bike areas on Elkhardt Rd All of these projects have the potential to improve road safety, traffic, accessibility and/or other factors for those in and around the Richmond area. But unfortunately, the lack of sufficient funding means it is likely that not all of them will be able to move forward with the funding they need. For this series, we’ll be focusing in on the transportation project requests for different areas of Virginia. Stay tuned and travel around the state with us in the coming weeks. Learn more about SMART SCALE and the Round 2 projects under consideration by the CTB by visiting http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2017/jan/pres/5_Smart_Scale_Scores.pdf. See more at: http://vbtva.com/news/post/2017/3/1/what-has-smart-scale-taught-us0a.aspx#sthash.B6U5hCkE.dpuf Tags: RichmondSMART SCALEVDOTVirginia back to News & Views
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