Prince William County, Va. - Prince William supervisors adopted the six-year secondary road plan priority list on Tuesday -- but really, there was nothing to adopt. With funding hitting a low that hasn't been seen in years, any secondary road projects that haven't already been paid for are pretty much on hold through fiscal 2016.
Roads considered secondary are those that are numbered 600 or higher, said Tom Blaser, with the county's transportation department, in a presentation to supervisors. Funding for these road projects are disbursed by formula by the state, he said.
"There is no money," Blaser said. "There's a whopping $1,616 for this year, and then it is zeroed out for the remaining years."
Funding for these types of road projects has ranged from $4 million in lean years, Blaser said, to $12-to-$14 million in more robust years.
"So we've gone from $14 million from the state down to $1,616?" asked Supervisor John Jenkins, D-Neabsco. "That's ridiculous."
The six-year secondary road plan is a joint venture of the county and state Department of Transportation. Even though little money exists for this fiscal 2011-2016 plan, the county still has to approve it in case funding does become available at the state level.
That scenario, however, is unlikely.
"The overriding message is for all intensive purposes the six-year plan is being suspended and absent any changes from the state, we don't see any [funding] changes," Blaser said.
A couple of the road projects on the plan: the upgrade of Route 619, or Linton Hall Road, to four lanes and the construction of a sound wall on Route 3000 at Middlebrook Estates.
Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-530-3903.
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