Hampton Roads is being left off the list of areas in Virginia that are getting funding for road projects. At the
same time, some areas like northern Virginia and Richmond are getting millions.
Governor-elect Bob McDonnell spoke to the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce today about his top priorities for local transportation.
"This will no doubt be the toughest challenge in these difficult fiscal times that I will face in this first year," McDonnell said.
When McDonnell is sworn in as governor he says one of his first actions will be to connect US-460 to I-85 and make it an interstate. A toll would be put on it which would pay for the expansion of US-460.
"We have been talking about 460 since I moved here, I absolutely think we need to get that done. I think it should be a top priority and we must have another hurricane route and evacuation route here in Hampton Roads," he added.
Fixing US-460 won't help drivers get across the water or around the area, where traffic jams already exist. Hampton Roads will not get any money in the fiscal year 2011 for interstate road construction leaving Hampton Roads with a road crisis.
McDonnell says he also has the answer to this problem - he says it's all about getting creative on finding money to pay to fix the roads.
"My plan is to put together a package of funding mechanisms to use public and private partnerships, a great way to leverage money in a bad economy, jobs transfers, abc privatization, tolls, offshore drilling ideas."
McDonnell does not plan on raising taxes to get the necessary funds.
"I'm thinking outside the box to generate monies because people are saying we're hurting, we're not wanting to pay wopping new taxes. We want you all to spend that 75 billion dollars we send to Richmond better," he said.
McDonnell could not say how much of that money will go to fix local roads. Right now he still has not selected who will be his transportation secretary.
McDonnel says when he is inaugurated as governor on January 16 he will have a better idea on how he plans to fix the traffic nightmares in Hampton Roads.
Governor-elect Bob McDonnell spoke to the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce today about his top priorities for local transportation.
"This will no doubt be the toughest challenge in these difficult fiscal times that I will face in this first year," McDonnell said.
When McDonnell is sworn in as governor he says one of his first actions will be to connect US-460 to I-85 and make it an interstate. A toll would be put on it which would pay for the expansion of US-460.
"We have been talking about 460 since I moved here, I absolutely think we need to get that done. I think it should be a top priority and we must have another hurricane route and evacuation route here in Hampton Roads," he added.
Fixing US-460 won't help drivers get across the water or around the area, where traffic jams already exist. Hampton Roads will not get any money in the fiscal year 2011 for interstate road construction leaving Hampton Roads with a road crisis.
McDonnell says he also has the answer to this problem - he says it's all about getting creative on finding money to pay to fix the roads.
"My plan is to put together a package of funding mechanisms to use public and private partnerships, a great way to leverage money in a bad economy, jobs transfers, abc privatization, tolls, offshore drilling ideas."
McDonnell does not plan on raising taxes to get the necessary funds.
"I'm thinking outside the box to generate monies because people are saying we're hurting, we're not wanting to pay wopping new taxes. We want you all to spend that 75 billion dollars we send to Richmond better," he said.
McDonnell could not say how much of that money will go to fix local roads. Right now he still has not selected who will be his transportation secretary.
McDonnel says when he is inaugurated as governor on January 16 he will have a better idea on how he plans to fix the traffic nightmares in Hampton Roads.
