HD15 - Report of the U.S. Route 460 Communications Committee on the Improvement Projects


    Executive Summary:
    U.S. Route 460
    Communications Committee
    (HJR No. 684, 2001; SJR 324, 2003; HJR 185, 2004)

    The Committee held two meetings during the 2005 interim. The first was on January 13 in the General Assembly Building. The second was on July 19 in Windsor High School, immediately prior to a Department of Transportation public hearing on the U.S. Route 460 improvement project. These were, respectively, the eighth and ninth meetings of the Committee since its creation by the 2001 Session.

    During its five years of operation, the Committee has been successful in generating and maintaining forward momentum behind the U.S. Route 460 improvement project by bringing together and focusing the many groups and entities -- both within and outside state and local government circles -- that have an interest in the project. Considerable progress has been made toward actual commencement of work on the U.S. Route 460 improvements. Most notably, the draft environmental impact statement for the project was signed by the Federal Highway Administration in May of 2005. Also, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the proposed location for a new U.S. Route 460 to be built south of the existing road. This provides an east-west transportation link connecting Interstate Route 295 near Petersburg with U.S. Route 58 in Suffolk.

    Clearly, much remains to be done before construction starts. If currently projected schedules hold, VDOT expects we can expect a federal record of decision on the project early in 2006. Following that record of decision, work can begin on design and right-of-way acquisition. At that point, a funding mechanism will be necessary to keep the project on track.

    The Committee's mandate under House Joint Resolution 185 of 2004 expired in November, 2005. Legislation will be offered during the 2006 Session to extend that mandate until such time as construction has actually begun. The Committee does not plan to submit a formal report to the 2005 Session, nor does it plan to propose any legislation, other than a resolution extending the Committee's mandate. However, legislative members of the Committee will continue to pursue an array of options in an effort to obtain and ensure funding for the project.