New Kent supervisor fed up with latest delay in roundabout construction

By Andre Jones | September 8, 2016 1:11 am

As Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) representative Bruce Puffenbarger gave his month report at New Kent’s Board of Supervisors Sept. 7 meeting, he commented that construction to complete a roundabout at the intersection of Route 249 (New Kent Highway) and Route 612 (Airport/Tunstall Road) was moving slower than expected. That statement nearly sent District 1 representative Thomas Evelyn beyond his breaking point.

Evelyn immediately interjected his comments into the conversation, speaking about the continuous frustrations about the project.

“I wholeheartedly disagree with you with your statement about progress moving slowly,” said the District 1 supervisor. “I specifically drove by that route four days last week and saw nobody out there working.

“In the last week, I have received 16 emails and 18 phone calls about that intersection,” Evelyn continued. “How long have we been working on this project? A year?”

Actually, it’s been 18 months since VDOT announced the conversion of the intersection in March 2015. Over that time span, little has been done construction wise. According to Puffenbarger, VDOT is now working with their fourth contractor to complete a project that was originally scheduled to be finished in December 2015.

“[VDOT Residency Engineer] Bruce McNabb told me that asphalt paving was going to take place five months ago,” Evelyn continued. “That hasn’t happened either.”

Puffenbarger said the plan is for asphalt to be poured next week (Sept. 12) to begin the process of shifting traffic to complete the roundabout. Unfortunately for VDOT representatives,
Evelyn’s backlash about the lack of progress on the project has already haunted that intersection.

“Last week we had another accident at that intersection, correct sheriff?” Evelyn questioned Sheriff Joe McLaughlin Jr., who nodded his head in confirmation. “I am not trying to shoot the messenger, but somebody needs to start pushing for this project to get done. I know I am personally going to go see somebody about this situation.”

Puffenberger concluded by saying that while there is no true completion date as of this time, they are hoping with the new contractor to have the next phase of the roundabout to be completed by November.