In New Kent, booming growth is leading to tough financial decisions

For the past few years, New Kent County has been identified as one of the fastest growing localities in Virginia. Over that time, there have been several signs and warnings that New Kent may be growing too fast for its own good. New Kent may now be in those beginning phases of not being able to handle the explosive growth.

New Kent’s location between Richmond and Williamsburg has made it a hotbed for families to live and have a short commute thanks to Interstate 64. But Interstate 64 has also been a blessing and a curse for the county.

Interstate 64 has garnered the eyes of several large organizations. Target, Buc-ee’s, and Autozone have elected to construct sites alongside the thoroughfare. Colonial Downs/Rosie’s Game Emporium continues to be a major draw bringing visitors from out of town as well as residents to spend money.

But Interstate 64 has become a hodgepodge of a mess as expansion to three lanes has construction zones through 10 miles of the county. This construction along with irresponsible drivers have usually led to accidents along that corridor of the interstate, at least once a day. Back-ups lead nonfamiliar drivers searching for alternative routes, usually resulting in Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) and Route 249 (New Kent Highway) flooded with bumper-to-bumper traffic. And relief for those routes won’t come soon as Route 106 (Emmaus Church Road) is set to become a divulging diamond intersection, resulting in temporary traffic lights at the exit ramp, similar to ones currently stationed on New Kent Highway exiting Interstate 64.

I bring this up as New Kent’s growth has caused financial implications thanks to these highways. New Kent’s emergency services are often dispersed to the crash scenes on the interstate, resulting in locals not receiving their proper care with tax money they are paying. New Kent County has committed funds to help dangerous intersections such as Dispatch Road and New Kent Highway, but that still comes at millions of dollars.

The aforementioned Rosie’s Gaming Emporium used to see the county bring in millions of dollars. However, a recent passed bill now regulates the amount of money the county receives from the business and its horse races. That amount is significantly lower than what was once provided, which has resulted in several decisions being made that is stunting the growth of the county. One example of this is the recent discussion on raising taxes to fund either a new courthouse or a new elementary school to replace the aging New Kent Elementary School. The county elected to choose the courthouse, resulting in the aging school once again to be put on the backburner and have school board members pleading for any type of reconsideration.

New Kent is also becoming a place for the development of several subdivisions and houses. As these homes began to occupy vacant lots in the county, the need for amenities continue to grow. While gas stations and restaurants remain steady, citizens have been vocal about their desire to have a different kind of grocery store.

But most importantly, New Kent’s growth into a proper subdivision has made several citizens worried about the way of life. In 1995, the county along with its neighbor to the south, Charles City, were similar in size and population. But one small name brand restaurant came to the Bottoms Bridge area of the county, leading to the kickoff of the growth in that area. Since then, New Kent has grown non-stop, but the way of living seems to have left them. The quiet and rural life that once occupied the county still exists, but those areas are scattered between the borders. If you travel through New Kent, one area is built up with businesses, while another remains rural with no expansion, something that has been a discussion by residents living in the eastern portion of the county for years.

New Kent’s growth is catching up with them. While it may be a good problem to have, the finances from the situation may not. New Kent is holding steady right now with new businesses beginning to emerge, but their planning for expansion will more than likely shift towards the eastern portion of the county. With prime spots along Interstate 64 going for a premium, it will be interesting to see how funding is dispersed as county leaders will have to guide the balance of growth and the lifestyle residents want to experience in the future.