Briefly… for Jan. 31-Feb. 13, 2013
NK road project on governor’s plan
A New Kent County road improvement project is among 158 projects statewide being recommended today (Jan. 22) by Gov. Bob McDonnell for passage by the General Assembly.
McDonnell is recommending $734,160 be designated for unpaved road improvements in New Kent. The figure is part of an overall $1.28 billion long-term road improvement package, dubbed “Virginia’s Road to Improvement,” that the governor is forwarding to state lawmakers.
There is also $64 million recommended for reconstructive paving on Interstate 64, but it is unclear if the amount pertains to the section of I-64 that traverses New Kent. Another $85 million is targeted for I-64 traffic capacity improvements in the Williamsburg to Newport News area. In the Richmond area, $64 million is pegged for reconstructive paving on Interstate 295 and 95.
There are no road improvement projects in the plan designated for Charles City County.
At the same time, the governor unveiled a $1.07 billion proposal aimed at improving the state’s railroads. Included in the proposal are track improvements to the rail line that runs through New Kent, connecting Richmond and Newport News.
Heavy trucks barred from shortcut
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has approved a request to restrict heavy truck traffic on Wayside Road in Charles City County between Route 106 (Roxbury Road) and Route 5 (John Tyler Memorial Highway). The announcement was made at Charles City’s Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 22.
Effective immediately, large trucks are prohibited from taking the one mile long shortcut. Those vehicles now must travel through the intersection of routes 5 and 106, accounting for an additional six miles per trip. The restriction prevents tractor-trailers and dump trucks from travelling on the road. Signs have been erected warning “No thru trucks.”
The study on the section of Wayside Road began about a year and a half ago at the request of concerned citizens and District 1 Supervisor Gilbert Smith.
NK moving to update AFD law
New Kent supervisors are proposing to shift money from one road project to another on the county’s Secondary Six-Year Road Plan.
Two of the four projects that appear on the existing plan — reconstructing and paving sections of Stage Road and Mt. Pleasant Road — are complete. Board members, meanwhile, propose to move funding targeted for a similar project on a 1.6-mile section of Henpeck Road to complete a 1.2-mile stretch of Dispatch Road from the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing to the Hanover County line. A public hearing on the plan is to be held during the board’s April meeting.
Supervisors learned from VDOT officials that a repair project to install larger circumference drainpipe under a section of Cosby Mill Road that frequently floods is to take place within the next 12 months. The road surface is not being raised due to cost.
Also, VDOT officials say all materials are on hand to start work on improving the section of South Waterside Drive (Route 627) that frequently floods at Fanny’s Creek. VDOT crews are waiting for better weather before work begins.
NK parking lot measure postponed
After a vote to send a favorable recommendation to supervisors failed, New Kent Planning Commission members opted during their Jan. 22 meeting to send a zoning amendment that loosens existing standards for parking lots surfaces back to county staff for more work.
Current county law requires that parking lots with more than 20 spaces be covered with pavement or other permanent surface. The amendment, if approved, would increase the number to more than 50.
Commission members are seeking advice from county staff on establishing parking standards for each of the county’s zoning classifications, a move that would require another public hearing.
That information is to be supplied to planners at their Feb. 19 meeting. No one spoke during a public hearing at last week’s meeting.
Chalmers, Lane tapped by commission
New Kent Planning Commission members have elected Jack Chalmers as the group’s chairman for 2013, replacing David Smith. Michael Lane has been chosen vice-chairman. The elections took place during the commission’s Jan. 22 meeting.
Correction
A quote in the front page story “Colonial Downs’ bid to host motorcycle racing meets with staunch opposition” in the Jan. 17 edition was incorrectly attributed to Scott Page. The statement was made by Don Fowler.
Clarification
A story in the Jan. 17 edition’s Briefly section on “Raid nets five suspects from CC” listed the address for Zachary Russell as the “12700 block of Sterling Heights Lane.” Larkin Scott resides at 12700 Sterling Heights Lane and is in no way associated with the incident reported in the story.