Free Republic

WINCHESTER — The Frederick County Transportation Committee on Monday expressed concerns that the county may not get the Interstate 81 improvements it needs to reduce traffic congestion and accidents. The Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation are studying the entire length of the I-81 corridor in the Virginia, as directed by the General Assembly, to identify changes that will reduce traffic backups and crashes as well as find the funding to make those changes. The I-81 study team identified 105 projects — valued at $4.25 billion —...

A Virginia highway official is recommending the state raise the speed limit on most interstates to 70 mph by year’s end. That would include nearly all of Interstate 81 in Virginia, except for major urban areas including the stretch between Christiansburg and Roanoke, and parts of I-64, I-66, I-85 and I-95. Connie Sorrell, chief of system operations at the Virginia Department of Transportation, said this afternoon that she will brief the Commonwealth Transportation Board on her recommendation Wednesday. Sorrell said she recommends the higher limit for “areas that we felt could be operated safety at 70 miles per hour.” Sorrell...

You've heard about this 36,000-word bill that proposes to pay for new roads with a menu of taxes and fees, including a sales tax on gas, and on house and car purchases. You've also heard the pleas - from, well, everybody - for simplicity and fairness and maybe enough money to actually fix the problem we've got. The kind of money Virginia could reap from a higher gas tax, or a bump in the sales tax. Or from wider tolling. But instead of either simplicity or fairness, Virginia will end up with a transportation-funding plan that gathers an inadequate mess...