Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Another Transportation Mega Project Bites the Dust

—

by

James A. Bacon
in

Speaking of white elephants (see previous post about U.S. 460), the Virginia Department of Transportation has nixed the idea advanced by STAR Solutions to build an an eight-lane, border-to-border upgrade for Interstate 81 that included truck-only tolls and lanes. Instead, writes Ray Reed with the Roanoke Times:

Transportation planners said Virginia needs to move faster on I-81 by making safety improvements such as more truck-climbing lanes and longer ramps at a few interchanges.

Rail upgrades are part of the planners’ picture, too, with a study led by Norfolk Southern Corp. that could lead to government transportation dollars being used to upgrade tracks on NS’ north-south lines.

The quick fixes don’t change the need to add lanes to I-81, the transportation planners said. The highway is sure to be heavily congested by 2035, with double today’s cars and triple the number of trucks.

Share this article

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

Comments

5 responses to “Another Transportation Mega Project Bites the Dust”

  1. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    Oh, goody. Let’s put it off until the price doubles and we can inconvenience twice as many vehicles during construction.

  2. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    jeez oh man

    again.. we don’t like any of the options – so we choose to do – nothing.

    What is the financial plan for safety project if TOLLs are out?

    If we do minimal safety upgrades as advocated by many – where is the money coming from?

    We knew.. years ago what the price tag would be for the minimal option.

    I simply cannot fathom spending millions of dollars and 4 years to essentially end up back where we started – a need for upgrades and a financial plan to make them happen.

    This is why the public is fed up.

    There is no purpose in our efforts other than ..more efforts.

    great. :-&

  3. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    “Rail upgrades are part of the planners’ picture, too, with a study led by Norfolk Southern Corp. that could lead to government transportation dollars being used to upgrade tracks on NS’ north-south lines.”

    What does the government get in return for upgrading a private companies infrastructure, in this case rail lines?

    Will they be able to run a government owned commuter train on the lines? Or, will they give them money and HOPE the upgrades reduce commercial traffic?

  4. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    “What does the government get in return for upgrading a private companies infrastructure”

    yes.. this is a fundamental question that needs an answer.

    and it’s part of a much broader and complex policy issue with respect to private businesses utilizing public infrastructure in pursuit of their business activities. In other words.. trucks on roads/interstates … vs trains on private tracks and rights-of-ways.

    But I don’t think I-81 or even Virginia can change much of anything with respect to what happens to rail traffic beyond our borders. We could build 10 parallel tracks but if they end at one track at the border… what good is that?

    And all of this presumes … that truck traffic IS subsidized (or if preferred – incentivized) and rail traffic is not and if so.. how much out of balance is the equation?

    From my point of view.. I don’t think the answer to a truck subsidy is a rail subsidy. Let have both of them pay their full external costs and let them compete on an a more competitive basis.

    If that means trucks need to pay more of the road costs – then let’s quantify that cost and assign it.

    One of the perceived inequities is that VDOT can condemn land for a road right-of-way whereas rail – as far as I know cannot – and must purchase it from a willing seller. That alone… could be a competitive disadvantage for rail.

  5. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    One thing that I feel should happen more often then it currently does is how local officials deal with new development when it comes to new industrial parks, commercial property, etc.

    I think integration with rail lines should be a REQUIREMENT for new industrial developments (Hello VDOT, anybody listening?).

    I can point to dozens close to where I live that are not served by rail. So, they are served by the next best thing….trucks.

Leave a Reply

Read More