Transportation

"We must move forward with our efforts to build a transportation system for the 21st century.  By adopting these commonsense proposals we can increase the amount of money that is available for transportation construction, make certain that our transportation dollars are spent efficiently, and get traffic moving again in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads."

Solving Our Transportation Challenges

Lieutenant Governor Bolling knows that every region of our state faces its own unique transportation challenges. In Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads the problem is congestion, which affects our quality of life and economic viability; while in other parts of the state the challenge may be improving traffic safety, patching potholes or paving gravel roads.

For years Virginia's leaders have talked about building a transportation system for the 21st century, but little has been done. Lieutenant Governor Bolling believes that the time for talking is over. It's time to solve the transportation problem.

We must improve our transportation infrastructure so our system of roads, rail and bridges can support the needs of Virginia businesses. Additionally, by fast tracking new construction projects we will inject activity and create new jobs in the building industry.

In their End Gridlock, Create Jobs: Get Virginia Moving Again program, Governor McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling have proposed a series of initiatives that will increase funding for highway construction, maintenance and mass transit; streamline regulations to speed up the completion of key transportation projects; direct more resources to critical projects on a statewide basis; implement new and innovative transportation technologies; improve efficiencies within the Department of Transportation; prevent the diversion of highway dollars to other government programs; and continue the effort to link land use planning and transportation planning.

End Gridlock, Create Jobs: Get Virginia Moving Again Program

Increase Funding for Highway Construction, Maintenance and Mass Transit

  • Issue $4B in transportation bonds over the next four years
  • Require that 1% of future state revenue growth (approximately $170M/year) be dedicated to transportation
  • Require that 75% of future budget surpluses be dedicated to transportation
  • Dedicate royalties from the development of Virginia's off shore energy resources to the Transportation Trust Fund
  • Privatize Virginia’s ABC system and dedicate revenues from such privatization to transportation
  • Establish regional accounts to allow Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads to retain tax revenue from dedicated sources for priority regional transportation projects.
  • Work with our federal partners to secure additional federal stimulus funds for major transportation projects in Virginia
  • Implement tolls on I95 and I85 at the North Carolina/Virginia border to fund critical highway projects on Virginia’s Interstate highways
  • Complete I95 HOT lanes project in Northern Virginia to help get traffic moving again
  • Pursue more public/private partnerships to help complete priority transportation projects in critical areas


Direct New Resources To Priority Transportation Projects

Under the McDonnell/Bolling transportation plan, more of Virginia’s resources will be directed to high priority projects on a statewide basis.  Priority projects include:

  • Northern Virginia
    • Widen I66 inside and outside the Beltway
    • Complete I495 and I395/95 HOT lanes project
    • Complete rail to Dulles
  • Hampton Roads
    • Upgrade Route 460 and tie to I85
    • Move forward with consensus solution for a third crossing
    • Support rail from Norfolk to Virginia Beach
  • Statewide
    • Upgrade I81
    • Build high speed passenger rail from Washington to Richmond and Hampton Roads
    • Complete Coalfields Expressway

Improve Efficiencies, Streamline Regulations And Make Certain That Our Transportation Dollars Are Being Spent Wisely

  • Conduct an independent, external management review of the Department of Transportation to improve efficiency and make certain that transportation projects are completed on time and on budget
  • Eliminate state and federal regulatory impediments to completing transportation projects as quickly as possible
  • Decentralize decision making to local VDOT offices
  • Pass a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit transportation dollars from being used to pay for other government programs

Implement New And Innovative Transportation Technologies

  • Increase the speed limit on Virginia’s Interstate highways to 70 miles per hour
  • Provide tele-work tax credits
  • Employ smart traffic technologies, signal synchronization and new traffic management systems in highly congested areas

Linking Local Land Use Planning and State Transportation Planning

  • Work with local governments and the Virginia Department of Transportation to improve coordination between local land use decision making and the Commonwealth’s ability to provide a suitable transportation infrastructure to support local development decisions