The House of Delegates voted Tuesday, 69-31 to allocate money for the development of US Route 58. Del. Charles Poindexter, Republican, Glade Hill, who is the bill's sponsor, said that it was one of his top priorities, and that he has been working on obtaining funding for this project since 2007. They consider this to be critical for the economic development of Virginia because it will help to support the movement of import and export goods via the Port of Virginia.
Poindexter is the representative for rural Patrick County, parts of Franklin, and Henry Counties. HB1953 originally allowed contractors to borrow $704 million dollars for the project. Delegate Chris Jones, Republican Suffolk voted against the bill. The bill will also permit re-borrowing with the current bond limit.
Chris Jones says, “I feel like (the bill) needs to come back for a larger discussion on how much public money we're spending on transportation, because that's a big sum we're going to be spending every year”. “From here, the debt could turn over and turn over and turn over.”
Chris Jones always seems to want to delay things, to think them over a bit more, just like the issue with turning the Virginia Ports over to private industry, he said the same thing, let's examine it some more.
If anyone has ever traveled Route 58, you know how many accidents there have been on this road, and how dangerous it is at present. Yet truckers take this route frequently.
At present the bill is pending in the Senate. It should be read at the beginning of next week, according to Poindexter's legislative aide, Alex Thorup.
<http://www.roadstothefuture.com/US58_Meck_Widening.html>
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