ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - The Commonwealth of Virginia has one billion dollars to spend on the most important transportation projects. This is part of a new bill mandated by the General Assembly. It allows for road projects to be paid for -- up front -- from start to finish. With that said, localities can recommend area projects, which will be scored based on priority.
Roanoke City's Transportation Department has proposed a $40 million road improvement project along 13th Street and Hollins Road. The city is fighting for a change -- wanting to build a bridge over Norfolk Southern rail tracks. It's an effort to eliminate the dangers between oncoming trains and vehicles.
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"There's five rail lines right there, there's about 35 or 40 trains a day that go across that crossing," said Mark Jamison, transportation division manager for Roanoke City. "When those trains go across that rail crossing obviously, all of the rail traffic has to stop."
This is one of the oldest road projects in the city's itinerary. Because, of house bill two, if the project 'is a go', the Commonwealth Transportation Board will hold a public input session in the spring of 2016. Then, starting July of next year state and federal transportation leaders would start budgeting to pay for construction. But, this is only one of 38 submissions in our region.
"I-81 especially during the peak hours carries an awful lot of local traffic between Salem and Botetourt County," said Jamison.
The Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization is proposing widening north and southbound lanes along I-81 creating an auxiliary lane to help improve traffic flow from exit 140 to 143. That price tag would ring in at nearly $73 million.
And, the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission hopes to improve a dangerous three mile, curvy stretch of I-81 near mile maker 166 -- an area known for fatalities.
"That's dead man's curve right there," commented Joseph Greene, who often travels this stretch of road. And, if you're not from here, if you're not familiar with the area and its night or raining, you're going to wreck there."
Straightening out the road would cost more than $105 million. All submitted projects would total in at $700 million just for our area.
"Factors such as safety, congestion management, environmental stewardship, those factors will be applied to those projects and then they'll be ranked," said Jason Bond, with the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The CTB will take those rankings into account and in addition to public comment. If you would like to voice your road concerns the CTB will be holding a public meeting Wednesday at the Valley View Holiday Inn starting at 4:30 in the afternoon.