Route 460 project presents problems

Hampton Roads

“Contested federal permits and a large environmental impact are putting the ‘Commonwealth Connector,’ a new 55-mile, tolled alternative to the current Route 460 from Prince George County to Suffolk, in jeopardy.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe told the Virginian-Pilot in December he did not believe taxpayer money should be used on the project until federal permits were issued and — even then — he would still ‘take a hard look’ at the project…

The proposed route will cost around $1.4 billion. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration’s website, the project will be funded from three different sources. The Virginia Department of Transportation would provide about $900 million and the Virginia Port Authority would provide about $250 million of public funding, both of which would ultimately come from taxpayers. The rest — around $250 million — would be provided through tax-exempt toll revenue bonds, which will be paid back with tolls collected from highway users.

Drivers who travel the length of the new route would be charged around $4 while trucks would pay around $12. The existing Route 460 would remain free.”

~Writes Lauren McClellan of the Suffolk News-Herald

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