MPO’s transportation plan marred by funding hole

The Metropolitan Planning Organization looked long and hard into the future Wednesday afternoon, discussing both local and regional transportation projects aimed at alleviating traffic and easing mobility for anyone who sets foot in the area.

The board’s first draft of the fiscal 2009 Transportation Improvement Plan was open for review during a public hearing Wednesday, the first of three such meetings before it can be approved. The plan outlines 29 projects — including the planned Meadowcreek Parkway and the U.S. 250 interchange at McIntire Park — slated to be undertaken in the next three years in the Charlottesville-Albemarle urban area.

The MPO board, comprised of area residents, elected officials and Virginia Department of Transportation employees, also reviewed a northern U.S. 29 Corridor Transportation Study on how to clear the traffic that frequently clogs the highway.

But the question of where the money for area transportation projects will come from remains. Though funding has been allocated for several of the projects, board members and residents alike questioned when and how all the transportation plan’s projects would be funded by state or federal dollars.

“Because of a lack of funding [the projects] are not moving forward,” said Harrison Rue, former MPO director.

All federally funded projects have to be included in the Transportation Improvement Plan.

“It’s very difficult for me to understand how these pieces fit together,” said city resident Peter Kleeman, who noted that only two of the projects with federal funding obligations appear to have money dedicated to them. “I can’t see where the rest of the federal dollars are going to.”

Melissa Barlow, MPO director of transportation programs, said the fiscal 2009 draft changed significantly from fiscal 2006, when the last plan was adopted and when there was more funding available.

Though no funds are in the pipeline for some of the regional projects, Barlow said they still need to be included in the plan.

“It’s important to the region so it’s in here,” she said.

Rue added, “It is typical that there are projects in there that are accruing funding.”

In VDOT’s proposed Six-Year Improvement Program, four transportation projects have been delayed and 12 cut in the Culpeper District, which includes Charlottesville. The Hillsdale Drive extension is the city’s only delayed project in the program, whereas seven of the 12 removed projects in the area were planned for Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Statewide cuts are largely a result of the slowing economy and a $1.1 billion reduction in revenue for transportation projects, brought about by lower-than-projected gas and motor vehicle sales tax collections plus the repeal of the abusive driver fees.

The Commonwealth Transporta-tion Board will vote today in Richmond on the statewide roads program. At the meeting, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will propose to raise taxes and fees to pay for transportation projects.

Barlow said the Transportation Improvement Plan would most likely be adopted in August.

Fixing U.S. 29

In the transportation study, Rue suggested several different options to alleviate congestion.

Whereas before most gridlock occurred in the southern part of the U.S. 29 corridor, Rue said, “It’s getting more congested up north.”

The study cited that constructing grade separations at major intersections, including U.S. 29 at Rio Road and the U.S. 250 Bypass, could help fix the problem.

He added that many other elements — including bike paths, trail networks and parallel routes —would provide connectivity with U.S. 29.

The study will also be approved by the board later in the year, after receiving public comment and developing more funding for improvements. Though some funding sources remain unclear, at least one thing is certain.

“[U.S. 29] is a mess right now because it’s the only way to get around through that area,” Rue said.