Loudoun Supervisors Puzzled by Road, Bridge List

The list of Loudoun transportation projects associated with Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposal to dedicate a portion of the state sales tax to transportation prompted Supervisor Ken Reid to question the county staff, which appeared equally puzzled.

The state project list identified three primary projects, two of which combined— bridge replacements on routes 685 (Arnold Lane) and 727 (Forest Mills Road)—carry only about 300 vehicle trips per day. Several supervisors said better use could be made of the $10.8 million in sales tax funds and no one objected.

“That list got put together without any discussion with the county that I’m aware of, at least it wasn’t with our department, ” sai Terri Laycock, acting director of the Office of Transportation Services, adding that the bridges already are funded in the state’s six-year plan. As for the third project: “I would also add, on Route 15, they paved it last year.”

Laycock said Delegates Joe May (R-33) and Randy Minchew (R-10) were attempting to suggest alternate projects. “From what I understand, that’s not a done deal,” she said.

The board discussed the issue during a review of General Assembly bills and also during a discussion about prioritizing eastern transportation projects.

Supervisor Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian) said she hopes some of the money can be redirected to help pay for a series of project in eastern Loudoun that supervisors currently are prioritizing.

There’s one corridor in particular where Ralph Buona said he’s like to see the money redirected.

“I only have three words: Waxpool, Waxpool and Waxpool,” he said, adding that it’s among the county’s worst morning bottlenecks. “That, to me, in phase one is where that vast majority of our emphasis has to go.”

The proximity of the Pacific intersection and the Route 28 interchange complicate the congestion since drivers must interweave to reach their destinations.

Buona expressed less concern about Route 7, since plans are in place to remove the remaining lights between Leesburg and the Dulles Town Center.

Supervisors who represent sections of Route 7 east of the Dulles Town Center did not identify specific projects, although Volpe said she would like to see the planned pedestrian bridge over Route 7 nixed because it does not deliver enough “bang for the buck.”

“I want to change that before we … find out we’re building a pedestrian bridge instead of roads to move people,” she said.

In a related discussion, the county’s legislative liaison, John Sandy, told supervisors that $400,000 in federal transportation assistance planning money identified by Del. May to pay for a distance-pricing study on the Dulles Greenway appeared to be part of the revived budget bills floating around Richmond.