By Nancy Lindsey
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously June 13 to approve the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) six-year plan for secondary roads and the 2016-2017 construction budget for Patrick County.
The total amount of new funds (2016-2017 funds) to be expended on paving rural rustic roads in the coming fiscal year is $303,834, which is added in most cases to previous funding. Six road segments fall into this category.
The road designated as priority one on the six-year plan is Rt. 773, Ararat Highway, consisting of reconstruction of 1.2 miles from .5 mile east of Rt. 781 to Rt. 738. That road, which has an average daily traffic count (ADT) of 910, has previous funding of $1,022,032 but an estimated total cost of $3,482,886. It is not scheduled to be reconstructed this year.
The second road on the priority list is Split Rail Drive (Rt. 745), which has an ADT of 10 and a total estimated cost of $75,000. Funding of $24,740 will be added to previous funding of $50,260 with the goal of completing the project this year. The paving will be from Rt. 612 to Rt. 610, a length of 0.4 mile.
Number three on the list is Puppy Creek Road (Rt. 715), with paving scheduled to be done for 0.7 mile from Rt. 715 to Rt. 712. The total cost is $125,000, and $30,000 will be added to previous funding to complete funding in 2017. The ADT is 30.
Two sections of Belcher Mountain Road (Rt. 609) are listed as priority four, in one case, and priority 17, in another case. According to VDOT, funding will not be completed until 2020, so it is uncertain when this mountain road will be surface-treated.
Listed as number five is Taylor View Drive (Rt. 690), with an ADT of 70 and a total estimated cost of $70,000 to pave .4 mile from Rt. 819 to .4 mile west of Rt. 819. In 2017, $5,000 will be added to complete the funding.
Farmers Road (Rt. 674) is listed as priority six, with an ATD of 80 and a total cost of $325,000. Funding of $68,001 will be added in 2017 to complete the project of paving 1.7 mile from Rt. 672 to Rt. 675.
Howell Bottom Road is listed as priority seven, with an ATD of 70 and a total cost of $195,000 to pave 1.1 mile from a dead end to Rt. 58. Funding of $34,000 will be added in 2017 to complete funding for the project.
Listed for funding in FY 2018 is Raven Den Road (Rt. 678). Mountain View Road (Rt. 764) and Squirrel Creek Road (Rt. 631) are scheduled for funding in 2019.
Pine Spur Lane (Rt. 792) is scheduled to receive additional funding in 2020, and Taylor View Drive (Rt. 690) will be completely funded in 2021, VDOT said
Other roads on the list, but without funding dates, include Fish Farm Lane (Rt. 733; Deer Run Road (Rt. 622); and Mills School Road (Rt. 650).
Please call your member of the board of supervisors or Lisa Price Hughes, VDOT resident engineer (276-629-2581) for more information.
