Skip to main content

Is Interstate 73 dead in Virginia?

Maybe ....Maybe Not...It really depends on who you talk to.

Earlier this week, Ronald “Skip” Ressel Jr., who is the president of the I-73 Committee in Martinsville and Henry County, claimed that the I-73 project was over.  In a story from the Martinsville Bulletin, Ressel told the Henry County Board of Commissioners that I-73 no longer has plans to run through Henry County.  He told the commissioners that "the time has come to give up on this dream." 

But is it?

In the same article, Mr. Ressel mentions that a new corridor similar to I-73 could be built by and maintained by the state.  Well, no matter what type of road that is built along the I-73 corridor, it would be built and maintained by the state.  (Unless it is a private toll road - totally different subject).  Mr. Ressel also alludes to the $8.5 million reserved for the I-73 corridor and not having it go to waste.  Indeed, there has been about $12.5 million set aside from congressional earmarks for I-73 that hasn't been spent.  Specifically, $6 million for construction and another $4 million for preliminary engineering.   The Commonwealth of Virginia also contributed 25 percent or $2.5 million as part of their required match.  I'm guessing Mr. Russel's $8.5 million is a combination of the $6 million for construction and the $2.5 Commonwealth contribution. 

Now, I haven't been able to blog as much as I used to, but the driving force behind I-73 in Martinsville and Henry County has been economic development and a business park known as the Patriot Centre.  The Patriot Centre was the impetus for the "Henry County Alternative" which shifted the approved routing of I-73 to the west and closer to Martinsville. 

Countering Mr. Ressel's I-73 white flag is Virginia Senator Bill Stanley who wrote a letter to the Martinsville Bulletin to stress that the goal of building and completing Interstate 73 from Roanoke south to the NC line is still a reality.  He noted that there is a September deadline to determine how to spend the nearly one decade old earmarks.  He mentions that part of the reason the funds have not been used is requirement by the US Army Corps of Engineers to study US 220 alternatives.  He also mentioned how there is efforts in the Virginia Legislature to continue to study and fund Interstate 73 within the state. Senator Stanley did say that if the money can't be used for I-73 right away, it can be used for safety and other improvements along US 220 - which I-73 will roughly parallel to the east.

So depending on who you talk to I-73 is dead or trying to age like a fine wine.  For Mr. Ressel, any construction on the highway is progress desperately needed and the September deadline and no other money dedicated means well it's done.  To Senator Stanley, this is a small bump in the road while the overall plan and funding mechanisms come together.  It's a little bit of both - Interstate 73 in Virginia isn't going to see any activity for most likely the next decade (or longer) but the door isn't closed.  It may be to the interests of Mr. Ressel and the Henry County Board of Commissioners but to others they are working on a Plan B. 

Mr. Ressel hinted that another corridor - possibly following a different route - could be built.  In other words, he just wants something anything built.  But $8.5 million won't really build anything.  I am sure if Henry County had their way - they'd at a minimum have a spur running north from the eastern end of the US 58 freeway to the exit that would connect to the Patriot Centre.  Or another possibility would be to build the 73 corridor south towards Route 87 and Ridgeway and eventually connecting to US 220 at the North Carolina State Line.  However, the $8.5 million will not build much.  If there is any approval from the Army Corps of Engineers - the money could go to a small grading contract but even that small sign of progress will not be enough for those in South Central Virginia eagerly awaiting this highway.

Story Links:
County supervisors told I-73 project appears to be over - Martinsville Bulletin
Virginia Senator: I-73 effort alive in region - Martinsville Bulletin

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California.  Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada.  The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926.  Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938.  A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947.   Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association.  Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe.   Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the  September 1950 California Highways & Public Works  during its Centennial Edition.  The or...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway.  In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50.  The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County.  That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848.  During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

At 1.3 kilometers (or about 0.84 miles) in length, the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is one of two bridges crossing over the Halifax Harbour between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with the other bridge being the A. Murray Mackay Bridge . Opened in 1955 and named after former Nova Scotia Premier and Canadian Minister of Defense for Naval Services Angus L. Macdonald, the Macdonald Bridge was the first bridge that crossed Halifax Harbour that was opened to traffic. The Macdonald Bridge was also the subject of the Big Lift, which was only the second time in history that the span of a suspension bridge were replaced while the bridge was open to traffic. Planning began in 2010 for the Big Lift, while construction took place between 2015 and 2017. Similar work occurred on the Lion's Gate Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia before the project took place on the Macdonald Bridge. At this time, much of the bridge infrastructure is new, leaving only the towers, main cables and...