Gov. Bob McDonnell saith a new 460 will be better, safer and lower freight costs. Plus improve the military’s strategic connectivity, improve travel safety, and provide a safer, less flood-prone evacuation route. The road builders, 460 Partners, LLC, Cintra Infrastructures, S.A., and MultiModal Solutions, LLC — say the job can be done between $1.49 billion and $2.72 billion. Some spread.But where between for a 55-mile, four-lane, divided, limited-access highway between Suffolk and Petersburg nearly alongside old 460 but bypassing towns that will lose some business. Tolls for the whole trip range from $3.85 for motorcycles, $75 for tandem trailers, and two-axle vehicles $5.94 to $11. But you can risk your life at a legal 75 miles per hour, 40 minutes here to Petersburg.
18 comments:
There's some confusion here, isn't there a rail system endorsed by Republican Governor McDonnell to go between Petersburg and Suffolk and HR to speed us on our way? Do we need an expensive Route 460 and a rail system? More importantly can we afford both and do they make sense.
Before we jump in over our collective heads again, let's take a drive down to Chesapeake and ask how many locals (non-tourists) use old Battlefield (business route) how many use the new toll road.
As posted in the SNH.
This is going to be a logistical and financial joke. First: Cintra Infraestructuras is a Spanish owned company that has 4 other partners named including another overseas group.They are based out of Spain.
460 Partners LLC,who are they? Who are the who’s who? This group was only formed ONE month before their offer was submitted in September of 2010. They have 6 other partners including another overseas group.They are based out of Richmond.
Multimodal Solutions has 7 other partners including another overseas owned group. They are based out of New York.
The paper trail that one will have to go thru to see what political figures have interests in this venture reminds me of the Obama healthcare bill. No one knows whats in it. YET.
One article I googled I found that Geroge Allen is and his group are partners as well.
The cracker jack reporting states that an independent panel conducted the review. Who was on the panel?
Why does this proposed venture have to be sperately constructed to run parallel to 460? Hmm, real estate right of ways, land owners money?
How come at the outset of this venture the VDOT said no taxpayers funds would be available. Now it says there are plans to to use taxpayer “contributiions”. They also said it would be a an upfront payment rather than a continuing subsidy of our money.
Where is that balloon payment going to come from? How much?
The state already has a budget shortfall, its been widely reported in the SNH.
What happens to the cities and towns along the way? Ivor, Wakefield etc etc.They will simply die most likely, their revenue sources are going to be cut drastically in the way of income producing local business and TAX revenue.
Truckers are already facing greater port fees operating costs such as insurance, repairs, and now diesel is already approaching $3.50 a gallon. Look for that being more towards $5.00 before next fall. Now the state and private interests wnat to charge a fee of $75.00 for truckers one way?
Centerpoint isnt going to be that thriving job producing complex that many think and sold us.
The busines parks and distribution centers along 460 will suffer as well. See coments on what happens to the Ivors.
etc etc.
Since we dont know how much the one time payment “contribution” will be, why not let it be known and lets judge the merits of using that number towards improving the 460 as it is now. Remember its a one time payment of your tax dollars and your tax dollars you pay are not.
I have heard the initial payment will come from future money. It is called a Garby (sp?) loan. In which case, future governors will have to find out how to repay it.
Hampton Roads has now become the 4th port behind Savannah. Part of the problem is the trucks cannot get out of the area to deliver the goods from the ships. Making Route 58 four lanes to I-95 and I-85 is a better option.
What's so important in Petersburg that you would pay between 6 and 11 dollars to travel there at 75mph, cheap cigarettes, the Crater Battlefield, I95? Are there that many truckers and commuters willing to pay the roundtrip or will they instead travel alternate routes. There is no doubt whatsoever, the tolls truckers pay will be passed on to the consumer. So this is really another not-so-hidden tax and Bob McDonnell's support of this project is very disturbing.
When I think about the building of another 460 along the same route from Suffolk to Petersburg I cannot understand why it appears to be the number one need of transportation in Virginia. On 460 there are no traffic jams or backups of traffic, going thru the small communities seems to be no problem and to some it is more of a pleasure. You can evacuate using highway 10,13,17 32 and 58 and all the many back roads that are available so why is 460 needed as an emergency evacuate route.
If a new road is built why would a private company be needed when it has to be a profit in it or they would not have an interest and if it is a profit why wouldn't the state build it themselves? If it is built I would never use it paying $11 to get to Petersburg and $11 to get back and truckers are not going to pay $75 to get to Petersburg and pay $75 to get back unless they are not allowed on the old 460 or any of the back roads and that would be a terrible way to treat truckers.
Keep your eyes on the sides of the road. Look for a lot of for sale signs when this is approved, but keep your eyes on who the land peddlers are.
McDonnell’s approach to transportation hasn’t been flawless. His insistence on pressing forward with an expensive replacement to Route 460, for example, would do little to alleviate gridlock in Hampton Roads and, in fact, would further burden an already stressed portion of Route 58 — all at a huge cost to taxpayers and with the promise of expensive tolls, to boot.
With all of the talk coming out of DC and Richmond on high speed rail I am wondering if the High Speed trains will have wireless access?
Obama is so pro business you know..
I am beginning to understand the need for a 460 bypass. It is being built for the trucks carrying goods from the ports to points west. Hampton Roads has the deepest port for some of the largest ships, yet the goods cannot get from the docks to the stores in a timely manner. Slowing down through each of the towns along 460 equals money lost and trucks take longer to speed back up.
The really distressing part of this thing is the loss of homes, farmland, wildlife and trees.
Oh Carol, Carol, you are speaking as a shopper. When the new 460 is and if its built, what happens to those little slow moving towns going to survive when their tax base is cut..
Yea, those trucks take so lonnnggg to speed back up. The cost of those products that are so slow in arriving is going to increase becuase of more fees tolls and taxes. Will your check book be able to absorb that increase? My bet is you dont live near or shop near any of the towns and villages along 460.
Many of us who use to ride to Richmond and to all of those towns and cities along the way to visit relatives and friends remember being on that Trailways or Greyhound bus (yes we rode the bus, to those who are too young to remmeber what those were) I remember the driver would look into his mirror back at the riders and say "Windsor" next stop "Ivor" "Wakefield" "Waverly" Petersburg and "RICHMOND"
anon January 29, 2011 11:25 AM
I travel 460 quite a bit. I have a weakness for Virginia Diner peanuts. Especially the butter toasted ones. I will continue to travel the old 460 after it is built.
I am learning the reasoning behind it.
And how many farms between here and Petersburg will be split by a new highway? They should call it the law of "enema domain" where the state or federal government takes your land.
Carol its those types of businesses and towns/villages that will disappear.Anon 7:37 is right. Private lands to be seized in the name of progress that is the issue and who ever builds it in the name of goverment will make profits from the govt land seizures
I don't mean I am in favor of the 460 bypass, just that I am beginning to understand the reasoning behind it.
Any time you place an expense on the means to transport goods from point A to B, that cost will be passed on to you the consumer. Every time a politician mentions a fuel tax for vehicles that expense will be passed on to the consumer. The fact is when taxes and tolls are levied on the consumer they are almost never removed.
These fee's are like the fees the city put on septic tanks, They are going to be lingering around like the smell of one that is broken.
Your toilet is regulated by the number of gallons you use each time you flush. Gov't its your friend.
Democrats are opposed to State borrowing 3 billion for transpotation fixes. Republicans claim it will produce 52,000 jobs. No word on how to pay off the 3 big ones.
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