From a press release from the office of Sen. Mark Herring (33rd):
Leesburg- Senator Mark Herring (D-Loudoun & Fairfax) announced today new state funding for Loudoun County’s two most critical transportation infrastructure needs has been included in the Draft Fiscal Years 2012 – 2017 Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP).
As a result of the transportation plan passed by the General Assembly this year, of which Senator Herring served as chief co-patron, $3 billion in additional funds have been provided in this year’s SYIP to accelerate and advance many phases of more than 900 transportation infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth, including the construction of the Route 7/Belmont Ridge Road interchange and the
Sycolin Road Overpass. Also included in the package is a one-mile extension of Battlefield Parkway. The current estimated total cost of these three projects is $104.6 million.“Through my efforts and the efforts of County officials, my Route 7 Task Force, and the business community, the state is now committed to fully fund the construction of these vital projects along the Route 7 corridor,” Herring stated.
“For too long, Virginians have been spending too much of their time stuck in traffic, away from their families, and away from their jobs. This means lost productivity for our businesses and a lower quality of
life for our citizens,” Herring continued.“Working together with the Governor and members of both parties in both houses of the General Assembly, I fought hard this session to make sure that more state funds are coming back home to build roads and help alleviate the congestion that is paralyzing our region. Although this year’s transportation funding package was but a first step, I believe it was a meaningful one that will improve the lives of
the citizens of our area.”The Commonwealth Transportation Board is expected to adopt the final 2012-2017 Six-Year Improvement Program in June.
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Once again, just more reasons why we need to work extra-hard to ensure that we return this outstanding public servant to the State Senate again this coming November.
A key phrase I noticed in that press release was in paragraph 5: ““Working together with the Governor and members of both parties in both houses of the General Assembly…” – Senator Herring knows what it takes to get smart, sensible legislation passed in the General Assembly, without the crass partisanship that we have been seeing from those on the right, starting with the Governor and extending to the embarrassing behavior we see in the Attorney General’s office.
Bi-partisanship works, it works for Loudoun, and it works for Virginia. All of the citizens of this county should be thankful that we have someone like Mark Herring representing us.
oh it is so easy to solve our transportation problems. Just fire half our bloated government. 😉 Problem solved. I am a bit joking here but not in the too far off future massive government layoffs will be a real possibility.
Herring has my support.
It makes me so happy knowing money comes back to Loudoun/Fairfax to help alleviate our growing transportation issues. Finally the good old boys in Richmond realize how difficult it really is for localities to properly fund major road projects.
Well, for what it’s worth, here in Leesburg thanks to folks like Kelly Burk, Mark Herring and Dave Butler, we got the River Creek interchange done, Battlefield Parkway completed (the final bit will be online this Fall) and funding for the Sycolin Interchange.
Partnership from local through Richmond gets this stuff done. I might suggest talking to Del. Greason about whether or not he can be effective for Ashburn…
Not to put a damper on this party. I will believe it when these projects are under construction. Too many things can happen between the promise and the reality.
Example the small section of waxpool between ashburn village and verizon is supposed to have the money years ago to widen it . It has been in the news every year waxpool is going to be under construction. And what has happened for this funded waxpool widening is absolutely nothing. zero nothing. and this has been going on for a zillion years. Then they are building some townhomes at waxpool and ashburn village. The developer is supposed to widen ashburn village. What has happened is some token work to ashburn village drive. but tons of work for a street and other infrastructure for the town homes. And all of a sudden the heavy equipment is disappearing ashburn village drive construction has stopped and part of it was actually grassed over. And again nothing happening zero zilch. So when these roads are under construction and almost finished then celebrate Proposed government funding in this economic climate can disappear at the drop of a hat.