Senator Mark Herring (D-Loudoun & Fairfax) today released the following statement after the Virginia Senate passed Governor McDonnell’s transportation plan. The plan, calls for accelerating $1.8 billion in transportation bonds approved in 2007 and the issuance of an additional $1.1 billion in bonds backed by anticipated federal revenue. The nearly $3 billion will be spent on over 900 transportation infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth over the next three years:
“Today, I voted in favor of, and the Senate passed, Senate Bill 1446 which is an important first step in addressing Virginia’s long-term transportation needs.”
“The plan will allow Virginia to take advantage of historically low interest rates in order to accelerate the construction of desperately needed transportation infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth over the next three years. Among these are Loudoun County’s most pressing transportation infrastructure needs: the construction of the Route 7/Belmont Ridge Road interchange and the construction of the Sycolin Road overpass.”
“Governor McDonnell is fond of saying, ‘There are no Republican or Democratic roads,’ and I could not agree more. Our constituents expect us to come down to Richmond and to work together, members of both parties in both houses, to find solutions to our most pressing issues, and transportation is certainly at the top of that list.”
“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. It is my hope that by passing this legislation, we have taken a meaningful step forward that will improve the lives of the residents of our Commonwealth.”
Additionally, SB 1446 includes Senator Herring’s legislation, SB 1329, to amend the state’s highway “revenue sharing” program with localities to make more state matching funds available to localities that wish to undertake their own road construction projects. Senator Herring is a chief co-patron of SB 1446.
Tags: Fairfax, Governor McDonnell, Loudoun, Senator Mark Herring, traffic, transportation plan