VDOT to study two plans for I-81
BY PETER BACQUE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Feb 14, 2003
Two privately developed multibillion-dollar proposals to widen Interstate 81 are worth looking at, the Virginia Department of Transportation says.
"They meet the requirements to move forward," said one department official.
Last month, Fluor Virginia Inc. and Star Solutions submitted conceptual proposals to improve the heavily traveled 325-mile highway in western Virginia.
After a department review to make sure the competing proposals met basic administrative requirements, VDOT is moving them to the next step in the evaluation process called for by the state's Public-Private Transportation Act. Virginia law allows the department to partner with private firms to build roads more efficiently.
The Star Solutions group would add two lanes in each direction, use concrete dividers to separate cars from trucks, and charge only truckers a toll. Star Solutions estimates the cost of its plan at between $6.25 billion and $7.75 billion.
The plan submitted by a group headed by Fluor Virginia calls for adding one lane in each direction and restricting the lane to cars. Fluor's plan, which would cost about $1.8 billion, would be paid for by tolls charged to both truckers and car drivers.
An initial review committee, made up of top department officials, will evaluate the proposers' qualifications and the proposals' technical and engineering merit and financial feasibility.
The committee will then recommend that state Transportation Commissioner Philip A. Shucet accept or reject one or both conceptual proposals.
In turn, Shucet will make a recommendation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board next month. If the board goes along with the commissioner's recommendation, one or both proposals could then move to a public comment period and a detailed review.
Assuming the state likes what it sees in the private plans, VDOT's target for wrapping up negotiations is Sept. 30.
