Where's all that Interstate 81 money going?
FLOYD — The saga of securing money to build out Interstate 81, which runs through rural western Virginia as one of the East Coast’s arterial commercial routes, was one of the twistiest narratives of the 2019 General Assembly session.
A pair of bills proposing tolls to fund interstate construction was blocked by the trucking industry, but Gov. Ralph Northam unexpectedly resurrected the legislation days before the April 3 veto session with amendments to generate $151 million for I-81, along with $40 million for I-95, $28 million for I-64, $20 million for the NVTA, and $43 million for other interstates.
As with Medicaid expansion last year, the I-81 legislation passed with Democratic support and enough Republicans to make majorities in both chambers. As a result, in what was a horrific session for Northam due to his blackface scandal, the governor still managed to pass a significant piece of transportation funding legislation — a goal that obsessed and eluded some of his predecessors.
“This was probably the most consequential legislation we passed this year,” said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke. “How often do we actually raise gas taxes or do anything to improve our roads? How often does that happen? ’86 with [Gerald] Baliles, ’13 with [Bob] McDonnell, and now ’19 with Northam. It’s very unusual to have something of this magnitude to pass, especially when it failed in the session.”
Read more: https://www.virginiamercury.com/2019/05/14/wheres-all-that-interstate-81-money-going/