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Board approves Pocahontas Trail multimodal project undergrounding and adopts secondary six‑year plan priorities
Summary
The board adopted an ordinance and resolution to establish an underground utility district for VDOT’s Pocahontas Trail multimodal improvements and approved the county’s priorities for VDOT’s secondary six‑year plan (SSYP). The board tied county funding for utility betterments to the ordinance.
The Board of Supervisors on April 8 adopted an ordinance and a companion resolution that designate the limits of the Pocahontas Trail (Route 60) multimodal improvement segment as an underground utility district and commit county funds to cover the incremental cost of placing relocated utilities underground rather than overhead.
County staff told the board the project — which includes curb and gutter, continuous center turn lane, drainage improvements and landscaping — is funded for the segment that runs from the fire station toward Magruder Avenue. Staff said VDOT’s project funding covers relocation of existing overhead utilities to accommodate roadwork but not the “betterment” cost required to place existing overhead lines underground; the county must adopt an ordinance designating an underground utility district and pass a resolution committing to fund the cost difference. Staff recommended adoption consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan and corridor vision.
Chris Henderson, a resident who attended VDOT’s design public hearing, asked the board whether the design included protected left-turn bays or other features (including roundabouts) to reduce collision points at private driveways and access points; board members and staff discussed design tradeoffs and noted the first segment is now fully funded.
After public comment and board discussion, the board voted to adopt the resolution and ordinance authorizing the underground utility district and committing the county’s transportation match CIP funds to cover undergrounding betterments.
Separately, the board adopted the county’s proposed Secondary Six‑Year Plan (SSYP) priorities for fiscal years 2026–2031, which program just over $1,013,800 in county allocations across secondary-road improvements and identified Croaker Road widening and a list of intersection and corridor projects as priorities for state secondary-road funding.
