Council approves VDOT revenue-sharing funds to close financing gap for Harding Avenue project

The Blacksburg Town Council approved Ordinance 2089 on June 25 to accept and appropriate Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) revenue-sharing funds to the town’s VDOT revenue-sharing account, closing the remaining financing gap for the Harding Avenue project.

The ordinance as read into the record authorized accepting and appropriating $2,397,000 in VDOT revenue-sharing funds to the fiscal year 2024–25 operating budget. Town staff later described the amount as “$2,400,000” in remarks to council; the difference was stated on the record during the same discussion.

Matt Hanratty, town staff, described the Harding Avenue project as the reason for the appropriation and said, “This $2,400,000 is the last gap we need for the Harding Avenue project, so we can move forward with construction as we've discussed at your work session.” He summarized the project’s visible elements as “basically, almost 4,000 linear feet of sidewalk, bike lanes, storm water, really from the corporate limit, on the East side of town all the way down Harding past Patrick Henry Drive.”

Council called for public comment and received none for Ordinance 2089. A motion to approve the ordinance was made and seconded, and the clerk called the roll. The transcript records the following recorded votes: Edgar Smith — Aye; Mattingly — Aye; Sutphin — Aye; Watson — Aye; Anderson — Aye; Ford — Aye. The ordinance carried on a unanimous recorded vote of the members present; Councilmember Oliver was recorded as absent earlier in the meeting.

Project scope described by staff indicates the work will add pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and stormwater improvements along a multi-block corridor on Harding Avenue. The appropriation places the VDOT revenue-sharing funds into the town’s revenue-sharing account and is presented on the record as the final funding gap to proceed to construction.