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Board approves VDOT six-year plan; staff to pursue local safety fixes including Story Station speed reduction
Summary
The board approved the VDOT secondary six‑year improvement plan and heard local road updates: Darden Point pipe replacement remains incomplete pending dry weather and compaction work; VDOT recommended lowering the speed on Story Station Road to 50 mph and scheduled a surface treatment for FY26.
The Southampton County Board of Supervisors on May 27 approved the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) secondary six‑year improvement program after a public hearing. VDOT staff also briefed the board on several local road items raised by residents.
Why it matters: the six‑year program and VDOT operational work determine which rural-road safety and resurfacing projects receive state funding and scheduling in coming years.
George Bowman, assistant resident administrator for VDOT's Franklin Residency, reviewed items and responded to citizen concerns. Bowman said VDOT completed pipe replacement on Darden Point Road but discovered an unknown utility conflict that required the contractor to reopen and recompact soils; he told the board that crews will finish surfacing as soon as weather allows. "We did complete the pipe replacement, but there was an unknown utility issue there that had to be taken back up," Bowman said.
Bowman also reported that traffic engineering had recommended reducing the speed limit on Story Station Road to 50 miles per hour following a crash review; the road is scheduled for surface treatment in fiscal 2026. He said the county can submit safety-improvement proposals and that the former citizens transportation committee can help prioritize projects for SmartScale and other funding.
Citizens urged the board to restore or reactivate a transportation committee that previously reviewed R-cut proposals, speed studies and safety applications. Several residents, including Jim Hart and Linda Simmons, described increased truck volumes and high speeds on Highway 58, particularly in the 50‑mph corridor near Cortland and Food Lion, and urged more active planning and enforcement.
Board action: after public comment and discussion, the board approved VDOT's six‑year plan and asked staff to place transportation committee consideration on a future agenda so the board can decide whether to reconvene citizen members.
Ending: VDOT will proceed with the schedule in the six‑year plan and follow up with the county on Darden Point surfacing once conditions permit; the county will consider reactivating a citizen transportation committee to help prioritize safety projects.
