Middlesex supervisors approve VDOT six-year secondary road plan and construction budget

The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the Virginia Department of Transportation’s proposed secondary six-year improvement plan for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 and the secondary system construction budget for fiscal year 2025–26 following a VDOT presentation and a brief public-question period.

Ron Peaks, ARA for the Saluda Residency at the Virginia Department of Transportation, told the board that “the Code of Virginia requires that the County Board of Supervisors, in conjunction with the Department of Transportation, formulate a six-year secondary improvement plan and a priority list for the secondary improvement budget.” Peaks said the plan’s current total estimate is $481,496 over six years and that the figure “includes $135,132 in tele fees and $346,364 in previous funding.” He added that the tele fees are running about $22,500 a year.

The plan submitted to the board includes a county request to pave Route 740 (Sports Complex Road). Peaks said that paving the road is “estimated to cost $75,000,” that the county’s countywide improvement UPC could be used for the work, and that the paving would be performed by VDOT’s paving contractor. He said the job could be completed “sometime this summer” and estimated “two days max, probably a one-day job,” while noting he would coordinate timing with local events and that speed bumps would be removed prior to paving.

Peaks emphasized that the six-year plan is for new construction and does not cover maintenance, saying it “does not include maintenance work, such as passing potholes, pulling ditches, snow removal, or repaving roads.” Board members and other speakers raised questions about whether specific roads shown in the plan are state-maintained. A board member and a resident discussed a separate nonstate road (referred to as Bumpers Lane) and a development area near the courthouse, noting those roads are not currently state roads and explaining state acceptance requires meeting VDOT right-of-way and construction standards.

The board opened a public hearing on the proposed plan and budget and received no public speakers during the formal hearing; earlier during the presentation several supervisors and a resident asked detailed questions of VDOT staff about the scope of Route 740 paving, parking at the sports complex and which roads are eligible for state acceptance.

Supervisor Jesse moved to approve the plan and the construction budget, and Supervisor Bill Harris seconded. A roll-call vote recorded all present supervisors voting in favor (Jesse: aye; Williams: yes; Bill Harris: yes; Crittendon: yes; Don Harris: yes), and the motion passed.

The approval directs county staff and VDOT to proceed with the plan as submitted and to coordinate scheduling and logistics for Route 740 paving; VDOT indicated it will notify the county at least a week before work begins to allow speed-bump removal and other preparations.