Dale Totten, district engineer for VDOT’s Richmond District, told the board that Powhite Parkway was built in stages beginning in the 1980s and that toll revenue collected since its opening "have all gone to debt service. They have not paid for maintenance," according to the VDOT presentation.

Totten said current projections show toll revenue through December 2026 should be sufficient to retire remaining debt service and fund decommissioning activities (removing toll structures, reconfiguring pavement, and eliminating excess pavement). He said work is roughly 10% complete in initial engineering and that VDOT expects to advance design through February, reach 30–90% design milestones during that period, and advertise the construction contract by October 2026. If bid results are favorable, Totten said VDOT’s plan is for decommissioning to take place as a one‑season construction project in 2027 and for toll collections to cease in December 2026.

On project scope, Totten said main toll plazas will be rearranged to match the roadway’s typical four‑lane section, acceleration and deceleration lanes will be modified to meet standards, vertical geometry issues at some plazas will be corrected, and extensive pavement removal will take place to reduce excess impervious area and ongoing maintenance costs. He also said VDOT plans to relocate its interstate maintenance office from Atlee to a more central district location to improve service across the Richmond District.

Board members raised concerns about toll collectors and other employees who will be affected by the removal of toll plazas. Totten said VDOT is engaged with affected employees, that many are eligible to retire and that the department aims to place workers who want to remain in the workforce; he estimated roughly 16–18 employees would be impacted in that general neighborhood. "Our goal is, at the end, to find a home for those that want a home," he said.

Totten cautioned that if bids are unexpectedly poor, VDOT might continue revenue collection for a short period to cover costs until market conditions change; otherwise the intent is to let the market determine timelines. The presentation closed with VDOT reiterating contingency planning and an invitation to coordinate with county staff as work progresses.