Rural roads and state funding formulas become focal point in Pittsylvania County agenda
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Summary
Supervisors urged changing state funding formulas that they said favor Northern Virginia, asking the legislature for more rural roads funding and local flexibility to maintain and upgrade secondary and unpaved roads.
Pittsylvania County supervisors pressed for changes to the state’s transportation funding approach, arguing current formulas and prioritization leave many rural roads in poor condition and impose large costs on residents.
During the committee’s review of VACO transportation priorities, members discussed expanding rural roads programs and simplifying the Smart Scale process. Several supervisors said Northern Virginia receives a disproportionate share of paving funds and urged the General Assembly to revise formulas to give rural localities more ability to address aging roads.
One committee member described a local road serving about 32 houses that a contractor estimated would cost residents more than $100,000 to bring up to state standards, and called the situation “not fair.” Committee members suggested the state consider alternative selection or contracting processes so localities can choose contractors and have work completed without passing the entire cost to small clusters of homeowners.
The committee asked staff to include transportation funding reform and rural road investments among top priorities to send to delegates.