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Suffolk City Council endorses three SmartScale transportation project applications
Summary
The city council unanimously endorsed three SmartScale grant applications — Prudin Boulevard widening, a Bridge Road–College Drive turn‑lane project, and a Highway 58 widening — requesting roughly $20M, $20M, and $14M respectively; council discussed costs and SmartScale scoring before approving the resolution 6-0.
Suffolk City Council voted unanimously July 1 to endorse three grant applications to the state’s SmartScale transportation program, asking roughly $20 million each for a Prudin Boulevard widening and a Bridge Road–College Drive turn‑lane project, and about $14 million for a one‑mile widening of Highway 58.
Greg Benton, the city’s director of public works, told the council the Prudin Boulevard project would widen the corridor from four to six lanes and add a raised median, curb and gutter, turn lanes and other improvements for about two miles between the 58 interchange and Providence Road and Lake Prince Drive. Benton said the city’s capital improvement plan budgets the remaining local match in FY29 and FY30, with construction anticipated in FY30.
The second project would add a southbound left‑turn lane from Bridge Road onto College Drive, add an additional northbound right‑turn lane and modify traffic signals; the city asked for roughly $20 million. The third application would connect the Prudin Boulevard eastbound on‑ramp to the Godwin Boulevard off‑ramp, widening Highway 58 to three lanes for about one mile; Benton said that project is not yet in the CIP and the city is requesting about $14 million from SmartScale.
Council members asked about rising cost estimates and how SmartScale scoring — which weights congestion heavily — affects regional competitiveness. One council member noted that the Prudin/Route 460 estimate has increased substantially from earlier figures and pressed Benton for the drivers behind the rise. Benton said updated engineering and right‑of‑way acquisition estimates account for much of the change and that staff will continue refining numbers.
Councilors and staff discussed regional efforts to adjust SmartScale weighting to give more consideration to safety and economic impact, and noted the city already has $30.1 million on hand from a transportation partnership fund that would apply to the Route 460 project.
The council approved the endorsement resolution by a 6-0 vote. The endorsements allow city staff to submit the three projects for SmartScale consideration; final award decisions are made at the regional and state levels.
