The Franklin News-Post
P. O. Box 250
310 Main Street, SW
Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151
540-483-5113
Fax: 540-483-8013
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Staff Photo by Joel Turner:
State Sen. Robert Hurt told Rocky Mount Town Council that he may ask Virginia Department of Transportation to reconsider the closing of the VDOT shop and office in Rocky Mount. |
Friday, October 30, 2009
By JOEL TURNER - Staff Writer
Depending on the outcome of the governor's race in Tuesday's election, State Sen. Robert Hurt (R-Chatham) said he may ask the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to reconsider the closing of its maintenance shop and residency office in Rocky Mount.
If there is a change in state administrative personnel next year, Hurt said he will pursue the closing issue.
"If there is a different administration, I fully intend" to bring it up, he said at a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Rocky Mount.
When state officials contacted him earlier about the plan to close VDOT shops and offices in Rocky Mount and Pittsylvania County, Hurt said, "It didn't make sense to me."
Hurt, whose Senate district includes Franklin County, said the past year has been a difficult period for state finances as revenues have decreased because of the recession.
The VDOT equipment and maintenance shop on State Street in Rocky Mount officially closed Oct. 23 because of $1.5 billion in reductions in the state's six-year transportation plan. The local shop was one of five in the Salem District that closed Oct. 23. Four other VDOT shops closed Sept. 10.
The Rocky Mount administrative office is scheduled to remain open until March 2010.
The administration for maintenance in Franklin County would then be handled by the Bedford residency office.
The closure of VDOT's equipment and maintenance shop in Rocky Mount and the eventual closure of the residency office will not affect five road maintenance shops in Franklin County. Those shops are in Burnt Chimney, Callaway, Sydnorsville, Glade Hill and Rocky Mount.
In addition to closing 15 residency offices statewide, VDOT is in the process of closing 18 rest stops.
Also, VDOT will reduce its mowing and roadside maintenance budget by $20 million, which means a reduction in the frequency of grass cutting and the number of acres mowed.
Speaking at the town hall meeting, Hurt said the state's finances are not likely to improve quickly.
"We will face tough times when the General Assembly meets next year," he said, because of the recession and the slow economic recovery.
The state is facing another year of "lean and mean" finances, Hurt said. |
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