VAR's I-73 appeal was dropped due to agreement with FHWA

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the dismissal of an appeal by Virginians for Appropriate Roads in regards to Interstate 73. The dismissal came before any hearings on the matter took place.

Since then a few more details about the dismissal have come about and the Martinsville Bulletin is all over it.

VAR is more than happy to drop the appeal because in their mind, "...there is no certainty this project will ever move forward."

The key part of the agreement that caused VAR to drop their appeal is "...that if a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is done for the project, Virginians for Appropriate Roads may raise road improvements and access management alternatives with respect to U.S. 220 in any judicial review challenge that the group might bring..."

Story Link:
Appeal on I-73 case dismissed on settlement decision ---Martinsville Bulletin

Commentary:
What appeared when first reported as a blow to VAR appears to be more of a victory for them. If any future studies occur for Interstate 73, and there will be, VAR will be able to challenge any of those studies. VAR's viewpoint is that improvements to US 220 is the best solution for the area as compared to Interstate 73 on a newly built alignment.

VAR has positioned themselves to continue to be a watchdog, and possibly and obstacle, for the completion of Interstate 73 in South Central Virginia. Time to bring in Lee Corso, VAR just said "Not so fast, my friends."

It is interesting that VAR is consistently speaking of their doubts for any part of Interstate 73 to be built. Though I disagree with them and support an Interstate 73 being built in Virginia, I do agree that it will be a long time if ever before we see any dirt being moved for Interstate 73 south of Roanoke.

Comments

Ron said…

I was wondering what happened to the final steps to begin I-73 across Virginia but I must agree that a new alignment was not what the plans called for. Most of the origonal idea was the reasoning for the bypasses (US 220) at Rocky Mount and (?). This was Virginia's crazy idea anyway. They don't need to confuse the NCDOT no more than necessary.

9:30 AM

Old US Route 60/70 through Hell (Chuckwall Valley Road and Ragsdale Road)

Back in 2016 I explored some of the derelict roadways of the Sonoran Desert of Riverside County which were part of US Route 60/70; Chuckwalla Valley Road and Ragsdale Road. US 60 and US 70 were not part of the original run of US Routes in California. According to USends.com US 60 was extended into California by 1932. US 60 doesn't appear on the California State Highway Map until the 1934 edition. USends.com on US 60 endpoints 1934 State Highway Map Conversely US 70 was extended into California by 1934, it first appears on the 1936 State Highway Map. USends.com on US 70 endpoints 1936 State Highway Map When US 60 and US 70 were extended into California they both utilized what was Legislative Route Number 64 from the Arizona State Line west to Coachella Valley. LRN 64 was part of the 1919 Third State Highway Bond Act routes. The original definition of LRN 64 routed between Mecca in Blythe and wasn't extended to the Arizona State Line until 1931 acc...

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign. These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare. This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade. We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others? Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers. The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California. Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...

Paper Highways; Interstate H-4 through downtown Honolulu

The Hawaiian Island of O'ahu is home to four Interstate Highways; H-1, H-2, H-3 and H-201. Had history gone slightly differently during the 1960s a fifth Interstate corridor on O'ahu could have been constructed through downtown Honolulu and the neighborhood of Waikiki. The proposed corridor of Interstate H-4 can be seen above as it was presented by the Hawaii Department of Transportation during October 1968 . This page is part of the Gribblenation O'ahu Highways page. All Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media related to the highway system of O'ahu can be found at the link below: https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-oahu-highways-page.html The history of proposed Interstate H-4 The corridor of Interstate H-4 was conceived as largely following what is now Hawaii Route 92 on Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard. Prior to the Statehood the first signed highways within Hawaii Territory came into existence during World War II. Dur...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog