Three private-sector proposals to upgrade U.S. 460 between Suffolk and Petersburg into a four-lane, limited-access highway are all worth a closer look, a state transportation review panel has decided. The Commonwealth Transportation Board will consider the panel’s recommendations for the 55-mile project this July.
There are no state funds available to underwrite the toll-road project, but public monies could be made available by the newly approved Hampton Roads Transportation Authority. According to Peter Bacque with the Times-Dispatch, the three proposals include:
- Virginia Corridor Partners, $1.56 billion-$1.91 billion, with no state contribution.
- Intinere, $1.5 billion-$1.9 billion, with up to $734 million in state funds.
- Cintra 460, $1.05 billion-$1.37 billion, with up to $174.5 million in state funds.
On the face of it, the Virginia Corridor Partners proposal, which would require no state contribution, would seem to be the obvious choice. But the devil is in the details. How high would the tolls be and how long would they last? Bacque says it cost as much as $13.20 to drive the full length, and tolls could last as long as 50 to 99 years.
