Powhite extension gains attention
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

The Powhite Parkway currently ends at its intersection with Charter Colony Parkway.

The idea of extending the Powhite Parkway as a toll road from Charter Colony Parkway west through what will become Magnolia Green and intersecting near Grange Hall Elementary School is moving to the front burner. Both the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and County Administrator Lane Ramsey have said interest in building what could become a $300 million, four-lane divided highway has been renewed.

"I've talked to an interested party, but we haven't received a proposal from anyone," acknowledged Mal Kerley, VDOT's chief engineer for program development. "He was talking in general terms, and I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment further."

A VDOT source said it was one of two companies who proposed to build the toll road three years ago and take over the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA in Richmond) and the Powhite Parkway extension from Chippenham Parkway to Charter Colony Parkway (owned by VDOT). Those existing toll roads would help finance the nine-mile construction of the new extension.

Clark Bottner of Shirley Contracting Corporation of Northern Virginia said the group of road and engineering companies he represented in 2003 had not talked to VDOT. Numerous calls to Rick Volk of Koch Performance Roads of Newark, Delaware, part of what was then Powhite Partners West who also submitted a proposal to build the road, were not returned.

Both groups withdrew their proposals when the RMA "refused to be cooperative," as one source put it. The RMA's general manager said then the RMA would make the decision regarding who manages the Downtown Expressway.

Bottner said one entity should oversee the Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway west to Route 360, if extended. "It's inefficient to have multiple owners of roads," he said.

"We certainly could build the extension better than anyone else," added Garry Palleschi, Shirley's development manager. Given VDOT's lack of funding for new construction, road building opportunities in Virginia are scarce.

The Downtown Expressway to Chippenham opened in 1973 and currently owes about $157 million, which is scheduled to be paid off in 2022. There have been a number of improvements since its construction.

The original debt of $78 million was assumed by VDOT in 1986 for the current Powhite extension. As of June 30, the principal had been paid down to $27.1 million with a scheduled payoff of June 30, 2011.

However, if an agreement was reached to build the road further west and a private company took over the existing Powhite Parkway, tolls could remain on the road beyond that date.

A proposal to extend the Powhite Parkway could be submitted to either Chesterfield County or VDOT. Asked if Chesterfield had been approached, county Director of Transportation John McCracken replied, "I don't think it would be appropriate to comment either way at this time." At the Nov. 20 Transportation Summit held by county leaders, Ramsey and his staff recommended extending the Powhite as a toll road to reduce transportation congestion in the western Route 360 corridor.

It's more likely for a proposal to be submitted to VDOT because Chesterfield has not adopted procedures to accept a Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) proposal. "The procedures would have to go to the county attorney's office and would most likely mirror those of VDOT's," explained McCracken.

According to Kerley, VDOT would first study a PPTA proposal for 30 days to determine if it meets the requirements. Then, it would be posted so competing bids could be accepted. VDOT's staff would review all proposals before sending a recommendation to VDOT's commissioner. After he studied it, it would be sent with a recommendation to the secretary of transportation. Then, an advisory committee would review it before sending it to the Commonwealth Transportation Board for action. If approved, VDOT would ask for a more detailed proposal.

Years ago, McCracken endorsed building the extension. "The Powhite extension has been a part of the county's thoroughfare plan for a long time," he said. "It's a critical link in our infrastructure to support that part of the county as it grows."