Transportation department to review traffic plans
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Starting July 1, there will be another layer of government review for new rezonings, comprehensive plans, site plans and subdivisions in Chesterfield County and throughout the state when the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is tasked with reviewing those road plans. The General Assembly sponsored legislation called "Traffic Impact Analysis Regulations Chapter 527" will increase the cost of reviewing developments and, in some cases, lengthen the time to get developments approved.

Reviews will be based on traffic increases with the lowest threshold being 100 vehicles per peak hour. However, standards vary based on the kind of plan being reviewed.

If the county Transportation Department's current review time is shorter than state requirements, the state's time period will prevail. Generally, fees range from $500-$1,000, but additional reviews could cost more.

According to Richmond District Transportation Engineer Mark Riblett of VDOT, the purpose of the regulations is to comply with the new legislation and educate interested parties and the public. VDOT will also verify the validity of traffic studies and issue a written response.

"We anticipate there may be revisions or modifications that may be needed," said Riblett. "If VDOT does not respond within the timelines, nothing holds the county back from acting on those [zoning] cases."

VDOT's Chesterfield/Powhatan Residency Office is not planning to hire additional personnel to review the plans, but will assign some reviews to an outside consultant, depending on workload. That consultant will be named before July 1.

Indications are even VDOT didn't want the General Assembly to enact this legislation. Chesterfield Transportation Director John McCracken has called the new regulations "unnecessary."