News

VA. Gov. Seeks Cost Cuts to Keep Rest Stops Open

July 7, 2010

* This year, Senator Herring introduced SJ 99 which directs the Virginia Transportation Research Council to study alternatives to the public funding and operation of the Commonwealth's rest stops. The results of this study are due by the start of the 2011 legislative session.

 via The Virginian-Pilot

Days after taking office this year, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced plans to reopen 19 highway rest stops shuttered last summer by the previous administration to save money.

It cost the state $3 million to execute the plan - a McDonnell campaign pledge - but the governor reasoned that keeping the rest areas closed would send the wrong signal to Virginia visitors about the state's economic vitality.

By mid-April, all the highway roadside facilities had been reopened.

Now, McDonnell is devising plans to keep them operating with lower overhead. He has instructed state transportation officials to examine reductions in maintenance contracts, private sponsorship and advertising deals on the properties and opportunities for tourism promotion, and to analyze funding options available to the state.

That analysis was called for in a bill passed this year by the General Assembly that directs a legislative transportation panel to study the issue.

Its report is due by the start of the 2011 legislative session."Initiating these new strategies now is critical to begin offsetting program costs as soon as possible,"

Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton said in a statement. "...VDOT welcomes any additional ideas from the public and private sectors to provide these critical customer services more efficiently."