|
|
| Virginia
Department of Transportation ...
|
 |
|
One of the most important parts of State
government in Powhatan County is the Virginia Department of
Transportation. Our County supervisors work with VDOT through the
ten-year comprehensive plan’s section on roads as well as through a
six-year plan that is frequently updated and changed.
The six-year plan is a
secondary road masterplan covering proposed repavings, widenings, and straightenings.
It is dependent upon the amount of County money that can
be allocated to it. The plan at present has approximately 40 projects
proposed over the next six years.
The plan is changed by the
supervisors as more or less money becomes available and as traffic
patterns change in the County. Unexpected deterioration of the roadways
can also cause changes. Usually these changes are on an exchange basis.
That is, one road gets moved up in the plan while another gets moved
down.
VDOT is responsible for 308 miles
of roadway in Powhatan County – 50 miles of paved primary roads (those
numbered under 600), more than 230 miles of paved roads, and 25 miles of
unpaved secondary roads (those numbered over 600). This does not include
those roads marked as private (which are unnumbered), but it does
include Route 711, a scenic byway. Private roads are not the
responsibility of VDOT.
The work is done by a crew of 17
workers, including the superintendent, who operates eight dump trucks (each can be
equipped with a snow blade and a salt/sand spreader), one tandem truck,
three pickup trucks, one crash truck, one motor grader, and one front-end
loader. In addition, there are three tractors with mowers assigned to
the unit, plus additional mowers are leased as needed.
The equipment is kept at a yard
on Old Buckingham Road at the corner of Mann Street, near the high
school. The crash truck is the truck with a large collapsible bumper on
the back that is used to protect the workers when they are working on
the highway.
Duties consist of all road
maintenance in the County including road paving, scraping unpaved gravel
roads, scraping shoulders, paving repairs due to potholes or breakups,
repairing paving settlements, mowing, litter removal, drainage ditches,
clearing sight distances, grass and brush cutting, line painting,
wildflower beds, snow removal, ice control, removal of downed trees,
tree trimming, removal of dead farm animals from rights-of-way, placing
and maintaining traffic control signs, ordering name signs for streets,
aiding in traffic control at accident scenes, cleaning glass and debris
at accidents, and hazardous material work at accidents.
VDOT is also responsible for
traffic lights and acceleration/deceleration lanes.
If a citizen calls 674-2800
for assistance on any routine work listed above, a Citizen Work Order
(CWO) is prepared and sent via e-mail to the area headquarters for
handling. When the work is completed, the CWO is returned to the
Chesterfield Residency, which covers both Chesterfield and Powhatan
counties. It is logged into the computer as completed and records may be
drawn showing frequencies by types, locations, and response times.
These
are used for preventive maintenance and/or selection of roads for
repaving schedules.
CWO’s cover anything from
downed trees, dead animals, tall grass and weeds, potholes, etc., to
suspected violations by drivers and other citizens. Some of these come
as a result of people not being familiar with the narrowness of some of
the rights-of-way in the area.
VDOT has an Adopt-a-Highway
program wherein interested citizens, clubs, or organizations may call
1-800-PRIDE VA (1-800-774-3382) for permission to provide quarterly roadside
litter removal for any road or highway not already assigned. The minimum
is two miles if the road is at least that long. Signs showing the name
of the volunteers, reflective vests, and the plastic bags for collection
purposes are provided.
This year is the 11th
anniversary of Virginia’s Adopt-a-Highway program. Virginia’s
program is the
largest such program in the nation. In Powhatan, 138 miles of the 308
miles of roadway have been adopted as of April 15, 1999. This program,
coupled with the county-wide cleanup program, helps to keep our
roadsides clean.
Throwing litter from a vehicle is
now classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable with up to a
$2,500 fine and/or up to one year in prison. This fine and/or
prison term is charged against the driver of the vehicle if the guilty party is not discernible.
Normal business work hours are
Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. During these hours call 674-2800 or
1-800-344-0037. At other times call your local police department.
There is also a
statewide number for VDOT that is manned 24 hours everyday, which is
1-800-367-ROAD (7623).
|
|
|
|
|
