RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Tamara Neale 804-786-6458

CO-0444 Sept. 21, 2004

PUBLIC HEARINGS TO BE HELD ON VIRGINIA’S TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM

RICHMOND – The public is invited to comment on transportation priorities in their region during public hearings held by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB). The CTB will hold hearings across the state this week and next week, beginning with the Bristol and Hampton Roads regions 5 p.m., Sept. 21.

CTB members will take the public comments into consideration as they update the Six-Year Improvement Program for next year. The six-year program allocates funding for rail, public transit and primary and interstate highway improvement projects over a six-year period. The board adopted the current six-year program last June.

Meeting locations follow:

Bristol and Hampton Roads Districts
Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004
5 p.m.

VDOT Bristol District Auditorium
870 Bonham Road, Bristol, VA

VDOT Hampton Roads District Auditorium1700 North Main St. Suffolk, VA

Northern Virginia and Staunton districts
Wednesday,Sept. 22, 2004
5 p.m.

VDOT Northern Virginia District Fairfax Room
14685 Avion Parkway, Chantilly, VAVDOT Staunton District Auditorium811 Commerce Rd., Staunton, VA

Richmond and Salem districts
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004
5 p.m.
VDOT Richmond District Auditorium 2430 Pine Forest Dr., Colonial Heights, VA

UPDATE: Salem hearing postponed due to flooding. Will be rescheduled in October.

VDOT Salem District Auditorium
731 Harrison Ave., Salem, VA

Culpeper, Fredericksburg and Lynchburg districts
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004
5 p.m.

VDOT Culpeper District Auditorium
1601 Orange Rd., Culpeper, VA

VDOT Fredericksburg District Auditorium
87 Deacon Rd, Fredericksburg, VAVDOT Lynchburg District Assembly Room
4219 Campbell Ave., Lynchburg, VA

Each meeting will begin at 5 p.m. From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the public will have an opportunity to review materials and speak with staff of both the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Virginia Department of Transportation. The traditional comment period will begin at 6 p.m. and will be chaired by Transportation Secretary Whitt Clement through videoconference from Richmond.

During the comment period, Clement will call on speakers from the respective districts and each individual will be allowed to speak for 3 minutes. Groups will be asked to designate one person to speak on their behalf.

Learn more about VDOT's Six-Year Improvement Program.