NEWS: Rep. Eugene Vindman Secures $1.35 Million for Spotsylvania, Stafford Transportation Projects
Funds will be used to make improvements along Leeland Road in Stafford, at the intersection of Harrison and Salem in Spotsylvania, and along Exit 126 on I95.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Every job has its perks, and for Rep. Eugene Vindman (Virginia - 7th District) bringing home funds to improve life in the 7th Congressional District is one of those. Today he delivered ceremonial checks in Spotsylvania and Stafford counties totaling $1.35 million for transportation projects.
These funds, Spotsylvania Supervisor Dr. Deborah Frazier (Salem District) told the Advance following the presentation, are “very appreciated.” They “allow us to not use our local monies” on critical infrastructure projects, thereby freeing up local dollars for other projects in the county.
The money awarded to Spotsylvania today will be used for two projects.
The first is $250,000 awarded for improvements at Exit 126 on Interstate 95, which will directly benefit the Veterans Administration outpatient building on U.S. 1.
“With the VA health care clinic, there were five major projects needed to support that,” said Spotsylvania Director of Transportation Paul Agnello. “One of them was actually 126, both the northbound and southbound ramps.” The funds today will be used for the southbound onramp, which will be widened from one to two lanes.
In addition, southbound U.S. 1 will be getting a dual southbound turn lane. The project also calls for widening U.S. 1 under the I-95 interchange from four to six lanes.
The second is $850,000 awarded to improve the intersection at Harrison and Salem roads. This intersection has experienced five fatal or serious injury crashes in recent years, leading the Virginia Department of Transportation to label the site a high-crash location.
The funds will be used for turn-lane additions, access management, crosswalks, shared-use paths, and sidewalk improvements.
Earlier in the day, Vindman appeared in Stafford County to deliver a $250,000 ceremonial check for improvement along Leeland Road.
“This project will enhance traffic operations, improve roadway safety, and expand multimodal connectivity along Leeland Road,” Vindman said in his prepared remarks.
The project includes adding a two-way left-turn lane; and adding flashing pedestrian crosswalks, new sidewalks, and dedicated bike lanes to improve safety, accessibility, and mobility for pedestrians and cyclists traveling along the corridor.
Spotsylvania and Stafford were the final of five stops that Vindman made today. The morning included three additional stops. The first in Prince William County, which is receiving $1 million to design and construct a pedestrian bridge across U.S. 1, connecting the North Woodbridge Town Center with the Woodbridge VRE Station.
The second was at the Woodbridge campus of Northern Virginia Community College which received $250,000 to fund the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (AIR) Expansion project in Woodbridge.
The final stop before moving on to Stafford and Spotsylvania was in Dumfries, which is receiving $1.2 million to implement stormwater and creek stabilization improvements along Quantico Creek.
Not all was joy in Spotsylvania, however. Before announcing the checks, Vindman asked those in attendance at the historic Spotsylvania Court House to pause for a moment on reflect on Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan of Spotsylvania County who was among those killed in a drone attack supporting the war effort in Iran. He was stationed in Kuwait.
“Our area is heavily impacted” by the fighting in Iran, Vindman told the Advance after the event.
He noted that in the 7th District there are nearly 20,000 active-duty service members; 72,000 veterans; and 50,000 federal civil servants.
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