The Virginia Department Of Transportation is about to get a $32 million bonus in federal funds reallocated from other states:
VDOT and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) will allocate this additional spending authority to accelerate the Gilmerton Bridge replacement in Hampton Roads, the Dulles Rail extension, the Virginia Railway Express and other structure and bridge maintenance projects.
Each September, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reviews all states’ ability to spend allocated federal highway dollars as the federal fiscal year ends. States that have not obligated their federal dollars must return that spending authority to FHWA. That authority is then redistributed to states that have obligated all of their federal allocations and have additional eligible projects ready to move forward.
Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer said, “strong financial management has allowed Virginia to secure additional federal funding again this year.” But I thought we were facing a fiscal crisis brought on by doubling state spending over the last eight years a slowing economy?
