| Federal bill has
bucks for I-81
Virginia Business
January 2004
One
of two competing proposals for widening Interstate 81
got a boost when a key Congressional supporter proposed
a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would
earmark $1.5 billion for truck-only lanes.
Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska and chairman of the House transportation
committee, is pushing the funding. Truck-only lanes
are part of the proposal from STAR Solutions, one of
two firms competing for a contract to expand I-81. The
STAR plan would build two truck-only lanes in each direction
and cost about $8 billion. A second proposal, by Fluor
Virginia, would add a car-only lane in each direction
and truck climbing lanes in hilly areas. The Virginia
Department of Transportation hasn’t announced
a selection.
In a statement released by STAR, Young called the I-81
project “the best opportunity in the nation for
us to separate car and truck traffic.” The bill
is expected to come up for discussion sometime in Congress
in early 2004.
Virginia
Business - January 2004
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