By Diana McFarlandNews editor
Despite requests from Windsor town officials and residents, the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 against rescinding its formal support of the proposed Route 460 bypass.
Board Chairman Rex Alphin cast the only vote to support rescinding the resolution that was passed in February.
Windsor Supervisor Dee Dee Darden advised against rescinding the resolution given that the county had gotten the access points it wanted with the proposed northern route, particularly to the intermodal park.
Isle of Wight has invested more $20 million in the intermodal park and it is important that the county maintain its position, Darden said.{mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}
She also cited fears of damaging relationships with VDOT officials and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
“If we go back on this now, we’ll never get any future funding for Isle of Wight County,” Darden said.
Smithfield Supervisor Al Casteen said rescinding the resolution would do “irreparable harm” to the relationship with VDOT.
The best thing for the citizens is to leave it alone, he said.
Alphin, who made the motion to rescind the resolution said, “We don’t work for VDOT. We work for our citizens.” 
The town of Windsor, on the other hand, passed a resolution in March opposing the proposed route.
The northern bypass of the proposed Route 460 improvements is a hybrid alternative after the original 55-mile route that was cancelled due to excessive wetlands impacts. The proposed route, which was whittled down to 17 miles, includes a northern bypass around the town of Windsor.
The project still has to receive a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as scored under the new House Bill 2, which ranks projects in terms of set criteria, including congestion relief. The proposed route, which runs from the Route 460/58 interchange in Suffolk, to just west of Zuni, is estimated to cost $375 million  – $425 million and includes a bridge over the Blackwater River in Zuni to alleviate chronic flooding in that area. Currently, crews are completing the environmental survey as part of the Corps’ permitting process.
If built, the road is expected to ease tractor-trailer traffic through the town of Windsor, increase safety and provide an additional hurricane evacuation route. There are no plans for improving Route 460 west of Zuni at this time. {/mprestriction}