By Diana McFarland

Managing editor

Two large roads projects, previously to be administered by Isle of Wight County, will now be handled by VDOT.

Both projects involve Route 17 — the Nike Park Road extension and intersection improvements at Carrollton and Brewers Neck boulevards.

The switch was made because Route 17 is considered a corridor of significance with the state and the projects are estimated to cost more than $5 million, said Isle of Wight County Administrator Randy Keaton at a recent Board of Supervisors work session.

Also, if Isle of Wight were to administer the projects, the county would need to have the funding in place before the project would begin, said Isle of Wight Engineering Project Manager Jamie Oliver, adding that the money would have been reimbursed as the projects progressed.

Both projects were scored under HB 2, or Smart Scale — a process of selecting roads projects based on objective criteria.  {mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}

The extension of Nike Park Road to Route 17 is the first phase of a long-term project to transform Nike Park Road into a four-lane divided roadway that includes an adjacent multi-use path. It is estimated to cost $11.6 million.

Intersection improvements at Route 17/258 are a public/private partnership between the state and the developers of The Crossings. The work includes adding a fourth westbound leg to the intersection that will provide access to the development, as well as adding a second, exclusive northbound turn lane. Those improvements are expected to cost about $4.2 million.

With VDOT administering those two projects, it will take some of the financial burden off Isle of Wight County and relieve a cash flow problem, Keaton said.

Isle of Wight County will continue to administer a turn lane at Turner Drive, estimated at a cost of $300,000, as well as paving along Morgart’s Beach road, estimated at $570,265 — with a county match of $267,562.

VDOT will administer the reconstruction project along Route 620, Broadwater Road, for a total cost of $3.5 million and a $1.7 million match from the county.

Improvements along the final segment of the project include widening the existing lanes, but not adding any further capacity, Oliver said.

Funding is available from capital funds, grant funding and also, possibly, left over money from other projects, according to county officials.   {/mprestriction}