News from the South - Virginia News Feed

New law will allow Virginia bridges and tunnels to be replaced or repaired sooner

Published

3 months ago

April 22, 2025

virginiamercury.com – Nathaniel Cline – 2025-04-22 04:29:00

by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury
April 22, 2025

Certain Virginia bridges and tunnels could be repaired or replaced ahead of schedule, saving citizens years of waiting to use the structures, thanks to a law that will take effect this summer that stems from a bipartisan effort in this year’s General Assembly approved by the governor.

Lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin passed an administrative proposal allowing the state to expedite projects considered under Virginia’s Special Structures Program by issuing revenue bonds up to $200 million a year, and up to $1 billion total. Issuance will begin in 2028.

The Commonwealth Special Structures Program stems from a 2020 measure that allocates $80 million annually to cover “special structures,” identified by the Commissioner of Highways and approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) as very “large, indispensable, and unique bridges and tunnels.”

Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller said at an April 15 CTB meeting that bonding the program funds can help projects move much faster.

“This is a great financial decision for the commonwealth,” Miller said. “Not only do we get to use cheaper money as opposed to more expensive money, but we also get the benefits of all these programs many, many years earlier.”

Ahead of the last General Assembly session, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) asked lawmakers to consider the bill, framing it as a way to help avoid future inflationary costs on the state’s structure improvements and replacements.

According to the agency, VDOT has experienced 24% in cost escalation over the last three fiscal years in its construction program.

Laura Farmer, chief financial officer for VDOT, said in a recent April 15 presentation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board that “though the current funding revenue stream for special structures is reliable, it is not sufficient to set aside money over many years to take care of replacement projects.”

Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, carried the successful legislation, which Youngkin signed March 21. It will take effect July 1.

Norris Bridge and more to come

With VDOT’s ability to bond funds in the special structures program, the agency has already moved forward with its planning to replace the Robert O. Norris Bridge, which connects the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, eight years ahead of schedule.

The 1.9-mile, 67-year-old bridge is located over the Rappahannock River, between Lancaster and Middlesex counties. If the bridge were closed for any reason, an average of 7,560 vehicles would have to take a detour route totaling 85 miles.

The agency said the vertical clearance in the channel span for marine traffic is 110 feet.

According to the governor’s office, the new bridge will have “substantially” wider travel lanes, fully functional shoulders and significantly higher guardrails.

“It is time to build a modern bridge that will serve the communities of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula for the next 100 years,” Youngkin said in an April 15 statement. “Today we are accelerating construction of a new Norris Bridge to meet the daily travel needs of residents and businesses, and to welcome visitors to these scenic waterfront regions.Through this action, people will be driving over the new bridge almost a decade sooner than expected.”

Stephen C. Brich, commissioner of highways for VDOT, said last week that staff has identified a collection of special structure projects for potential advancement, but did not specifically name any.

However, the Mercury was able to identify some of the upcoming special structure projects, according to a recent resolution passed by the board, including: the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel in the Bristol District; a SMART Road in Salem; the Benjamin Harrison Bridge in Richmond; the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel; and the Rosslyn Tunnel in Northern Virginia.

“This isn’t just about the Norris bridge,” Miller said. “This is just the beginning. It impacts everything in the schedule because now we’ve got money in front. So it’s really a great win for the commonwealth.”

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post New law will allow Virginia bridges and tunnels to be replaced or repaired sooner appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Assessment: Center-Left

The content primarily discusses a bipartisan legislative effort in Virginia aimed at expediting infrastructure projects, specifically the repair and replacement of bridges and tunnels. The focus on bipartisan support suggests an appeal to a broad audience. However, the mention of Governor Glenn Youngkin and Republican Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle emphasizes the roles of Republican policymakers and positions the government’s financial decision-making in a positive light. The tone and content lean toward addressing community needs and improvements, aligning more with progressive values of government intervention and infrastructure investment. Thus, while it is not overtly partisan, the framing and focus on infrastructure development suggest a Center-Left bias in promoting active government involvement in public goods.

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News from the South - Virginia News Feed

FBI, DOJ release 11 hours of Epstein jail video, say he died by suicide and no ‘client list’ found

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-07-07 12:02:28

SUMMARY: The FBI and Justice Department released 11 hours of jail footage confirming Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in his Manhattan cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. Investigators found no one entered Epstein’s area overnight before his death. Crucially, no client list or credible evidence of blackmail involving prominent individuals was uncovered. Despite years of conspiracy theories, the investigation found no grounds to pursue uncharged third parties. Attorney General Pam Bondi reviewed the files under a directive from President Trump. Elon Musk once hinted at explosive information in the files but later retracted his statements. President Trump denies ties to Epstein.

The FBI and DOJ say new jail video confirms Epstein died by suicide in 2019 and shows no evidence of a blackmail “client list” or wrongdoing by others.

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News from the South - Virginia News Feed

One Good Thing: Babe Ruth League State champs

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – 12 On Your Side – 2025-07-07 11:37:49

SUMMARY: The Glen Allen 12-year-old All-Star team won the Babe Ruth League State Tournament this weekend. Curt Autry congratulated the team and wished them well on his Facebook page. The team’s victory is celebrated as a significant achievement, marking them as state champions in the Babe Ruth League. Community members and supporters expressed excitement and pride for the young players’ success in the tournament. This accomplishment highlights the dedication and talent of the Glen Allen team, bringing positive recognition to their hard work and teamwork throughout the competition.

Congrats to Glen Allen’s 12-year-old All-Star team!

For more Local News from WWBT: https://www.12onyourside.com/
For more YouTube Content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh-MRi3cyDN0DO1AvvVYFlg

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News from the South - Virginia News Feed

After Potomac crash, Norfolk touts airspace as coordinated and safe

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2025

Staff Editor

virginiamercury.com – Nathaniel Cline – 2025-07-07 04:22:00

by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury
July 7, 2025

As scrutiny of flight safety intensifies nationwide, Norfolk International Airport officials say their shared airspace remains “safe,” thanks to close coordination with commercial airlines and military partners.

Questions about Norfolk’s airspace surfaced after a January collision between an American Airlines Bombardier jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. The crash, which killed all 64 people on board the jet, occurred as the plane prepared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Reagan operates under restricted airspace to prevent aircraft from flying near high-risk areas and must accommodate heavy military and government air traffic. It’s located near the Pentagon, the White House, and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

Like Reagan, Norfolk works closely with the military — especially the Navy and Air Force — to manage constrained airspace and ensure helicopter traffic remains safely separated from its commercial runways.

“I think we are in a better situation,” said Mark Perryman, president and CEO of Norfolk International Airport, at the May 15 meeting with leaders in Hampton. “We’re not quite as congested (as DCA), although we do have a very congested airspace for an airport in a region our size, given all of the military installations, but it’s something that we have very good cooperation with the DoD and the FAA. We are safe.”

Perryman told the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) that Norfolk has earned a reputation as one of the best domestic airports, expanding its nonstop flight offerings significantly over the past decade.

Del. Bonita Anthony, D-Norfolk, who sits on the HRTPO, acknowledged the heightened public interest in aviation safety. She said Norfolk’s advantage lies in the region’s long-standing civil-military coordination — something that travelers should take comfort in.

“Our airspace is safe because Hampton Roads has the strongest records of civil and military coordination in the country,” Anthony told The Mercury.

She pointed to efforts in the 1990s to install advanced radar systems and transfer control tower operations as examples of the region’s aviation leadership. Anthony, who served on the engineering team at the time, described the transfer process as intense and technically complex.

Perryman also addressed helicopter traffic in the airspace north of Norfolk’s Runway 5/23. Unlike Reagan Airport, where helicopters operate closer to the flight paths, military choppers in Norfolk fly farther north, over the Chesapeake Bay.

That distance provides “far greater vertical separation,” said airport spokesman Chris Jones — several hundred feet more than what’s typical in airspace near DCA.

In May, the FAA reduced the size of three designated helicopter operating areas near Norfolk’s approach paths, further enhancing safety.

Norfolk International Airport, originally a military field, has operated for 85 years. Within 20-miles are three military installations with runways used for fixed-wing aircraft: Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, and Joint Base Langley-Eustis on the peninsula in Hampton.

Virginia Beach’s Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story lacks a runway but supports military helicopter traffic, Jones said.

With multiple facilities nearby and Newport News operating its own commercial airport, Hampton Roads remains a “busy region for aviation,” Jones noted, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration.

“In a region with so many airports and air bases, this is to be expected,” Jones said. “Despite this, the conditions and practices now in place are such that they do not elicit safety concerns for travelers or military aviators.”

$5 million headed to Virginia airports

Seven airports in Virginia are set to receive a combined grant total of $5 million to support infrastructure improvements. The grants come through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration Airport Infrastructure Grant program.

U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, D-Va., have long supported improving Virginia’s airports.

“Investing in our airports means investing in safety, connectivity, and economic opportunity for communities across the Commonwealth,” said in a joint statement on June 27. “We’re proud to support these improvements that will help ensure Virginia’s airports continue to serve travelers and local economies for years to come.”

The grant awards

$2,948,555 to the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission to upgrade taxiways B, B1, B2, B3, and B4 at the Roanoke Regional Airport;

$730,000 to the City of Suffolk to expand the terminal apron Suffolk Executive Airport to allow for a wider variety of aircrafts;

$661,200 to the Chesapeake Airport Authority to remove trees obstructing operations at the Chesapeake Regional Airport;

$260,000 to the County of Halifax to install runway end identifier lights and a precision approach path indicator system at Halifax Stanfield International Airport;

$190,000 to the Town of Farmville to reconstruct the precision approach path indicator system for Runway 3/21 at Farmville Regional Airport;

$159,000 to the Dinwiddie County Airport and Industrial Authority to construct a new hanger for aircraft storage at Dinwiddie County Airport;

$110,000 to the Town of Tangier to reseal taxiway and apron pavement prolonging their lifespan at Tangier Island Airport.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

The post After Potomac crash, Norfolk touts airspace as coordinated and safe appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This content presents information about Norfolk International Airport and related federal funding in a straightforward, factual manner without evident partisan framing. It highlights aviation safety, collaboration between military and civilian entities, and infrastructure investment supported by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. The coverage emphasizes practical concerns like safety and economic development rather than ideological viewpoints, maintaining a neutral tone appropriate for a broad audience. Thus, the overall presentation aligns with a centrist perspective.