Transportation Planning, CBN Style

I love how the details are trickling out about what's actually in the $286 billion transportation budget. In Virginia Beach, Tom Holden of the Virginian-Pilot has filed two stories about a $10.8 million earmark for an interchange on Interstate 64 right at the Virginia Beach city limit and next to 50 acres owned by the Christian Broadcasting Network, which wants to build a planned community of stores, houses and offices.

GOP Rep. Thelma Drake, whose district includes CBN, helped get the money and thinks the interchange will ease traffic congestion and that it could be built in a few years. Senators Allen and Warner also reportedly had a hand as well. But the interchange is not among the region's list of priority interstate projects, says the article, nor is it on the VDOT six-year plan. In fact there's no road for it to connect to, though one is planned with private dollars. And the Federal Highway Administration still hasn't approved the idea.