"Fix The Roads We
Have"
I-73 project called one of the
50 most wasteful in nation
For Immediate Release: Monday,
April 26, 1999
Contact: Mark Petersen (540)
362-7141
Roanoke, VA - A coalition of
environmental and taxpayer groups has called the
Virginia I-73 one of the 50 worst road projects
in the nation.
Washington based Taxpayers for
Common Sense and Friends
of the Earth called the 50 road projects
highlighted in this year's Road to Ruin report
as "unnecessary or duplicative,
environmentally harmful and opposed by concerned
local residents."
The groups specifically profiles
three Virginia highway projects, including
Interstate 73. The 50 projects represent a sharp
increase from the 1998 Road to Ruin report,
which highlighted 37 projects. The increase can
be attributed to two factors: 1) A significant
increase in federal funds in TEA-21 that state
Departments of Transportation can use for new
road projects; 2) Growing citizen awareness and
concern about the role new roads play in their
communities.
"The Road to Ruin report
indicates major changes in our national attitude
toward new road construction," said Mark
Petersen of Virginians
for Appropriate Roads. "Citizens no
longer support squandering our national resources
and tax dollars for special interest pork-barrel
projects. The report echoes arguments made by
I-73 opponents. They say it would make more sense
to link Martinsville and Roanoke via I-581 with
an upgraded U.S. 220. Opponents of the I-73
proposal question the wisdom of routing a
"high priority" corridor out of its way
into Roanoke. I-73 was originally planned to
traverse the existing I-77 corridor. Due to
intense special interest lobbying, key
politicians convinced Congress to amend the 1995
National Highway Act to allow I-73 to dogleg into
Roanoke, almost 30 miles east of its intended
alignment.
The recommendations of the Road
to Ruin report are:
1) Stop the 50 projects in the
report and give more consideration to
alternatives.
2) Give local people more control over projects
in their communities.
3) Fix existing roads before building new ones.
4) Control pork barrel highway spending in
Congress.
- # -
Read the Road to Ruin
report by visiting these sites: Taxpayers for
Common Sense and Friends
of the Earth
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