Bedford VDOT office backed up

Sharp turns are ahead for Bedford’s residency branch of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

VDOT revenue reductions have pushed back the date for this year’s public hearing on a six-year plan for county secondary roads until at least February, said Debbie Shinstine, acting residency administrator.

The Board of Supervisors and VDOT usually hold the hearing each year to let citizens comment on road conditions and projects. The need to pave many secondary roads throughout the county has been a constant theme at those hearings in recent years.

Supervisors have developed a “waiting list” of more than 40 roads that need paving, on top of other construction priorities in the plan, which is facing more delays due to funding shortages.

“We’re going to have to take a hard look at the plan and make some hard choices,” Shinstine told supervisors Wednesday.

Lack of money has also led to the residency cutting back on surface treating of unpaved roads and mowing to meet budget requirements, she said. The branch can’t perform services at levels it has in the past, Shinstine said, and has to review financial outlooks for the upcoming fiscal year that starts in June.

“We don’t have enough money to do what we projected to do.”