RICHMOND, Va (WTVR)-
Your daily to and fro, whether it includes congestion, construction, or delays, is a continual topic of conversation.
“Every day I have a conversation about traffic,” says Yvonne Banks, who works in both Chesterfield and Short Pump.
“I really don't think that enough money is dedicated to transportation,” says Karen Dandidge, who lives in the Museum District. “I just know the roads here in the city and going out the suburbs really need a lot of work.”
At Maggie Walker Governor's School Wednesday, representatives from seven state agencies took questions and discussed concerns with the public about the future of Virginia's transportation system.
“Generally, people across the state are concerned about the same things: transportation choices, mobility, connectivity, congestion,” says David Tyeryar, Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Transportation.
Tyeryar’s office is working on an update of the VTrans 2035, which is a long-term policy and planning document that maps out the future of Virginia's Transportation systems through 2035.
"We do our updates every four years, and part of the process is to see what the people think,” says Tyeryar. “We’re kind of at the midpoint of the process. We’ve done a lot of staff work, and now we go out and get the opinion of the public.
The VTrans 2035 sets a blueprint for Virginia's transportation future, which means all modes of transportation are taken into consideration.
Bud Vye attended Wednesday’s meeting and works with the Virginia Bicycling Federation. Vye knows the changes he would like to see won't happen overnight.
“We are working on the plan here for 2035,” says Vye.
Vye says some folks might freeze up at the thought of such long range thinking regarding transportation, but if you don't put in your two cents now, you're limiting your say.
“They may not agree with us, but at least we make our recommendation and that's what we do,” says Vye.
To view meeting information and comment on the plans, visit www.vtrans.org throughout the month of August.
