Exit 150

So VDOT plans to "fix" Exit 150 with a little paint and a couple of traffic barriers.

This is ridiculous. The exit in question is one of the state's busiest interchanges. It is the intersection of US 11, US 220, and Interstate 81. A truck stop smack in the center of the exit ramp creates most of the problem.

One of Botetourt's supervisors has suggested simply buying out the truckstop to alleviate the problem. I think this suggestion has great merit and would, in fact, help the situation tremendously.

Because it is the tractor trailers, pulling in and pulling out and scaring motorists half to death sometimes, that block traffic and create back ups.

I cringe every time I go through the intersection. When I am older, I will be unable to get out of the county for fear of my life at the interchange.

The county, of course, is waiting on the state to do something, and the state is waiting on ... well, I don't know what the state is waiting on. We are in this "don't spend money" phase in this nation and Virginia's infrastructure is suffering along with everyone else's.

The all-out-and-out fix, which as I understand it would work around the truckstop, would cost about $182 million. I don't know what the truckstop is worth but I bet you could buy it out and shut it down for a whole lot less than that.

I suggested to a couple of supervisors that the county should purchase land some place else and make an offer to the truckstop to move.

No one liked that idea. But they do it for everyone else - that is why there is a Greenfield Industrial Park and an East Park Industrial Center and Vista Industrial Park in the county. So we can offer corporations welfare to come in here, take our tax dollars and financial incentives, and then renege on their commitments and leave.

We might as well accomplish something, like less congestion at Exit 150, while we're handing money hand over fist to corporations, don't you think?

Anyway, the state wants to spend $2 million on paint - and another $1 million to move the Park & Ride, which, as best I can tell, doesn't do a thing for the situation.

A million for a parking lot. Yeah, that'll help the traffic flow.