Nelson supervisors OK FY25–30 secondary‑road priority list, set public hearing for May 14

Nelson County supervisors on April 9 reviewed VDOT’s draft FY25–30 Secondary Six‑Year Improvement Plan and approved a motion to authorize a public hearing and construction priority list, adopting Resolution R2024‑27.

VDOT representative Robert Brown reviewed the proposed list of funded secondary projects and discussed eligible unpaved‑road funding rules, noting a 50 vehicles‑per‑day (VPD) threshold for that funding stream. The draft construction priorities included Cow Hollow Road, Davis Creek Road, Hunting Lodge Road, Jennys Creek Road and sections of Wheelers Cove, Fork Mountain, Gulleysville Lane, Berry Hill and others. Board members proposed swapping Wheelers Cove and Buffalo Station in the priority order and adjusted the rural‑rustic unpaved‑road priority list to place Spring Valley and North Fork at the top based on higher VPD counts (Spring Valley ~180 VPD; North Fork ~110 VPD).

Supervisor discussion focused on maintenance burdens, community preferences (some Wheelers Cove residents oppose paving), traffic counts and fundraising/funding eligibility. Mr. Brown said VDOT could perform special traffic counts and that most projects moved to the FY25–30 plan reflected prior requests and the board’s priorities.

Supervisor Jesse N. Rutherford moved to adopt the amended priority list and authorize a public hearing for the FY25–30 Secondary Six‑Year Plan; Ernie Q. Reed seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The public hearing was scheduled for May 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the General District Courtroom.