BY TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD
tracy.agnew@suffolknewsherald.com

SUFFOLK—The Virginia Port Authority’s board may help pay to build a new highway parallel to U.S. Route 460.

The board recently discussed providing about $5 million a year beginning in 2013. The money would come from the authority’s portion of the Transportation Trust Fund, which collects all the gas and vehicle taxes, car titling fees and other such revenues. The authority gets 4.2 percent of that fund — about $35 million — yearly for capital improvements, spokesman Joe Harris said.

The board agreed to help fund the road, but the details have yet to be worked out.

The announcement came one day after Southampton County Supervisors were updated on the project during their monthly meeting.

The Route 460 project has been in the works for some time, but has moved full speed ahead since Gov. Bob McDonnell announced it as his top transportation priority. The state has committed $500 million to the project.

The new road would be a 55-mile, four-lane, limited access highway with interchanges initially at Route 58 in Suffolk and at Interstate-295 in Prince George County. More interchanges could be added later, including one in Ivor.

Three private companies are vying to design, build and maintain the road. Cintra Infraestructuras S.A.U., 460 Partners Inc. and Multimodal Solutions have submitted proposals. Detailed proposals are due to the Virginia Department of Transportation in January.

Proposed tolls range from $5.50 to $11 for cars, but the money from the state is intended to help lessen the hit to motorists.

Improvements on the roadway would be valuable to the port because Route 460 carries numerous trucks to and from the port.