Lawmakers in Loudoun County, Virginia, are backing a bill that could help preserve the unique country scenes of Northern Virginia by allocating funding to improve rather than pave over rural roads.
Western Loudoun County is a place where horses often share the road with cars and trucks. Its unpaved, rural roads are ideal for equestrians and for those who enjoy a different pace of life.
There are 254 miles of unpaved road in Loudoun County alone.
Longtime resident Emily Houston says gravel roads are part of the ambiance.
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“They have a natural traffic calming effect, “ Houston said. “They allow people to ride their horses, they create a sense of community, they slow down the wave. It is really part of a lifestyle here that we are hoping to preserve."
Legislation gaining support in the General Assembly is expected to bring upgrades to the unpaved roads. Right now, the capital improvement money from Virginia Department of Transportation can only be used for paving. The legislation would provide more options for how to use the funds on the unpaved, rural roads.
Loudoun County resident Jane Covington hopes that if improvements can be made, the push for paving by some residents will lessen.
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“What will change is how that money can be spent. It can be spent on installing a culvert or draining a road or recrowning the road to improve the road rather than just pavement,” Covington said.
The legislation sponsored by Loudoun lawmakers has been approved in both the House and the Senate. The next step is to work out differences between the bills.
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