Residents of King Village Trail may have a new state maintained road by
late fall or early spring if the weather is not too severe this fall.
On Monday night Halifax County Supervisors donated an 0.88 mile stretch
of roadway to the Virginia Department of Transportation for a clear and
unrestricted right-of-way in order that the King Village Trail can be
improved to the prescribed minimum  highway standards.
According to VDOT Residency Administrator Joe Barkley, the necessary
funds for the work are in the budget and he hopes to advertise for bids
possibly by the end of this month, but certainly no later than in July.
Barkley said the bid opening would take place by the first of
September, and the deadline for completing the construction would be
May of 2008. However, he believes it may be possible to finish the work
in the fall if the weather permits.
The road, which serves some 30 residents was established in 1970, and
has long been the source of much controversy with residents having to
negotiate the narrow, curving roadway which was oftentimes not passable
in bad weather. No school buses could travel the dirt road and
emergency service vehicles oftentimes could not use it either.
Residents have for many years sought help from the County Board, trying
to get the roadway improved. The County finally had to go through
condemnation proceedings which dragged on for several years to get the
right-of-way which was essential for state maintenance.