From the McAuliffe for Governor, campaign, check out this TOTAL #FAIL by Ken Cuccinelli. What a joke.
Cuccinelli Video Bizarrely Claims Route 58 Ends at Martinsville
In an odd attack that can be proven false by simply looking at a photo of the road, Ken Cuccinelli released a video today claiming Terry McAuliffe doesn't know Virginia because he wants to make all of Route 58 four-lanes. While Cuccinelli's video is based entirely on the idea that Route 58 is already four lanes for its entire length, it ignores entire sections of the critical road that are actually only two lanes.
"In his zeal to attack Terry, Ken Cuccinelli has once again gone too far and proven he cares more about attacking his opponent than he does about the truth. While there has been an ongoing effort to expand all of Route 58 to be four lanes, that job is far from complete." said McAuliffe spokesperson Josh Schwerin. "Although Ken Cuccinelli is apparently unaware, Route 58 crosses the entire Commonwealth, it doesn't end at Martinsville. Some trucks are actually not permitted to drive through one section, Lover's Leap, because the two-lane road isn't safe for vehicles of that size. Making 58 four lanes all the way across the Commonwealth would allow goods to be transported out to the commerce of America"
According to VDOT, about 310 miles of Route 58 were still two lanes as of the end of 2012. Here's picture of the two-lane Lover's Leap section that causes so much trouble.
Background
Martinsville Bulletin 7/7/13: The 7.8-mile section of U.S. 58 between Stuart and Vesta is restricted to vehicles of a certain width and length. […] “We do have a problem with” that, Virginia State Police Sgt. J.M. Phillippi said of what is known as the Lovers Leap section. The road “is not designed for” over-length vehicles, he said. “It’s too curvy.” Generally, vehicles longer than 65 feet are restricted, according to the law, which states the actual length of any combination of vehicles coupled together is not to be more than 65 feet long. Longer vehicles “track into the other lane” and into the path of oncoming traffic when rounding a curve, said Lisa Hughes, resident engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). That poses a danger not only to the trucks, but also to oncoming vehicles, she said. The road “can accommodate a typical tractor trailer,” but the curves “don’t lend themselves to over-length trucks,” she added. […] That continued use of the two-lane road by vehicles that exceed the restricted limits “is a concern,” according to Hughes. “It usually comes to our attention when one is” involved in an accident, she said.
McAuliffe Advocated Making All of Route 58 Four Lanes, Opening Communities In the Virginia Bar Association debate, McAuliffe stated, "What Martinsville and other areas need is they need to open up their communities, and how do you do that is — I say — four-lane 58 all the way out from the port, so we can get the goods from the port all the way out to the commerce of America. That will help them." [Virginia Bar Association Debate, 7/20/13]
McAuliffe “Said U.S. 58 Needs To Be Improved From Martinsville To The State Line” In April 2013, the Danville Register & Bee reported: “McAuliffe said a strong transportation system is needed to attract businesses, not one that causes drivers to waste hours in traffic jams. He also said U.S. 58 needs to be improved from Martinsville to the state line so that goods brought in through the Port of Virginia can easily be transported to the nation’s ‘bread basket.’” [Danville Register & Bee, 4/29/13]
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