The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors heard an update from Virginia Department of Transportation on Oct. 21 that described one over-budget bid for the Ferndale and River Road roundabout and gave timelines for other local projects while highlighting statewide rural-road funding concerns.

VDOT resident engineer Aaron French told the board the roundabout project drew a single bid that exceeded the project budget because contractors considered the proposed maintenance-of-traffic (MOT) windows insufficient. "We did not have a whole lot of luck with the bids for the Ferndale And River Road roundabout," French said. He said VDOT is revising detour and MOT plans to allow more lane-closure hours and additional weekend detours, with plans to re-advertise in January 2026 and receive bids in February 2026.

The update emphasized that while the re-advertisement delays some work, VDOT does not expect it to change the overall delivery schedule because most earthwork would not begin until spring. French also reported the Bain Road bridge reopened after 25 months and crews are nearing completion on Cherry Hill Road and Royal Rustic projects. A culvert project on Whitmore Road was finished and paved, and patching work was scheduled for Route 460 northbound.

French said VDOT has been implementing operational changes this season: a speed-limit reduction on the eastern limits of McKenney (a 45 mph step down on Route 40 implemented about two weeks earlier), contract mowing scheduled to begin Nov. 5 and a full round of snow-equipment maintenance and dry runs this week.

Board members asked French about the county’s pavement-condition reporting and longer-term improvement planning ahead of the General Assembly session. French said VDOT maintains condition reports for primary and secondary roads and schedules resurfacing projects two to three years in advance; tree trimming operates on a two-year cycle. He encouraged the county to work with VDOT on any improvement projects beyond normal maintenance.

Supervisors seized on that point during a later agenda item to add explicit language to Dinwiddie’s 2026 legislative agenda urging additional investment in rural transportation. The suggested language asks the General Assembly to establish a dedicated funding stream for rural roads and bridges, adopt fair funding formulas that reflect rural needs, and expand transit and safety programs. The board approved the county’s legislative agenda with that VDOT-related amendment during the meeting.

Why it matters: County leaders said rural transportation is a recurring concern among residents and local officials. Longer detours, bidding challenges and maintenance needs directly affect commuting, emergency response and local agriculture and industry.

What’s next: VDOT will re-advertise the roundabout in January 2026, and the board will pursue the added rural-transportation language with the county’s state delegation and VACO as part of the 2026 legislative agenda.