WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) led a bicameral letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in support of the National Park Service’s (NPS) grant application to secure $54 million in funding to repair more than 11 miles of the Colonial Parkway between Williamsburg and Yorktown, Va. 

The Colonial Parkway is a major commuting route that connects Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown Battlefield. In some sections of the Parkway, more than four million vehicles travel across the Eastern Virginia route a year. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the Parkway is predicted to see a traffic increase of nearly 50 percent over the next 20 years.

The grant application, under the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Program at the Department of Transportation (DOT), would help repair this stretch of highway, while addressing a substantial portion of Colonial National Historical Park’s $420 million deferred maintenance backlog.

“The Park Service’s proposed project along the Colonial Parkway will address significant safety and flooding concerns, preserve and improve access to historical sites like Jamestown and Yorktown Battlefield, and extend the useful life of the Parkway by more than 40 years. If funded, the project will replace deteriorated concrete roadway slabs, rehabilitate deficient drainage systems, and stabilize roadway embankments along the York River. In addition, the proposed project on the Colonial Parkway would address a significant portion of Colonial National Historical Park’s $420 million deferred maintenance backlog,” wrote the Members of Congress.

“The views along the Colonial Parkway continue to inspire, but the Parkway, designed and built between 1931 and 1957, is in desperate need of repair. The 50-year old design life expires a generation ago for much of the Parkway. Significant rehabilitation and reconstruction are essential to preserve this scenic and historic drive for generations to come. This proposed project will help maintain this historic Parkway as an icon of the Park Service’s road network and as a primary visitor experience linking major historic sites of the Colonial National Historical Park,”they concluded.

Sen. Warner was joined on the letter by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (VA-2).

A copy of the letter can be found here and below.

The Honorable Elaine Chao

Secretary

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590-0001

Dear Secretary Chao,

We write today in support of the National Park Service’s application to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Nationally Significant Federal Land and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Program seeking funding to rehabilitate a portion of the Colonial Parkway at Colonial National Historical Park (COLO). If approved, the project will restore an 11.8-mile section of the Parkway between Williamsburg and Yorktown, Virginia.

Completed in 1957, the Colonial Parkway is a 23-mile scenic roadway that extends from the York River at Yorktown to the James River at Jamestown. The Parkway connects Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown Battlefields – three of the most historically significant sites in our county. In addition to linking these historic sites, the Parkway has become an important local commuter route in Eastern Virginia; some sections carry over four million vehicles per year and the Federal Highway Administration predicts a traffic increase of nearly 50 percent over the next 20 years. 

The Park Service’s proposed project along the Colonial Parkway will address significant safety and flooding concerns, preserve and improve access to historical sites like Jamestown and Yorktown Battlefield, and extend the useful life of the Parkway by more than 40 years. If funded, the project will replace deteriorated concrete roadway slabs, rehabilitate deficient drainage systems, and stabilize roadway embankments along the York River. In addition, the proposed project on the Colonial Parkway would address a significant portion of Colonial National Historical Park’s $420 million deferred maintenance backlog.

The views along the Colonial Parkway continue to inspire, but the Parkway, designed and built between 1931 and 1957, is in desperate need of repair. The 50-year design life expired a generation ago for much of the Parkway. Significant rehabilitation and reconstruction are essential to preserve this scenic and historic drive for generations to come. This proposed project will help maintain this historic Parkway as an icon of the Park Service’s road network and as a primary visitor experience linking major historic sites of the Colonial National Historical Park. 

We understand the NSFLTP grant program is highly competitive and we appreciate your consideration of this project. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about our request

Thank you again for your consideration.

Sincerely,

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