partnerships, design-build contracts and locally administered projects under VDOT’s Local Assistance Division. These types of projects can take more time, as can those involving a large number of utility relocations. District Utility Coordinator Steve Ray is part of the Regional Utility Team that works with affected utility companies and devises a plan to relocate their facilities so the project can move forward.
touchy. No question about that,” says Thomason. “It’s hard to tell someone who’s been in a home for 30 or 40 years that we’re going to move you out – but you’ll be in a better situation once we’re done.” Yet that’s exactly what VDOT strives to do, under state and federal guidelines for relocation assistance. If a project requires the agency to acquire an occupied dwelling or commercial property, Bowles explains, the owner is entitled to compensation for its fair market value. ROW agents can also offer eligible relocation assistance by securing a replacement home and moving expenses; for businesses, that includes eligible expenses incurred in finding a new location.
Much of the face-to-face contact with homeowners is the responsibility of Negotiation Specialist Jim Pierce and Relocation Specialist Brentley Bowles. They compile and deliver a package that includes right-of-way plan sheets; an evaluation of VDOT’s property needs; and a letter explaining the agency’s financial offer. “It’s not usually a one-shot deal,” says Bowles. “We give them all the information and the offer and give them some time to review it. We go back and answer questions, then hopefully reach an agreement.”
“We work to put them in a similar situation to what they’re in now, or maybe just a little bit better,” says Pierce. “For a homeowner we look at how many bedrooms they have, what schools they were going to, access to public transportation – the whole nine yards.”
Pierce says ROW agents can help property owners understand the plans by showing them where utility lines and poles will be located, and where construction equipment will access the work zone. They will also explain how the proposed project benefits neighbors with improved drainage or sight distance, or perhaps provide a safer and easier entrance to their business.
The Staunton ROW section could not function as efficiently as it does without the administrative support given by Kim Young, who is instrumental in preparing all necessary paperwork associated with acquisition as well as handling procurement activities. Right of Way actively partners with other VDOT sections to see a project from start to finish. This interaction includes: • The Staunton District Survey team, which can stake out a proposed project so neighbors can see its potential impact. • Location & Design engineers, who create plan sheets and sometimes adjust their designs to accommodate reasonable requests from property owners. • Environmental Specialists to coordinate the inspection and demolition of acquired buildings in advance of construction. ROW agents are also in the unique position of working directly with the home and business owners who live or work next to a future work zone. Thomason says VDOT’s goal throughout the right-ofway process is to treat neighbors with respect and dignity, and allow them to focus on the benefits of an improved road system.
At least 95 percent of these interactions lead to an agreement, and occasionally a property owner will simply donate the land or access rights that VDOT needs. But there are times when further negotiations are needed. “It’s not always about value,” says Bowles. “Sometimes a landowner has a concern about access to his property or impact on a farming field. We’ll work with Location & Design to help out the property owner if we can.” On the rarest of occasions, Right of Way has to use eminent domain to close a deal on a property that’s essential to a project. In those cases, the final decision may be left to the courts. The entire ROW team agrees that the most challenging cases involve “total takes” – that is, the purchase of an entire residential or commercial property. “Anytime you have a relocation, it’s
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