New road to provide direct link to Richmond International Airport Delegate Christopher K. Peace joined state and local elected officials today at the groundbreaking ceremony to commence construction of the Pocahontas 895 Airport Connector Road. The new roadway will provide a direct route between Pocahontas 895 and the Richmond International Airport (RIC). Upon completion, commuters will save time by avoiding four traffic lights and a rail crossing enroute to the airport. Surrounding local roads will see traffic congestion decrease and safety increase.
The Airport Connector is a public private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Transurban, the company that operates and maintains Pocahontas 895. VDOT will own and oversee the Connector; Transurban will build, operate and maintain the road.
The 1.6 mile, four lane road links Pocahontas 895 with Charles City Road and Airport Drive at the airport. Funding for construction is being provided by the Federal Highway Administration who provided Transurban with a TIFIA (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act) loan.
"Jobs created during construction of the Airport Connector will stimulate the local economy. The Connector will also increase commuter and freight efficiency which will promote economic growth in eastern Henrico County," stated Peace. "When the public and private sectors collaborate wonderful things can be achieved. We must continue to offer creative solutions at every level of government to address our infrastructure needs throughout the Commonwealth."