This article provides background information about the community’s non-VDOT roads and options presented in Questions 19-24 in the 2025 GHCP Annual Survey.  This information will be helpful to you in providing answers to these survey questions.

For more complete information about how non-VDOT roads are brought into the VDOT-maintained State system, please refer to the News Article entitled, Roads—How Did We Get Here and Where do We Go Now?  That article is available under the Roads Tab on the Association website, gh-cp.org.

2025 Road Review. Twice a year, the Roads Committee conducts an on-site “drive-around” review of the condition of all 21 non-VDOT roads in the community.  The principal purpose of the review is to prioritize and plan for minimal maintenance that may be needed.  Many roads have new or enlarged potholes, and the committee determines where minimal maintenance and “pothole-filling” is most needed.

During the review, the committee updates data previously collected on the number of occupied homes on each of the non-VDOT roads and identifying those roads serving as connector roads between two State roads.  This data is used to determine how many roads meet basic minimum eligibility requirements for inclusion in the State secondary road system (e.g., the road must serve at least three occupied homes, have an acceptable right of way, and/or be a connector road between other roads already maintained by VDOT).

This spring, the Roads Committee met with VDOT to review conditions previously identified by VDOT as impediments to inclusion of specific roads in the State system.  Some of our roadways need additional right-of-way (ROW) and drainage easements or require further surveying to determine if drainage easements are needed to manage water run-off.  These additional requirements will require funding beyond what could be supported by the community through the revenue-sharing program at this time.

During our discussion about maintenance of these roads and future funding to bring the non-VDOT roads into the State system, VDOT suggested that we give serious consideration to the establishment of a Roadway Improvement User Fee through our Sanitary District.  For the long term, the community will need a sustainable financial structure and funding source to provide minimal maintenance on all the existing non-State roads in the community and to prepare these roads for future inclusion in the State system. Under the Virginia Code, Sanitary Districts could establish such a fee to provide maintenance funding for non-VDOT roads and future funding for the community’s costs to bring such roads into the State system.

Maintenance of Non-VDOT Roads and Roadway Improvement User Fee

The very limited funds for road maintenance transferred to the GHCP Association by the Civic Associations will be exhausted soon.  Based on responses to the 2024 Member Survey, the Association Board is budgeting about $6K/year for minimal maintenance (pothole filling).  This amount is insufficient to fund basic maintenance needs, nor does it provide any funding for the community’s share of the costs to include the non-VDOT roads in the State system.  Note: Sanitary District funds collected for the maintenance of our recreational assets cannot be used to maintain or improve our roads or roadways.

Questions 19-22: These questions ask for information about whether you live on or drive on the gravel roads and whether you support continuing efforts by the Association to maintain and improve those non-VDOT roads.

Establishing a Sustainable Financial Structure Through the Sanitary District

While the Sanitary District funds collected for maintenance of recreational assets cannot be used to maintain or improve roads, the Sanitary District could establish a separate Roadway Improvement User Fee to provide a sustainable financial structure and funding source.  Such a fee could be used to fund maintenance of the non-VDOT roads, to fund the community’s share of costs to include these roads in the State system, and to fund additional services and benefits related to the community roads that benefit all property owners.

Questions 23-24:  These questions explore options and additional services that could be funded by establishing a Roadway Improvement User Fee. 

posted 07.29.25