City officials don't know yet what costs the city will absorb if the Odd Fellows project is moved up in priority. Dale Grigg, the Lynchburg VDOT construction engineer, said under new legislation, the state could recoup money from a project that a locality has killed, but whether that applies to this project is unclear, especially since the project would most likely be delayed. Complicating matters more are changes to the first phases of the Crosstown Connector that some council members have suggested. Instead of a strictly five-lane road through much of the center city, VDOT is looking at making the Crosstown Connector more of a boulevard. That includes putting in grass medians and moving the sidewalks away from the pavement.
City officials say both projects are important, but deciding which is more important is difficult.
Payne said it is a question not only of priorities but also of resources. State money for transportation projects comes from two different sources, primary and urban funds, Harter said. Primary funds go to projects outside the city while urban funds go to projects in the city. The problem is that the Odd Fellows extension is a little bit of both because the Odd Fellows extension would connect to U.S. 460. Supporters of the Odd Fellows project say it would provide better highway access to industries on Odd Fellows Road and Mayflower Drive.