| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Jeff Caldwell (804) 786-2715 Jeffrey.Caldwell@VDOT.Virginia.gov Dawn Eischen (804) 524-6179 |
CO-0713 April 26, 2007 |
VDOT GOES GREEN AS IT REOPENS I-64 WEST NEW KENT SAFETY REST AREA Facility Eligible for National Recognition as an Environmentally Friendly Building
Facility Eligible for National Recognition as an Environmentally Friendly Building
Slide show
Grand re-opening pictures
Video (WMV, 4:19, 5.8 MB) transcript (PDF, 35 KB)
(Download the free Windows Media player here.)
NEW KENT COUNTY — Looking for someplace to take a break from your return trip from the beach? Thanks to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), it just got a bit easier. VDOT will officially open the new Interstate 64 West Safety Rest Area in New Kent County April 26 at 2 p.m.
The new rest area will showcase more than 9,000 square feet of traveler amenities including additional restroom facilities, new landscaping, vending, handicapped accessibility and traveler information kiosks to better serve travelers. The travelers’ oasis was built to improve customers’ experiences, but it was also designed with sustainable or “green” building standards.
Sustainable designs aim to produce places, products and services in a way that improves energy efficiency, reduces use of non-renewable resources and minimizes environmental impact. VDOT is working to become a leader among state agencies in building energy efficient and environmentally friendly facilities.
“Sustainable design principles align well with VDOT’s aim for environmental excellence in planning, developing and delivering projects respectful of Virginia’s natural and historic resources,” said VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern. “We are able to bring better services to our customers who depend on these facilities, and we are protecting one of Virginia’s most valuable resources—its environment.”
The New Kent County facility is one of three safety rest area reconstruction projects under way in the commonwealth. The I-81 South Welcome Center near Winchester and the I-95 South Welcome Center in Fredericksburg will open this summer. The three reconstruction projects were designed to meet the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards.
All three facilities are designed to at least earn LEED® Silver certification when they open this summer. The I-64 New Kent County Safety Rest Area was built to potentially obtain the LEED® Gold certification—which would make it the first commonwealth-owned building to achieve this certification. USGBC’s LEED® certification review is still under way and is anticipated to be complete within the next 60 to 90 days.
LEED® Brochure (PDF, 2.25 MB)
VDOT created the new environmentally friendly facility using practices that include:
Over time, these energy-savings efforts will result in a significant operational cost savings for the commonwealth.
The New Kent facility was closed in September 2006 as part of a $20 million safety rest area improvement program to reconstruct three of the most heavily used facilities and to renovate 11 others. The new $5.06 million I-64 West New Kent Safety Rest Area was designed by DJG Inc. and built by David A. Nice Builders, both of Williamsburg, and was completed ahead of schedule.
For more information about this project, including video and photography of the new site, and for more information regarding VDOT’s safety rest area and welcome center program, click here.
(END)
Editors note: There will be a re-opening event today at 2 p.m. at the I-64 West New Kent County Safety Rest Area near mile market 213.
Grand re-opening pictures
Video (WMV, 4:19, 5.8 MB) transcript (PDF, 35 KB)
(Download the free Windows Media player here.)
NEW KENT COUNTY — Looking for someplace to take a break from your return trip from the beach? Thanks to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), it just got a bit easier. VDOT will officially open the new Interstate 64 West Safety Rest Area in New Kent County April 26 at 2 p.m.
The new rest area will showcase more than 9,000 square feet of traveler amenities including additional restroom facilities, new landscaping, vending, handicapped accessibility and traveler information kiosks to better serve travelers. The travelers’ oasis was built to improve customers’ experiences, but it was also designed with sustainable or “green” building standards.
Sustainable designs aim to produce places, products and services in a way that improves energy efficiency, reduces use of non-renewable resources and minimizes environmental impact. VDOT is working to become a leader among state agencies in building energy efficient and environmentally friendly facilities.
“Sustainable design principles align well with VDOT’s aim for environmental excellence in planning, developing and delivering projects respectful of Virginia’s natural and historic resources,” said VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern. “We are able to bring better services to our customers who depend on these facilities, and we are protecting one of Virginia’s most valuable resources—its environment.”
The New Kent County facility is one of three safety rest area reconstruction projects under way in the commonwealth. The I-81 South Welcome Center near Winchester and the I-95 South Welcome Center in Fredericksburg will open this summer. The three reconstruction projects were designed to meet the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards.
All three facilities are designed to at least earn LEED® Silver certification when they open this summer. The I-64 New Kent County Safety Rest Area was built to potentially obtain the LEED® Gold certification—which would make it the first commonwealth-owned building to achieve this certification. USGBC’s LEED® certification review is still under way and is anticipated to be complete within the next 60 to 90 days.
LEED® Brochure (PDF, 2.25 MB)
VDOT created the new environmentally friendly facility using practices that include:
- Saving $1.5 million taxpayer dollars and reducing construction debris by reusing all of the paved parking surfaces
- Installing a system to collect more than 250,000 gallons rainwater from the roof annually that will be used for flushing the restroom facilities
- Installing a storm-water collection and treatment center to control runoff from the parking lots
- Diverting 90 percent of construction debris from landfills for reuse or recycling
- Installing a 32-well geothermal system that uses the constant temperature 400 feet below the surface of the earth to reduce the need for supplemental heating and air conditioning
- Taking efforts such as designing a lighting system to provide maximum visibility with minimal energy consumption that make the new facility approximately 75 percent more efficient in energy consumption than its predecessor
- Installing a special tile floor made from recycled mirrors and glass, rather than traditional granite or marble
Over time, these energy-savings efforts will result in a significant operational cost savings for the commonwealth.
The New Kent facility was closed in September 2006 as part of a $20 million safety rest area improvement program to reconstruct three of the most heavily used facilities and to renovate 11 others. The new $5.06 million I-64 West New Kent Safety Rest Area was designed by DJG Inc. and built by David A. Nice Builders, both of Williamsburg, and was completed ahead of schedule.
For more information about this project, including video and photography of the new site, and for more information regarding VDOT’s safety rest area and welcome center program, click here.
(END)
Editors note: There will be a re-opening event today at 2 p.m. at the I-64 West New Kent County Safety Rest Area near mile market 213.
Page last modified: June 22, 2007
