[Scan-DC] New Virginia Maps, paper / online

[Alan Henney]

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From: VDOT News
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:17 AM
Subject: Statemap08.doc

NEWS RELEASE
                                          VirginiaDOT.org

RELEASE:       IMMEDIATE
CO-8031

Virginia’s New State Map is Available

Map encourages travelers to “get away” to Virginia for vacations

RICHMOND – The Commonwealth of Virginia’s new official state
transportation map is being released just in time to assist motorists
with their Labor Day travel plans.

The new map, which is free of charge, is available online and can be
ordered on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) Web
site at http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/maps-default.asp. Maps are
available at state Welcome Centers and local and regional visitor
centers. The new maps will also be available at VDOT offices this
fall. To find a local VDOT office, visit
http://www.virginiadot.org/about/districts.asp.

“Virginia’s new state transportation map is another way that VDOT is
giving motorists the information they need to make educated travel
decisions,” said VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern. “With tools like
our recently improved 511 service and this new map, VDOT is working to
make it easier than ever for motorists to save time, gas and stress
while traveling around Virginia.”

The map celebrates a variety of activities that can be enjoyed while
vacationing in the Old Dominion. VDOT collaborated with the Virginia
Tourism Corporation to develop the “Get Away” theme represented
through the map’s images and text.

Notable additions to the 2008-2010 map include National Bike Routes 1
and 76, the Deltaville Maritime Museum and Holly Point Nature Park in
Middlesex County, the Great Meadow equestrian event site in Fauquier
County and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County. More than
140 cartographic changes were made, including the depiction of
completed or widened highways.

In addition to the new state map, travelers can also use VDOT’s free,
improved 511 system to access continuously updated traffic and travel
information any time, any place. Motorists can access 511 by going
online to www.511virginia.org; receiving personalized traffic
information via e-mail, text pager, BlackBerry, PDA, or other mobile
device, or by calling 511 from a cell phone or land line.

A map showing the state’s highway system is required by Virginia law –
(http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+33.1-36).

A map of the state's road network has been published since 1922,
before some roads were even assigned a number. It wasn’t until 1928
that a more detailed map was produced. The map was extremely popular,
and within just a few months the first 50,000 copies were gone. By
1929, the demand jumped to 150,000. This year, 2.5 million maps were
printed­­­.

 (END)