Hillsboro: Traffic, water problems dominate tiny town
By Jason Jacks
Anyone who has traveled to or from West Virginia via Route 9 through Hillsboro realizes one topic must tower over all others in Loudoun's smallest town: traffic.
“As always, it's traffic we are dealing with,” said Roger Vance, who is seeking a third term as Hillsboro's mayor.
As the sun sets on another term of the six-member Hillsboro Town Council, this town of 100 residents appears to be doing just that: dealing with the problem.
Earlier this spring, town and state transportation officials agreed on a proposal to add traffic-calming roundabouts to Route 9 on either side of this tiny town.
“That is going to be a major project,” Vance said.
Vance said no start date for the project has been set and that federal money will help pay for construction.
Fearful of a major accident, the town has long fought to slow cars and trucks motoring through Hillsboro, including asking deputies to step up patrols in and near town. In a safety move, last year, a truck inspection area was set up on the west side of town.
There also once was a plan on the table to route traffic away from town by building a bypass connecting Route 9 and Route 7. Uproar from area landowners derailed that plan for the time being.
Besides traffic, historic preservation and water usage are other key issues Hillsboro is currently addressing.
Facing a limited water supply made worse by last year's drought, a new town well was drilled earlier this year, and there are plans to drill another later in 2008. In addition, according to Vance, the council eventually will have to address the aging condition of Hillsboro's main water line, a pricey undertaking for a town with an annual budget of just $100,000.
“We are anticipating that will be costly,” he said.
Residents seeking a spot on the Hillsboro Town Council are incumbents Vance, Steve Morgart and Matt Parse, as well as John Dean, Joe Gertig, Pat Grigsby and Amy Marasco.
In a time-honored tradition, candidates in Hillsboro do not officially register to run for office. Write-in votes determine the outcome.