McDonnell "not pleased" with TME's work

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -  

Gov. Bob McDonnell told 10 On Your Side he was "not pleased" with the work VDOT contractor TME Enterprises, Inc. has conducted on I-264.

Last month, a rainstorm opened up dozens of potholes on Interstate 264 eastbound between Norfolk and Virginia Beach. 

"The TAMS contractor [TME]...has not performed repair activities on these potholes (either temporary or permanent) in a manner or at a rate sufficient to maintain a 'safe, durable and smooth surface'," a report released by VDOT last week said. "VDOT records indicate that many potholes reported on Feb. 8 and 9 were still not marked complete as of Feb. 14."

The two benefits of the pothole fiasco are that I-264 potholes are being repaired and that the incident caused local representatives, like Suffolk Delegate Chris Jones to push hard for increased transportation funding. 

"We will get between $350 and $400 million a year. This money will go towards maintenance, new construction and improving our quality of life," Jones said.  "[The potholes] certainly didn't hurt in the argument why we needed to do what we did."

TME is under a $32 million contract with VDOT set to expire this spring. 

"From what we have been told so far, we are not pleased with the performance of the contract," McDonnell said. "We are not going to accept non-performance by our venders at any level."

McDonnell would not comment on the government's future with TME, but Jones chimed in.

"If I were in that position, I would be hard pressed to renew the contract," Jones said.

In a news release last week, McDonnell suggested a "major rebuild" of I-264. Monday, he backed off of that claim.

"How Hampton Roads spends its transportation dollars must be decided in Hampton Roads, by Hampton Roads leaders," McDonnell told WAVY.com

TME is currently under investigation in Chesapeake and Norfolk for illegal dumping of road materials into city stormwater systems.  The pothole fiasco also led to the resignation of VDOT's  District Administrator for Hampton Roads, Dennis Heuer .