There are a couple of things most people familiar with Mathews County know: 1. All roads end in Mathews, and 2. The primary roads going into the county are Routes 14 and 198.

Apparently, the staff at VDOT must not be familiar with Mathews County. Funny. Of all people, you would think they would be, since it’s their job to maintain the highways of the commonwealth. But if they were, then why would they schedule paving projects on the only two roads leading into the heart of the county at precisely the same time?

If they had staggered the projects, one after the other, then most residents could easily detour around the obstruction. Surely there are other paving projects elsewhere in the district that need attention. But, with both ways effectively blocked, motorists have no choice other than to grin and bear it.

For residents who have to travel down to West Mathews, the situation is even more complicated with the ongoing Route 617 reconstruction project.

None of this is m...