VDOT settles in eminent domain lawsuit
“Back on June 20, Old Dominion Demolition’s Dan Crispino told WAVY.com he’s tired of getting jerked around by the Virginia Department of Transportation. Well, he fought hard, and along with the help of 10 On Your Side, things are looking up.
“They’re dragging their feet. I’m dying. They aren’t doing right,” Crispino said in June.
Crispino claims VDOT was making it difficult for him to continue operating his business while they dragged their feet in giving a fair offer for his land, which is needed for the Martin Luther King Expressway project in Portsmouth.
For two years, Crispino’s been fighting VDOT for fair compensation of his land. They only wanted to pay for the part they needed to build a bridge across the middle of his property. The bridge will take drivers from the MLK Expressway to Interstate 264. The property on either side of the bridge would be worthless property, Crispino said.
Crispino’s attorney, Joe Waldo, who is nationally recognized for his expertise in Eminent Domain cases, agreed.
“It would be like if I cut the bottom of this tie off and said I’m only going to use the bottom of this tie and I’m only paying you $2 dollars for it. Well, you’ve ruined the whole tie,” Waldo said.
VDOT has to pay for the whole tie, and following 10 On Your Side’s reports, Waldo said VDOT got the message that fair is fair.”
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Fox, Andy. WAVY-TV 14 August 2014.