VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Virginia is halting work on a new toll road that would run parallel to U.S. 460 from Suffolk to Petersburg until an environmental review is complete, Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne said on Friday.

The $1.4 billion, 55-mile limited-access highway is intended to provide an alternative route to Interstate 64 for traffic heading to and from the state’s port terminals, relieve congestion for travelers and help expedite hurricane evacuations. Construction on the road was originally scheduled to begin this spring, but has not yet started.