The transportation program Mr. McDonnell unveiled as a candidate in 2009 — all 19 single-spaced pages of it, plus two more enumerating a dizzying array of funding sources — promised almost $1.5 billion in new annual funding and $17.5 billion over a decade to “get Virginia moving again.” Measured against those promises, his actions have fallen glaringly short. While the governor has delivered on some promises, there is unlikely to be much in the way of sustained new funding.

Let’s examine the promises and the reality.

The governor, as he promised, has accelerated the sale of some $3 billion in bonds for immediate construction projects, but it was his predecessor, Timothy M. Kaine (D), who won approval for those funds and got them in the pipeline. That money will be spent in a couple of years, while the state’s massive needs will remain.

Mr. McDonnell promised to dedicate funds to transportation when state revenue growth exceeds 3 percent, but now he’s raised that bar to 5 percent. Either way, and even if the legislature approves, it won’t yield anything approaching the $1.5 billion in transportation funds over a decade that he predicted — and may not raise anything at all if growth remains sluggish.

The governor promised, and has proposed, to dedicate 75 percent of any budget surpluses to transportation, saying that would produce $860 million over 10 years. Some of that may eventually materialize, but it’s hardly money in the bank.

The governor said privatizing Virginia’s liquor saleswould bring in $500 million. That number was plucked from the air to begin with; in any event, the legislature has shunned the idea.

The governor promised more than $1 billion in royalties and taxes from offshore drilling. So far there is no offshore drilling, nor any short-term prospect of it, and it’s unclear how much oil and gas might be extracted.

The governor pledged $2 billion over a decade from growth at the Port of Virginia in Hampton Roads. If and when any revenue starts flowing from that source — legislation has been introduced this year — it’s likely to be a fraction of

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