Category: Virginia

CSG in the News: County board split over possible I-495 toll lanes from Springfield into Maryland

“That the additional capacity of the HOT lanes would generate more traffic trying to travel to and from the lanes via connecting roads like Route 1, Telegraph and Van Dorn wouldn’t be surprising,” Bill Pugh, a senior policy fellow at the organization, said in a statement released by CSG after the committee meeting.

RELEASE: VDOT briefs flawed I-495 Southside Study to Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

“In addition to ignoring induced demand and relying on flawed traffic models, VDOT’s study is compromised at the outset by its ‘conclusions-first’ approach,” said Pugh. “The agency’s stated project purpose is ‘to extend and provide continuity of the Express Lanes system’ and their evaluation criteria reinforce this predetermined conclusion. They have also excluded viable alternatives from study.”

Letter: 495 Southside (Oppose, Regional/Fairfax County)

The Coalition for Smarter Growth respectfully asks Transportation Planning board officials to: 1) Vote to exclude the 495 Southside Project from the Visualize 2050 plan and air quality conformity analysis due to the strong concerns of multiple local jurisdictions that have not been adequately addressed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and 2) Ensure that VDOT fixes its flawed 495 Southside Study to fully evaluate other alternatives, address local jurisdiction concerns, and identify the best long-term solution for the region and communities along 495.

TAKE ACTION: Help secure funding for good transit, walk, bike & safe streets projects in Northern Virginia

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is deciding among a range of projects competing for its six-year program of regional funding. Please comment to support good projects – and oppose using limited public funds on wasteful oversized road projects.

Comments: AlexWest Draft Recommendations (Alexandria, Support)

The Coalition for Smarter Growth supports the overall recommendations for a more walkable, transit-friendly, mixed-use and inclusive West End, with greater housing security and opportunities for families to live in its neighborhoods. We also appreciate the City’s thoughtful planning process that has emphasized proactive engagement for all communities to participate.

Testimony: WMATA Board re FY25 Budget (VA)

We urge our elected leaders to do more to reduce and even close the entire gap. We all know that failure to close the entire gap will still mean some service cuts, fare hikes, impact on the workforce, and delays in the capital program. It is disappointing that a state statute has imposed a 50/50 requirement for splitting Virginia’s share of WMATA funding, and that the state is only being asked this year to provide $65 million.