Category: Virginia

Plans for Loudoun-Prince William highway move forward; crossing to Md. under discussion

Posted on by acustis

The major North-South highway that is being planned for Loudoun and Prince William counties got a public rollout of sorts last week. “Open houses” were held at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn and the Four Points Sheraton in Manassas. There were no formal presentations for this new “Northern Virginia North-South Corridor,” just a series ofinformational boards that showed roughly where the limited-access highway would go and why local and state officials think it’s needed.

This is not just the previously discussed Tri-County Parkway between I-66 and Route 50. This is the whole enchilada: a 45-mile limited-access highway from Route 7 in Ashburn all the way to I-95 in Dumfries. And the discussion is now officially beginning about extending this road across the Potomac River into Maryland, which makes the warnings from environmental and smart-growth groups of an emerging “Outer Beltway” connecting with the Intercounty Connector and then I-95 in Maryland seem more plausible.

Statement on VA Congressman regarding Route 460

Posted on by acustis

VIRGINIA – Just last night Congressmen Scott, Moran and Connolly sent a joint letter to Governor McDonnell, the Federal Highway Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers, requesting information about the Route 460 project and the wetlands impacts and questioning the value of the project given the very low traffic projections and other needs in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. Yet, Governor McDonnell just announced today that his administration has signed the $1.4 billion contract for the project

VDOT Plays the Grinch for Northern Virginia Residents

Posted on by acustis

With less than two weeks notice, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) scheduled two public meetings this week on their “North-South Corridor of Statewide Significance,” a revival of the long-controversial Outer Beltway. Not only are the meetings set amid the busy holiday season when it’s hard for local residents to attend, but the comment period is scheduled to close on January 2nd, the day after the long holiday week — a time guaranteed to ensure that few people will have the time to comment.

Moreover, the meeting notice cannot be found on the main VDOT website, but is instead on a little known VTRANS website and the meetings will not be conducted in an open public hearing format.

Virginia Governor Promises Action on State’s Transportation Funding Woes

Posted on by acustis

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell offered no specifics in his “comprehensive transportation funding and reform” plan to raise an additional $500 million per year to prevent the state from running out of money to build roads by 2017. Speaking in Fairfax County at his annual transportation conference, Governor McDonnell called on lawmakers to stay in session next year until they find a solution to Virginia’s long-term funding woes, which are exacerbated by the transfer of money from the state’s construction fund to required highway maintenance projects. “I don’t think we can wait any longer,” McDonnell said. “I don’t think I can continue to recruit businesses to Virginia and see the unemployment rate go down unless we are able to get a handle on and provide some long-term solutions this session to that problem.”

Status Report: Northern Virginia Bi-County Parkway and North South Corridor of Statewide Significance

Status Report: Northern Virginia Bi-County Parkway and North South Corridor of Statewide Significance

Posted on by katie

The General Assembly of Virginia directed the Commonwealth Transportation Board, with assistance from the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment, to conduct a comprehensive review of transportation needs in corridors of statewide significance and regional networks.

Connaughton’s Study is Part of Push for New Potomac Bridges

Connaughton’s Study is Part of Push for New Potomac Bridges

Posted on by acustis

Today, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Connaughton issued a press release announcing a study of traffic across the Potomac. While seemingly an innocuous study, the Secretary’s intention — based on the news last spring that Governor McDonnell and Secretary Connaughton had been pressing Governor O’Malley and his staff on new Potomac River Bridges — is certainly to pursue new upriver bridges.

Lest we Forget … State of Virginia is at Fault for High Dulles Tolls

Posted on by acustis

“The state has failed to provide a fair share toward Dulles Rail from its Transportation Trust Fund, saddling Northern Virginians with nearly the entire cost of Phase 2,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “Meanwhile, VDOT is channeling state funds to speculative and unnecessary rural highway projects.