Coalition for Smarter Growth
December 28, 2020

Statement on the Announced Closure of White’s Ferry

“We are disappointed by the announcement of the closure of White’s Ferry, which appears to be due to the failure of the operators to reach an accommodation with the landowners on the Virginia side of the river. We urge the State of Virginia and Loudoun and Montgomery Counties to seek a solution that restores this helpful service that carries an estimated 600 to 1000 vehicles per day.
We expect that longtime boosters of a new bridge over the Potomac will once again claim we need another bridge. However, this was rejected in the early 2000’s after extensive study (the Congressman Wolf study) showed the harm it would cause to neighborhoods on both sides of the Potomac and to the Montgomery Agricultural Reserve. 
In addition, the 2003-2004 VDOT/TPB Origin and Destination Study and the 2015 VDOT Potomac Crossings study showed that less than 5% of peak hour trips might benefit from a bridge between the American Legion Bridge and Point of Rocks. These studies showed that the real need is at the American Legion Bridge, where a high-capacity transit connection must be part of any solution.
Finally, employees and employers have now seen the advantages of telecommuting which is expected to lead to a significant reduction in peak hour work trips, allowing for existing facilities to handle projected traffic.”
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