Category: Statewide

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.

Letter to Secretary Connaughton and the Commonwealth Transportation Board

Posted on by katie

Letter to Secretary Connaughton and the Commonwealth Transportation Board

Letter expressing concerns about the Tri-County Parkway, as well as the proposed north-south corridor in Northern Virginia as a Corridor of Statewide Significance.

Virginia: Commonwealth Transportation Board 2011-2017 Six-Year Plan

Posted on by ian

First, our oil dependency and the world of higher energy prices that we can expect — with just 5% of the world’s population we use 25% of the world’s oil; 70% of that goes to transportation. The spike in gas prices in 2007 showed our vulnerability and is seen by some as the final straw that broke the back of the speculative real estate market. Gas prices increased 3-4 times what they were in 2000 and this broke many families’ budgets. Commuter buses were swamped and transit ridership continued to grow even after prices fell back. The cost to own a car according to AAA can be $7000 to $8000 per year. The family that has to own two or three cars is spending money that it could be saving for college educations or to invest in a business.