Legislation I supported and secured amendments to during the 2019 General Assembly directed CTB to initiate a data-driven study to develop the I-95 Corridor Plan to identify key problem areas, identify potential solutions and areas for additional review and study including investments in transit. Here is the bill:- Invested $80 million in Virginia Railway Express
- Enacted a floor on the local gas tax that provides ongoing funding to Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford transit
- Funded the widening of the I-95 southbound Occoquan bottleneck
- Enacted $39.2 million dedicated to I-95 improvements
- Negotiated the extension of the HOT lanes to Fredericksburg and secured $277 million of funding for additional projects in the I-95 Corridor.
Also, due to the taxes enacted pursuant to the 2013 transportation funding bill, we implemented a regional tax to fund the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA). In their FY 2018-2023 budget, NVTA and Commonwealth Transportation Board has funded a several large investments for our community including:
- $127 million to widen U.S. 1
- $250 million and build Bus Rapid Transit from Huntington Metro to Fort Belvoir
- $45 million to widen and realign U.S. 1 in Dumfries
- $12 million of a $65 million CSX Bridge reconstruction and widening at U.S. 1 and I-95
- $11 million to reconstruct the intersection of Old Bridge Road and Occoquan
https://thenovaauthority.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/SYP-recommendations-FY2020.pdf
I fought for these investments and more. You can see my speech and read about my efforts here:
Provide Comments to VDOT Below!
It is unlikely that the I-95 bottle neck(s) will be lessened unless there is an alternate six lanes for trackter-trailer vehicles in the Central Atlantic Region. That would require what is now Route 301 to be converted to 6 lanes from Wilmington to Richmond, possibly a federal infrastructure project.
ReplyDeleteAlthough expensive, other I95 corridor projects appear well thought out.
Virginia would be derelict without improving and expanding rail service along the I-95 corridor. Virginia cannot solve transportation problems by expanding and building more roads. More roads, more vehicles, more congestion mean more time away from families, more pollution, more accidents and fatalities. Cars are not the end all be all of life. Expanding rail service, freight and passenger, should be at the top of the list. VDOT is focused on roads, so expand this study because VDOT's vision is limited.
ReplyDeleteThis study should also provide options for REDUCING traffic and thus the need for more roads.
Agreed. The popularity of slugging shows the potential for public transit if it were available.
ReplyDelete