Weekly Column: Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of August 1, 2022.   

Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System

This is an update on several important transportation projects underway in our area, including the U.S. 1 Speed Study, undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1, the I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study, and the Youngkin Administration’s reallocation of transit funds.

Since 2017, we have seen the following on U.S. 1 in Fairfax County:

• 1,785 crashes
• 1,185 injuries
• 15 deaths

The per-lane-miles-travelled accident rate between Fort Belvoir and Hybla Valley is 70% higher than the Virginia and Fairfax County averages.  From Hybla Valley to Alexandria it is 40% higher. These are troubling numbers.  The $800 million widening of U.S. 1 and construction of bus rapid transit will bring significant safety improvements and is being engineered with lane widths assuming a 35 MPH speed limit.

Last week, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) held a public hearing to announce the preliminary results of its study to lower the speed limit on U.S. 1 during the eight years between today and the completion of U.S. 1 construction.  VDOT’s study showed that a 35 MPH speed limit would significantly improve safety and reduce a driver’s travel time on the seven-mile stretch by only 90 seconds.  VDOT is taking public comments on its website before finalizing its recommendation.  

               The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently had their first public discussion on undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1 as part of the widening plans and examined a new utility fee to pay for the undergrounding, an outgrowth of legislation I carried in 2017 and 2019.  Over 450 Mount Vernon residents signed the petition I circulated with Delegate Paul Krizek requesting County action.   County staff expressed concern that undergrounding utilities could jeopardize funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  It is not clear to me why that concern is only now being raised since this discussion has been ongoing for over five years, but I am hopeful that Congressman Don Beyer and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine can work out a solution with the FTA.

               VDOT has also begun a study of adding express toll lanes on I-495 from the Springfield “Mixing Bowl” to Prince George’s County, Maryland.  When the Woodrow Wilson Bridge expansion was finalized in 2005, the extra capacity on the bridge was expressly reserved for transit, including rail.  I have serious concerns that toll lanes would permanently eliminate the possibility of rail on the bridge and cannot be accomplished without reducing the current toll-less access on the bridge’s existing ten lanes.  Additional vehicle capacity creates more vehicle-dependent, sprawling development and adds more vehicle commutes from Prince George’s County to Tyson’s Corner.  The Wilson Bridge, which carries heavy interstate traffic, is already clogged almost daily. Rail is a more prudent, forward-looking investment.  

               The National Park Service instituted traffic calming measures on the south George Washington Memorial Parkway, including a “traffic diet” last year.  At the time, VDOT analyzed concerns by several constituents that the traffic diet would gridlock Fort Hunt Road predicted no impact.  This spring, VDOT analyzed new traffic data at my request and found traffic volumes on Fort Hunt Road have not changed since the Parkway traffic diet was implemented.   

               Finally, many of us are concerned about the Metro system’s lack of capital investment due to insufficient government support.  The forthcoming closure of the Yellow Line Bridge over the Potomac River for eight months is the latest reminder.  Last week, we discovered that the Youngkin Administration reallocated $71 million of state transit assistance dollars into statewide road maintenance funds.  First, this means that area localities will have to make up the difference with local funds (e.g., your real estate or property tax dollars).  Second, it means that transit funds will be used to repave roads across the entire state instead of being spent here.

               While road paving needs funding, I am shocked the Governor would take this action while simultaneously claiming we have $2 billion of unanticipated transportation revenues that can support a $500 million gas tax cut.  Many of us view his action as a raid on Northern Virginia transit to benefit other parts of Virginia.  We have asked staff to determine if this unilateral reallocation violates the state budget law.

               It is an honor to serve as your state senator.  Please email me at scott@scottsurovell.org with your suggestions and feedback.