Traffic
- Partial Study Reveals 8,000 New Car Trips Per Day
Numerous citizens requested comprehensive traffic data. A limited
traffic study was performed (
Metro
West Traffic Impact Study,
Wells & Associates, Dec. 15, 2003; amended in Memorandum from Robin
L. Antonucci & Kevin R. Fellin to Charles Almquist & Jaak
Pedak, Fairfax County Department of Transportation, Jan. 22,
2004). Even this limited study predicted a staggering 8,000
additional car trips per day. Furthermore, the ability of
I-66 at this site to
absorb the traffic generated by Metro West has not been demonstrated.
Comprehensive data on the impacts of this critical issue has not been
provided, despite the pleas of residents. At the October 18, 2004
Board of Supervisors hearing on Metro West, citizens were incorrectly
told that a comprehensive traffic study would be contrary to state
law. Such studies have in fact been performed.
In addition to Governor Kaine's call for more coordination between land
use decisions and transportation capacity, former Virginia Governor
Gerald Baliles, called “the Transportation Governor” by many due to his
attention to the issue, has stated:
"For far too long, there has been a
disconnect between land-use decisions and transportation funding and
construction. While some local governments require analysis of
increased transportation volume from a proposed project, too often the
analysis is confined to a quite limited land area and not its impact on
the regional transportation network. The time has come to
consider a “transportation capacity plan” for proposed
development. Such a concept might require local governments to
certify that the existing transportation network can accommodate the
projected traffic increase in the region from a proposed project for
some foreseeable period of time or certify that necessary state
transportation funds have been allocated for that area in order to
accommodate the additional traffic. (Washington Post, January 6, 2005,
Fairfax Extra section, p. 9.)"
Governors Kaine and Baliles are correct in this regard. A bona
fide “transportation capacity plan,” crafted with significant citizen
input and review, should be implemented with regard to Metro
West. Only then might the Metro West proposal respond to
reasonable citizen concerns, and become an acceptable “model” for the
rest of the County.