Capsule
view of the good and bad of Northern Virginia transport
projects
(Data:
VDOT, Virginia Business)
Related story:
Whatever
happended to the referendum?
|
High-speed
rail along the Dulles Corridor |
Project: Buses and light rail would move
passengers along a line running from Falls Church
to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County. A second phase
would extend rail to Centreville from Vienna.
Estimated cost: $3 billion to $4 billion.
Advantages: Provide quicker access to Dulles,
ease traffic congestion.
Problems: Only about $600,000 in state funding
is available - a scintilla of the estimated cost.
Its size and scope is so big, it would take years
to complete.
|
Interstate
66
|
The
project: Rebuilding the interchange where I-66
meets the Capital Beltway, reconfiguring HOV (high
occupancy vehicle) lanes, plus adding a third lane
each direction inside the Beltway.
Estimated cost: $1.3 billion three years
ago and rising.
Advantages: Might unclog several bottlenecks.
Problems: Cost. Simply adding lanes without
better land use planning will eventually increase
congestion later.
|
Woodrow
Wilson Bridge |
The
project: Replace the 41-year-old span across
the Potomac, expanding lanes from six to 12.
Estimated cost: About $2.5 billion, with
$1.6 billion provided by the federal government.
Virginia and Maryland would have to provide the
$812 million balance.
Advantages: Would ease congestion at a
key point of the Beltway where car volume will
grow to 300,000 a day.
Problems: Cost overruns and labor disputes.
|
The
Springfield Interchange |
The
project: Known as the "Mixing Bowl,"
the project is a massive intersection of Interstates
495, 95 and 395. Plans call for VDOT to improve
safety by adding about 50 bridges and widening
parts of I-95 to 24 lanes.
Estimated costs: Now at $600 million and
expected to rise.
Advantages: Could unsnarl a major bottleneck.
Problems: Massive cost overruns and bad
estimates.
|
Interstate
95 |
Project:
Extending rail transport from the Franconia-Springfield
exit on Interstate 95 south to Prince William
County within 18 years. One lane added north and
south.
Estimated cost: Unknown
Advantages: More rail would unjam routes
to the south of Washington.
Problems: Project would be many years away
and would need huge funding.
|
State
Route 28 |
Project:
Widen state Route 28 in the heart of Northern
Virginia's technology belt from six to 10 lanes
from I-66 in Fairfax County north to State Route
7 in Loudoun County. The road would be converted
into limited access with up to 10 interchanges.
Estimated cost: $380 million.
Advantages: VDOT will fund about $85 million,
with adjacent landowners footing the balance of
the debt. Bonds will generate proceeds and be
repaid with tax money collected from landowners.
Problems: High costs. Disruption of busy
tech center during construction.
|
