If Virginia Doesn't Get its Transportation Act Together, Maryland Will

By: Lowell
Published On: 4/10/2006 8:27:15 AM

That's the gist of an article in today's Washington Post on extending Metrorail to BWI Thurgood Marshall airport.  Among other movivations for the multi-billion-dollar project is competition from Dulles Airport in Virginia.  As Maryland Sen. John A Gianetti, Jr. (D-Prince Georges) says:

Clearly, we're racing the clock, because they are going to start building that rail up to Dulles. If we don't connect Metro to BWI, we're not going to remain competitive.

Clearly, Gianetti "gets it."  If Maryland, Virginia, or any other state fails to remain an attractive place to live, work, and travel, then jobs will simply go elsewhere.  If Virginia stays stuck in ever-worsening traffic gridlock, in other words, jobs will simply go to Maryland and beyond, and Virginia will suffer the consequences.  That's why it is so important that the Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates get run out of town on a rail unless they get a clue and deal effectively with transportation in Virginia. 

Unfortunately, these House "Know Nothing" Republicans are extremely ideological and also extremely stubborn, so it's going to be difficult.  If not, we'll just have to toss the bums out in 2007 and replace them with people who understand that Virginia can't still but must keep moving forward in order to stay competitive.  Because, to paraphrase Satchel Paige, "Something may be gaining on you."  Or, to paraphrase another expression, "just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me."

Comments



Rail to Dulles (Virginia Centrist - 4/10/2006 10:12:55 AM)
Is there any evidence that Rail to Dulles will decrease traffic?


Yes, if it's done right. (Lowell - 4/10/2006 11:15:46 AM)
See Arlington for an example of Metro-oriented, high-density "smart growth "development done really, really well.  See the current Tysons Corner for the exact opposite.  Metro is a chance to change that.


Metro (Virginia Centrist - 4/10/2006 11:22:12 AM)
I think the best way to describe Metro's effect on traffic flow is that it has the potential to decrease growth in traffic by placing new people and new jobs within walking distance of each other.

As far as the Dulles thing goes - is there any doubt in your mind that Metro will fail to do this right? That they'll just string together a group of suburban Metro stations with huge parking lots and no houses within walking distance? Won't the NIMBYs in these communities ultimately win and keep density away from their property (these are some of the richest communities in NOVA)?



Yes, there's doubt in my mind... (Lowell - 4/10/2006 11:40:32 AM)
but I'm hopeful this will be done right.  Do you think I'm falling victim to that classic definition of insanity, which is "doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results?"  While we're at it, how about blogging every day; isn't that its own form of insanity?  Present company excluded, of course.  LOL


Yeah (Ben - 4/10/2006 12:39:12 PM)
I'm with Centrist.  Tysons just doesn't have the density to support heavy rail currently.  In addition, Lowell, you are smarter then to fall victim to a comparing two different areas (Arlington and Tysons) that have nothing in common.  The big difference is Tysons sits on two major roads (123 and 7) that are important to north/south and east/west traffic in Fairfax/Loudoun.  In other words 100,000 people don't need to drive through downtown Clarendon everyday to get home.

In addition, the other problem is that this is a new line starting from one of the Falls Church stations.  How would people who live in Burke (where I am) get there?  Can't get to Vienna Metro in less than an hour in the morning... (thanks Fairfax City) so that means almost everyone uses Franconia Springfield on the Blue line.  20 minute drive to the station, 10 minutes for a train, 30 minutes to the last stop in Virginia where Orange and Blue connect (about 12 stops).  10 minute wait for an Orange train headed towards Vienna.  20 minute ride to East Falls Church station.  10 minutes for the new Silver train.  20 minutes into Tysons Corner.  Almost a 2 hour commute each way, every day.  That's longer then it takes now to drive.

I'm all for Rail to Dulles but putting it into Tysons Corner will probably make a bad situation worse.  I wish some people on the Fairfax Board making this decision didn't have a direct financial interest in the properties involved (Hint- SAIC is employee owned).



re:yeah (Tom Joad (Kevin) - 4/10/2006 12:43:20 PM)
"Can't get to Vienna Metro in less than an hour in the morning... (thanks Fairfax City)"

It took me 25 minutes from the Government Center to Vienna Metro this morning in the HOV lane...now that's ridiculous.

On Gianetti, I was a constiuent of his for about a year and I have to say I was very impressed with him. He's a young guy and seriously will listen to your opinions at his town hall meetings. Just thought I'd throw that in there.



How about a loop before Dulles? (John K. (John) - 4/10/2006 6:09:46 PM)
One thing that I noticed on the rail systems in Europe (many of which are excellent, esp compaired to the Metro) is that they have a line that loops around the city (or metropolitian area).  I think that would help eleviate some of the problems with the Dulles metro (adding more stops south of the current orange line wouldn't be too bad either).

Thank god I work out in the boonies (Herndon).