Saturday, November 14, 2009

Deal In the works to build HOT lanes on I-395?

According to several sources among Arlington County staff, the County Board is working on a deal to drop its lawsuit against the HOT lanes consortium in return for a few minor concessions.

9 comments:

fairgrrl said...

Not surprising. The lawsuit was another County Board charade.

22206 said...

The Chamber of Commerce may control Arlington, Auto dealers control Alexandria. And the auto dealers want HOT lanes on I-395.

Anonymous said...

County Republicrat Board only regrets it could not add another 4,000 parking spaces this year and another mega-infill mess like Founders Square.

Mike said...

Arlington already has an EPA air quality index of 90 - which is the same as Los Angeles County outside downtown LA.

anon S. Arlington said...

So, besides gridlock increased air pollution, and 70 foot sound barriers on the shoulders of I-395, what else is in store for our neighborhood?

Better Fairlington said...

Here's what we want to see happen:

Mandatory telecommuting one day a week,

Hybrid interurban bus service between DC and the inner suburbs to the outer suburbs,

Passenger ferry service on the Potomac,

Shuttle bus service from residential neighborhoods to commercial (shopping) districts,

Vastly expanded home delivery for groceries,

Vastly expanded ride-sharing,

Vastly expanded car-sharing (flex and zip cars),

DOD establishing secure satellite work sites to reduce federal employees driving to the Pentagon, Belvoir, etc.,

A moratorium on gentrification,

Alternatives to 1.5 parking spaces per new condo unit and 4 parking spaces per new McMansion.

Yes, we are about five years from serious traffic congestion, if not gridlock, on Arlington's streets and roads.

Anonymous said...

B.F., thanks for the thought. The County Chamber of Commerce Board only listens to developers who want more 400 vehicle parking garages beneath more ugly, energy inefficient and expensive mega-infill.

Anonymous said...

VDOT, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria only listen to developers.

anon. 22206 said...

The Fairlington Citizens Association (which says it represents the interests of Fairlington residents) has already rubber-stamped whatever the Arlington County Board has decided regarding increased traffic into and out of Arlington resulting from this project. They also are fantastic at starting and circulating malicious rumors about anyone who doesn't "go along with the program."

So we can expect a lot more traffic and air pollution in the future.