Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Garvey, County Board Approved Secret Anti-Environment Done-Deal for 395 Express Lanes

Hey Yupette,

Fibbin' Libby Garvey is talking about how VDOT's and TransUrban's $15 million yearly contribution for multi-modal transportation in the I-395 corridor between DC and Seminary Road in Alexandria is insufficient. Well, she and the County Board approved the deal a year ago in meetings with VDOT, TransUrban, and the McAuliffe administration.

Lyin' Libby can talk about preserving the environment along I-395 all she wants. The deal she and the County Board made last year will have I-395 North of Seminary Road to the 14th Street Bridge looking like this photo of I-395 South of Seminary Road.

TransUrban removed at least 10,000 mature trees from the median and shoulders of I-95 to build Express Lanes and sound walls. Several hundred mature trees would likely be removed from the I-395 right of way in Lyin' Libby's own Fairlington neighborhood to make way for sound wall construction. Oh, BTW, not only would homeowners at ground level have to look at ugly sound walls but residents of homes, townhouses, and apartmetns on hillsides above I-395 would not be protected from traffic noise.

As part of the done deal, then-County Board Chair Mary Hynes was promised an appointment to the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Same Mary Hynes who served on WMATA's Board of Directors while Metrorail literally crashed and burned.

Oh, at a number of recent public hearings VDOT representatives stated that "One percent of the vehicles on I-395 are responsible for transporting 12 percent of commuters". Last public meeting VDOT held at Wakefield High School was packed with highway construction workers.

We need Fibbin' Libby re-elected to the County Board like we need DC City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson's $40 million per mile Gondola across the Potomac.

Thanks for your blog.

Terri, 22206

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The photo is of Van Dorn Street, where my sister lives. She and her neighbors despise express lanes and sound walls. Thanks for getting this out there. We are deluged by propaganda from VDOT and Arlington County.

Anonymous said...

Statements from VDOT like one-percent of the vehicles on 395 carry 12 percent of the commuters beg for an environmental lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

Same old Libby who talked and talked about preserving mature trees on the Abingdon School campus, which APS cut down a couple months later. It's all hollow rhetoric from her.

Anonymous said...

Terry McAuliffe says it. They believe it. That settles it.

Anonymous said...

So where does 3% of the vehicles on 395 carrying 35% of commuters get us?

Anonymous said...

No Express lanes on I-395?

Anonymous said...

Does Libby even care anymore about her own neighborhood?

Anonymous said...

Libby's Fairlington neighborhood - another redevelopment opportunity post-2016?

Anonymous said...

County Board's infatuation with New Urbanism has gone on for 35 years too long.

Anonymous said...

Is there any benefit at all to people who live in Arliongton along I-395? Are we going to be taking the train or a commuter bus to F-burg every day? Are we going to be driving to and from Stafford alone in a SUV? Who cares about us? Not Libby Garvey.

Anonymous said...

What are Libby and the other County Board members getting from McAuliffe for their compliance? Mary Hynes was appointed to the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Anonymous said...

Jay Fisette appointed Ambassador to Jamaica by Hillary via McAuliffe?

Anonymous said...

Entire I-95 corridor - DC to Richmond - will be a total mess by 2030. Don't move or retire to anywhere that's rural or semi-rural today in the I-95 corridor.

Anonymous said...

VDOT's data are a charade. VDOT will be back inside-the-beltway five years after Express Lanes are completed asking for moere Express Lanes.