All transit options should be on the table
Advertisement
Text size: small | medium | large
Delegate Paul F. Nichols
Published: July 9, 2008
I submitted a Joint Resolution during the 2008 General Assembly session to study the costs, benefits and impacts of bringing Metro to Woodbridge and Potomac Mills. The Joint Resolution never saw
the light of day due to a majority party that does not seem to appreciate the transportation crisis. After it became clear that the study resolution would not be considered in the House, I approached
Senator Colgan who had an omnibus transportation study resolution in the Senate, Senator Colgan agreed to add the Metro study to his resolution that ultimately passed the Senate and the House.
Our transportation problems are the result of elected officials ignoring the worsening transportation crisis. The long-term solution for the county is some form of public transit: light rail, VRE, bus rapid
transit, Metro. There isn’t enough space for enough asphalt to solve the problem. All transit options should be studied.
DELEGATE PAUL F. NICHOLS
Woodbridge
Page 1 of 1
Can't find what you're looking for? Try our quick search:
Reader Reactions
Posted by ( jVA ) on July 09, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Well said, willow703. Everybody wants to complain about traffic, but few are willing to pony up.
And T Dawg, I couldn’t agree more with your idea about rail running right down the middle of I-95. That just makes too much sense to ever happen though, doesn’t it? Instead, we’ll get sold out to some corporation, international no less, on the HOT lanes.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( willow703 ) on July 09, 2008 at 10:39 am
It will cost money. The money will have to come from the people, by way of taxes, fees, etc. The people will refuse to pay & continue to elect legislators who will continue to defeat any attempt to raise the money. The people who refuse to pay should put up or shut up & enjoy being stuck in traffic.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( jVA ) on July 09, 2008 at 9:39 am
Extending metro to Woodbridge would be a great idea. Understandably we might not be able to afford it right now, but I’m glad to see a delegate thinking ahead. Its too bad we had to wait until gas hit $4/gal to start addressing these issues.
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( T Dawg ) on July 09, 2008 at 8:09 am
The dumbest idea in many years was creating the HOV lanes. This has been replaced by the upcoming HOT lanes. Those ideas and the time honored tradition of ‘lets put in more lanes’ are only band-aids and buckets that politicians can throw your tax dollars.
IF, I repeat, IF Commonwealth politicians were interested in solving the traffic problem they would have put tracks right smack dab down the middle of I-95 for a ‘subway’ like rail system. It could have run from Richmond to DC and tied into the DC Metro.
Yes it would have been costly but not near as costly as continually laying more asphalt is, nor as inane as HOV & HOT lanes. I can hardly wait for the first politician to propose Hot lanes, Luke Warm Lanes, Chilly Lanes, and Cold lanes.
Another advantage of the I-95 rail system would have been getting the passenger trains OFF of freight tracks allowing the passenger rail to efficiently deliver their riders without competing with freight trains. Additionally, the Commonwealth and not CSX would own and maintain the tracks.
I agree that something should be done ... actually it SHOULD have been done many years ago. It could have been up and running now. Commuters, shoppers, and tourists from Richmond to DC would have had many options to choose from when planning their trip. Instead we have hot lanes ... wow ... zzzzzzzzzz
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( fordham ) on July 09, 2008 at 7:25 am
Delegate Nichols you are correct - there isn’t enough space for enough asphalt. What you meant, but couldn’t say so politically, is that there isn’t enough intestinal fortitude among our elected officials - at any level of government - to do the right thing. I have an answer - do nothing. Stop wasting taxpayer money on studies and just do nothing - the people will figure it out. Maybe then we will have some politicians with the brains and the guts to do the right thing. Just how stupid do they think we are!? Good luck
Report Inappropriate Comment
Posted by ( RonCharest ) on July 09, 2008 at 6:05 am
Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Nichols. It would be a nice thought that enough people here in Virginia finally realize that elections have consequences.
When we elect Republicans, we get the Republican agenda; cut services and programs that benefit the middle-class and low income people, children and the elderly. Find reasons to sent tax money to big corporations and people whom the Republican officials owe favors to. Then cut taxes on the wealthy and raise them on the regular working folks (without calling it a tax increase).
We really need the metro to extend down to the Woodbridge area.
Report Inappropriate Comment