Resolution on Beltway Widening

Whereas, traffic congestion in Northern Virginia, including on the Capital 
Beltway, has grown to an intolerable level; and

Whereas, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is proposing a 
$2 billion, 50 percent expansion of the beltway as its major response; and 

Whereas, a 12-lane beltway with massive interchanges will still be congested 
6-15 hours a day and is likely to cause major disruption on side streets and 
neighborhoods and other environmental problems; and

Whereas, experience and analysis have shown that highway expansion, without 
land use reform, will attract additional auto trips that fill that capacity 
in a short time, causing it to fail as a solution to congestion; and

Whereas VDOT is now preparing a limited Environmental Assessment (EA) instead 
of conducting a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis of options as 
required in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); and

Whereas, VDOT has briefly considered rail options for the corridor during the 
Major Investment Study phase, but no longer includes such options, even though 
the Maryland Department of Transportation is including circumferential rail in 
their study of improvements for that segment of the beltway; 

Therefore, the _____________________________________ Association strongly 
urges the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution endorsing 
a full EIS and recommend to VDOT that it: 

  1. Expand its EA process to a full EIS process so as to ensure a more complete 
analysis of options and to expand opportunities for citizen involvement in 
decision-making;  
  2.  Include options for Metrorail or light rail with a feeder bus system 
providing an integrated multimodal transportation system in the Beltway 
corridor; 
  3. Cease planning immediately on its Beltway widening study until a full EIS 
has begun; and 
  4. Immediately begin a series of planning sessions with each of the 
neighborhoods along the Beltway so residents can participate - jointly with 
VDOT planners - to select the most feasible transportation option for the 
Beltway corridor and their communities.

Approved: 


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            President                     Date