TPB Votes to Scuttle I-66 Project:
Fairfax Supervisors Ignore Official County Policy in Casting Deciding Votes

Demonstrating again why it must bear major responsibility for area residents enduring the nation's second worst congestion, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) has voted to strike I-66 inside the Beltway Spot Improvements from the regions six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and fiscally Constrained Long Range Transportation Plan (CLRP) until a multi-modal corridor study is completed.

Unless overturned, the action will cost the region at least $22 million in previously authorized federal funds for Phase I (Fairfax Drive to Sycamore Street) as well as the opportunity to use federal stimulus dollars to complete other phases.

More importantly, it will mean that hundreds of thousands of area residents will spend more time sitting in I-66 traffic and less time with their families.

The action contradicts the TPB's previous agreement to include the I-66 improvements in its plans if VDOT would initiate the multi-modal study. VDOT kept its commitment; the TPB did not.

Fairfax Supervisors Vote Against County Policy

After a tie vote on the measure, a rarely utilized weighted vote in which TPB member jurisdiction votes are valued on the basis of population was conducted. The result was 9.16 to 5.8 in favor of removing the I-66 improvements. As the most populous jurisdiction, Fairfax County has the largest weighted vote.

Fairfax County's representatives - Supervisors Cathy Hudgins and Linda Smyth - cast the two deciding votes to remove the projects from the plans. In doing so they acted in direct opposition to the County's longstanding policy of support for these improvements. Given the impromptu nature of the vote, it is likely other TPB members acted either in opposition to local government policy or without consulting their fellow local officials.

The Perps

The following Northern Virginia TPB members voted to remove I-66 improvements from the Plan:

Arlington County - Residents that experience more pollution and I-66 overflow traffic on neighborhood streets should "thank":

• Chris Zimmerman, Arlington County Board
• 703-228-3130
• czimmerman@arlingtonva.us

Fairfax County - Reston and Merrifield residents stuck in I-66 traffic should contact:

• Cathy Hudgins, Fairfax County Board (Reston)
• 703-478-0283
• hntrmill@fairfaxcounty.gov

• Linda Smyth, Fairfax County Board (Merrifield)
• 703-560-6946
• providence@fairfaxcounty.gov

City of Alexandria - Alexandria residents sitting in I-66 traffic rather than traveling through Arlington should contact:

• Timothy Lovain, Alexandria City Council
• 703-838-4500
• timothylovain@aol.com
  

City of Falls Church - City residents experiencing overflow I-66 traffic on neighborhood streets should "thank":

• David Snyder, Falls Church City Council
• 703-248-5014
• dsnyder@fallschurchva.gov

The Good Guys

Local officials deserving of thanks for voting to ease congestion for their constituents by keeping I-66 improvements in the Plans are:

Loudoun County

• Lori Waters, Loudoun County Board
• 703-777-0204
• lori.waters@loudoun.gov

Prince William County

• Michael May, Prince William County Board
• 703-792-4643
• mcmay@pwcgov.org

• Monica Backmon, Prince William County (alternate/staff)
  

City of Fairfax (Absent-Did Not Vote)

City of Manassas

• Jonathan Way, City of Manassas
• 703-368-9174
• jway@ci.manassas.va.us

City of Manassas Park

• Suhas Naddoni, City of Manassas Park
• 703-335-8808
• s.naddoni@manassasparkva.gov

For a complete breakdown of the TPB vote, click here.

To avoid the loss of these improvements and federal dollars, the TPB must reverse this action before June 2009.

One thing is clear:

When Public Officials
Act Against the Public's Interest,
The Public Gets Hurt