Study Widening Both Sides of I-66… Now.
(September 9, 2003)

Congratulations to Congressmen Frank Wolf and Tom Davis and Governor Mark Warner on agreeing to look at an additional westbound lane on I-66 Inside the Capital Beltway.

However, the Virginia Department of Transportation’s study team should use its tape measure on both the west- and eastbound lanes.

Heavily congested traffic conditions, particularly between Glebe Road and the Dulles Access Road, exist weekdays and weekends in both directions.

Think of the bumper-to-bumper conditions that also would exist today in neighborhoods along Lee Highway; Washington, Williamsburg, Wilson and Yorktown Boulevards; U.S 50 and many other Arlington streets had not I-66 been built inside the Beltway.  Think of how much more traffic will over-run these same neighborhoods in the near future if I-66 capacity in both directions isn’t increased.

Construction of a new westbound lane first may prove to be the most feasible and important.  However, there’s no reason east- and westbound right-of-way adequacy cannot be determined simultaneously and within the same authorized funding level.

A study of rail to Dulles Airport would never be limited to one set of tracks.  Any look at I-66 right-of-way should be in both directions.

It’s time to take off the blinders.