I-66 Inside Beltway Feasibility Study
Coleman Decision No Longer Applicable to Widening
(October 6, 2004)

“The Coleman Decision.”

Opponents of widening I-66 inside the Beltway frequently point to the “Coleman Decision” as to why any attempt to add new lanes would be declared illegal.

This might have been the case in the past, but not today.

The Coleman decision was over-ridden by Section 357 of the FY 2000 Appropriations Act for the Federal Highway Administration.

This section states,

• “Not withstanding the January 4, 1977 decision of the Secretary of Transportation  (William Coleman) that approved (and limited to two lanes in each direction) construction of Interstate Highway 66 between the Capital Beltway and Rosslyn, Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia . . . shall hereafter have authority for operation, maintenance and construction of Interstate Route 66 between Rosslyn except that . . . exclu(sion of) heavy duty trucks and permit use by vehicles bound to or from Washington Dulles International Airport in the peak direction during peak hours, shall remain in effect.”

Section 357 also states that I-66 inside the Beltway --

• Is no different than any other Interstate except for heavy duty truck and airport access provisions.
  
  
• Can be widened with 100% state funds and without federal funds.
  
  
• HOV restrictions can be reduced, increased or eliminated by the state without federal pre-authorization.