LANE RANGER: Reader: Traffic is a problem every day

Dear Lane Ranger: Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 are a statewide embarrassment to transportation within the Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford county area. Problems that used to only impact commuters during rush hours during the work-week have now spread to the weekends. Travel north or south between Springfield and Fredericksburg has become a nightmare 7 days a week, both directions, any hour of the day.

I hold you all personally accountable for the inability to address this problem over the past 20 years.

Partisan politics over the past three special transportation sessions has resulted in no progress, no solutions, and no improvements.

Virginia should be embarrassed and ashamed that it cannot address this problem in the major north-south corridor between Richmond and the District of Columbia.

As a taxpayer, I am thoroughly disgusted with the inaction of both the Senate and the House of Delegates of Virginia.

There are no clean hands in either party.

The High Occupancy Toll (HOT) project will not be a complete fix to this problem — so don’t look for it to be a cure-all solution. In fact, I predict that HOT will aggravate an already intolerable situation.
Here’s an example of a problem on a Saturday afternoon — what was supposed to be a simple cross Prince William County trip, from Lake Ridge to Locust Shade Park off U.S. 1 near Quantico, was a major trip. A simple 15-mile trip took 90 minutes southbound using a combination of I-95 and U.S.1. The return 15-mile trip took 60 minutes northbound only because I exited I-95 at Va. 234 and took back roads and residential streets.

What a joke. All told, that was 150 minutes combined for a total of 30 miles. That is a blistering pace of 10 to 12 mph through Northern Virginia.

I will recommend that my company no longer hold its annual picnics for 250 employees in Prince William; the trip is just too painful.

The Virginia Department of Transportation needs to figure out what the choke points are on I-95 southbound and northbound and fix them.

The Virginia Senate and House need to fund it now. It’s up to you to work out the details. I believe that this can be done without increasing taxes — but if you think that taxes must be raised somewhat to finally address the problem, make a reasonable proposal and reasonable citizens will agree. Hiding behind “fees and special authorities ” and such is a gutless approach.

The timing of traffic signals on weekends on U.S.1 is atrocious. VDOT probably treats this as “off-peak” volume. Obviously, they have no clue as to the volume of traffic that U.S. 1 handles when I-95 is at a crawl. Much improvement can be accomplished here at minimal cost.

The inaction and the inability of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates on this critical transportation issue is embarrassing.

Do something to address the problem and do it now.

Sincerely,
Charles Gallion

Dear Mr. Gallion: The Lane Ranger feels your pain.

The prospect of having to deal with traffic on the weekend is enough to give anyone pause and make them consider their options.

Staying home is often preferable to going out and suffering the agony one must endure on our roads.

Highway deaths increase in Virginia
According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, highway fatality rates increased in Virginia and the District of Columbia at the same time traffic deaths across the country dropped to the lowest level in 14 years.

Data filed last year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that the number of highway deaths decreased nationally by 3.9 percent, while the Virginia death toll rose by 6.8 percent.

In 2007, 1,027 people died on Virginia highways. In 2006, the number of traffic deaths in Virginia was 962, stated a AAA press release.

“Locally, this is a tragic reversal of fortunes,” said AAA spokesman John B. Townsend II. “Motor vehicle crashes continue to be a leading cause of death across all ages, and a major public health issue in our nation and across our region. Many of these deaths and injuries are completely preventable through proper use of seat belts, helmets, and child safety seats.”

Traffic deaths in the District of Columbia rose by 19 percent, according to the press release.

But things appear to be improving in Virginia for 2008, Townsend said in the release.

During the first six months of 2008, there have been 100 fewer traffic fatalities than during the same period in 2007.

“To their credit, state officials in Virginia recognized this deadly trend as it was developing last year and launched a campaign to reverse it,” Townsend said.

Motor vehicle crashes nationally continue to kill more than 40,000 people and injure about 2.5 million people per year, according the the car club.