We have been covering the on-going saga of the Dulles Toll Road ramp projects for nearly a year now. The last news came in January when a coalition of local residents joined together to oppose a particularly bad concept which would destroy a buffer park, impact many lots, and bring additional traffic onto roads that currently provide safe routes for children, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The concept was eventually killed, but the overall project continues as a danger to the future of both Tysons and Vienna, and stands to waste hundreds of millions of much needed dollars.
To understand what is happening, you have to first understand how road projects begin. One would imagine that technically knowledgeable staff inform higher ups who then let planners and politicians know of the need. Sadly, instead it often goes in reverse where politicians ask staff to focus on a particular area and see what could be improved.
Why is that bad?
Because it is not an accurate base model comparison. Whenever someone looks at any location and asks, could congestion be better? They are setting up a response mechanism that will always say “Yes if you do this you could carry even more people.”
The problem is, it doesn’t ask “With this money is this the best use to provide overall improvement to a transportation network?” Case in point, the Dulles Toll Road ramps. These concepts were shown as optional future projects on the Tysons Corner Comprehensive Plan passed in 2010, nominally included to note that if future congestion along the corridor worsens that options were available.
So how come these will be the first major post-comprehensive plan projects even though dozens of other projects were noted as higher priorities within the Comprehensive Plan?
And can someone explain to me why we are building more capacity for a road whose owners (MWAA) even admit volume and usage will decrease with the completion of the Silver Line and the rising of toll rates? Not to mention that the parallel construction to widen Route 7 to a full fledged intercity highway between Tysons and the Loudoun County line which will of course siphon off even more toll road users (after all one is free and the other might cost up to $15 dollars round trip).
Lastly, why has this continued to be the most pressing transportation need in Tysons?
Are the board of supervisors aware that providing the Scotts Run overpass would drastically improve traffic in the part of town that is actually currently undergoing massive redevelopment?
Are the board of supervisors aware that the extension of Old Chain Bridge road via Colshire Meadow along side of Scotts Run Station and the Commons of McLean will dramatically improve both commuter and bus circulation in town?
Are the Board of Supervisors aware that by simply providing the Boone Boulevard extension without extending past Spring Hill Road would actually improve traffic on Route 7 for bypass traffic that is coming from the toll road and heading towards Route 123? And that this would not be significantly improved by another Dulles Toll Road ramp which would likely just push half of the demand on Route 7 onto Boone Boulevard?
Are the Board of Supervisors and those making the decisions on what roads are necessary in Tysons even aware of where Tysons is on a map? Have they ever visited Tysons for anything other than mega-project ribbon cuttings?
The design provided by the FCDOT to solve a lot of tough problems along the Dulles Toll Road, including limited right of way, unique geometry necessary for toll operations, and stacking on ramps is impeccable. There is not a single technical reason why the design wouldn’t be a success, especially Option 2 which turns the Dulles Toll Road into a local and bypass system around Tysons.
The problem is the solution is far more costly than the improvement and the need deems logical. That leads to a question at the top, not within FCDOT.
Some day the Dulles Toll Road may need some spot improvements, but that day is not today and it certainly will not be for many years after the Silver Line and Route 7 widening projects are complete. So instead of wasting everyone’s time and certainly a lot of tax payer money providing a duplicate project, can we please start moving forward with the far greater traffic mitigation measures necessary in Tysons?
We can create projects like Scotts Run overpass, Boone Boulevard extension (without ramp), corrections to the existing Spring Hill DTR interchange which can benefit both commuters and residents for far less cost. Instead we spend public good will, public money, and public attention on projects that have ribbon cuttings.
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