Virginia

[1995hoo]

I remember the day I-66 inside the Beltway opened the Post had a neat cartoon map of it. I'd love to find a copy of it someday. It was a Big Deal when that road finally opened.

[cpzilliacus]

Dumb.  Fatally dumb this time.  Waste of a good young life.

Washington Post: Woman gets out of car to smoke; killed on Beltway

A 27-year-old woman was killed while running through Beltway traffic late Friday night, according to the Virginia State Police. Her companion told investigators she had asked him to pull over so she could smoke.

A Subaru driver was unable to stop in time, and hit Echo D. Davis, 27, of Benson, N.C., authorities said. Witnesses told police Davis had been wandering into the highway after 10 p.m. near the Eisenhower Connector exit, before trying to bolt across the road.

[oscar]

I don't think this has been mentioned before, but this weekend I saw some fairly new "truck rest areas" where there had been only blocked-off old pavement for once-planned regular rest areas.  The ones I saw were on I-64 eastbound between Clifton Forge and Lexington, and I-66 eastbound just east of I-81.  (The once-planned rest area on the opposite side of I-66 is still barricaded off, nothing obviously in progress to open it as a truck rest area.)

The new areas seem to provide nothing more than a lot of parking space for trucks, and a few porta-potties, so most of the investment seems to be the resurfaced pavement.  While they are designated as truck areas, they are not closed to cars, and there is no nearby rest area for cars.

[Mapmikey]

The Clifton Forge one goes back to at least 2009 (GMSV)...

Before it was rehabbed for the trucks, the one on I-66 still had the original black and white signs with cars/trucks directives plus fasten seat belts signs that were original to I-66's completion there.  I always thought I should stop and get pics of those but I never did...

Mapmikey

[amroad17]

The Clifton Forge one opened back up in 2006.  When I was driving for an expedited trucking company, I stopped there on a couple of different runs just to use the restroom.  A truck was not allowed at the Welcome Center on I-64 at the WV/VA state line and the last rest area before that was in Beckley, WV.

[cpzilliacus]

Based on the rest of the blog entry, it sounds as though we should NOT expect to see similar signs on the Beltway any time soon.

Inrix is used to provide data for the signs.  As of right now, there is no way for Inrix to distinguish  between Beltway traffic using the HOV/Toll and the unmanaged "free" lanes. 

[Mapmikey]

Oddly, one day this week instead of 24 min and 29 min, the sign read OPEN and 29 min.

Not sure how that is all that helpful...

Mapmikey

[cpzilliacus]

Oddly, one day this week instead of 24 min and 29 min, the sign read OPEN and 29 min.

Not sure how that is all that helpful...

Mapmikey

Agreed.  May be they did not have enough probe vehicle data to provide a prediction that they could be confident in.

[froggie]

Inrix is used to provide data for the signs.  As of right now, there is no way for Inrix to distinguish  between Beltway traffic using the HOV/Toll and the unmanaged "free" lanes.

VDOT dropped an opportunity with the HO/T lane construction to add pavement detectors, which is how MnDOT does it in the Twin Cities.  Quite sophisticated ones too, as I understand.

[cpzilliacus]

Inrix is used to provide data for the signs.  As of right now, there is no way for Inrix to distinguish  between Beltway traffic using the HOV/Toll and the unmanaged "free" lanes.

VDOT dropped an opportunity with the HO/T lane construction to add pavement detectors, which is how MnDOT does it in the Twin Cities.  Quite sophisticated ones too, as I understand.

In a sense, VDOT (or Transurban) has detectors, right now, at each  of the toll gantries.  Of course, that does not tell anyone how the non-managed lanes are running.

Detectors certainly work, but if the data are available from Inrix (or a competing service - I am pissed at Inrix right now), then there's no need for detectors. 

When the HOV/Toll lanes on I-394 were built, nobody had heard of Inrix.

[froggie]

I'm not talking about just the HO/T lanes on I-394.  MnDOT has been using pavement detectors in Twin Cities freeways for YEARS now to estimate real-time traffic flow.  That VDOT/SHA haven't done the same is actually a bit disappointing.

[cpzilliacus]

I'm not talking about just the HO/T lanes on I-394.  MnDOT has been using pavement detectors in Twin Cities freeways for YEARS now to estimate real-time traffic flow.  That VDOT/SHA haven't done the same is actually a bit disappointing.

The Transurban HOV/Toll lanes on I-495 do have microwave detectors to monitor vehicle speeds, some at the toll collection gantries, and some at stand-alone locations. 

Transurban is contractually obligated to maintain 45 MPH operation in those lanes.

[cpzilliacus]

I'm not talking about just the HO/T lanes on I-394.  MnDOT has been using pavement detectors in Twin Cities freeways for YEARS now to estimate real-time traffic flow.  That VDOT/SHA haven't done the same is actually a bit disappointing.

VDOT, SHA and MdTA are using Inrix to provide real-time speeds on many parts of their respective freeway systems.

Note that I said many, not all.  There are some segments of the system that are not monitored by Inrix, though that should change at some point in the future.  I hope.

[mtfallsmikey]

Interesting article about Rt. 606/Loudoun co.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2013/09/shared-use-path-a-casualty-of-the.html?ana=e_wash_brk&s=newsletter&ed=2013-09-20

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post op-ed: Save Manassas battlefield by building the Bi-County Parkway

More than 150 years ago, the battles of Bull Run were fought in the fields and hollows along the Warrenton Turnpike. Twice in 13 months, Union and Confederate soldiers spread out in battle lines on the sides of this historic roadway and engaged in Civil War clashes that helped shape the course of history.

Brave Americans consecrated this land with their blood, and subsequent generations have honored that memory. For 60 years, activists have fought off numerous attempts to mar the landscape with inappropriate, encroaching development, including a freeway, a giant cemetery and a 1.5 million-square-foot mall. Even Disney was rebuffed in its bid to build a heritage-themed park nearby.

But just as the battlefields' ease of access to Washington via major 19th-century roads allowed curious picnickers to watch the smoke rise from the first Battle of Bull Run, so too has this proximity doomed Manassas National Battlefield Park to be one of the country's most endangered battlefields.

Today, and for many years, the chief threat has been choking commuter and industrial traffic through the heart of the park. The old Warrenton Turnpike, now Lee Highway (Route 29), features bumper-to-bumper congestion as it runs through both battlefields. Park officials and supporters have thus far resisted widening the road beyond two lanes through the battlefield and losing historic land in the process. But this causes a funnel of congestion within the park, particularly at the intersection with Sudley Road (Route 234).

[abc2VE]

Looks like Ken Cuccinelli is attending a rally for the guy, who I guess is the outspoken opponent of the Bi-county parkway/ potential outer-beltway, this Saturday on Page Snyder's farm which, if I remember correctly, is in the way of the new bypass.     
https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8635134921

It would be interesting to see people show up in opposition to this opposition, or Cuccinelli, but, I bet Mr Snyder would ask them to leave very quickly.

[cpzilliacus]

Looks like Ken Cuccinelli is attending a rally for the guy, who I guess is the outspoken opponent of the Bi-county parkway/ potential outer-beltway, this Saturday on Page Snyder's farm which, if I remember correctly, is in the way of the new bypass.     
https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8635134921

It would be interesting to see people show up in opposition to this opposition, or Cuccinelli, but, I bet Mr Snyder would ask them to leave very quickly.

Washington Post: Cuccinelli opposes Bi-County Parkway

[Emphasis added below]

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli II came out against the planned Bi-County Parkway at a Saturday morning rally in Prince William County, marking an apparent shift from the stance he took at a candidates' forum in August.

Cuccinelli, speaking near Manassas National Battlefield Park, told a friendly crowd of about 150 people that he was opposed to the 10-mile connector between Loudoun and Prince William counties as it is currently planned.

"The case has not been made that what's proposed right over here is an efficient use of your transportation dollars to reduce the congestion that plagues all of Northern Virginia,"  Cuccinelli (R) told the crowd. Cuccinelli, the state's attorney general, also reiterated his opposition to closing two crisscrossing roads within the National Park Service's borders in exchange for building a connector around its western edge, as the park's superintendent prefers.

"It's crazy in Northern Virginia to be making a deal with the National Park Service that closes down major roads in the heart of communities in Northern Virginia,"  Cuccinelli said. "If this is just a developer's project, then it shouldn't happen."

Saturday's event took place on a farm owned by Page Snyder, a leading opponent of the Bi-County Parkway. Cuccinelli's campaign said he had not made a turnabout from remarks supporting a north-south link during the "Battleground Forum"  hosted in Manassas in August by several Northern Virginia chambers of commerce. At the forum, Cuccinelli expressed support for a connector between the two counties but also said he was "appalled"  at the idea of closing the arteries crisscrossing the park.

Cuccinelli suggested that the state should look for a route farther west, perhaps through a state park.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: GMU report says Bi-County Parkway would give 8% boost to Dulles cargo business

Improved access to the western side of Washington Dulles International Airport would have little effect on air cargo activity at the international gateway, a new analysis finds.

Proponents of the Bi-County Parkway, a 10-mile road that would connect Loudoun and Prince William counties, had suggested the north-south link could spur businesses to use the airport more frequently, particularly its cargo operations. However, after looking at what effect avoiding traffic congestion along the Dulles Toll Road and Route 28 might have, the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University concluded that a new road would increase demand for air cargo only about 8 percent. That would do little to offset the sharp declines in air cargo activity at Dulles.

[cpzilliacus]

Richmond.com: Why Richmond, Why?!? City Gets Paid for 'Moving Lanes'

Why can't we have bike lanes in Richmond? - many

Money for bike lanes comes from the same source that pays for roads. We're working toward making Richmond a more bike-friendly city, right? There are plenty of hearty cyclists who aren't afraid to pedal with vehicular traffic (which legally is where they belong), but the city is planning for bike lanes that promise to get more of the bike-curious out of their cars an on a bike. How will Richmond pay for them has been a hot topic in my conversations.

We're talking complete streets, a concept that directs a locality to create streetscapes that accommodate all modes of travel -- by car, bicycle, mass transit, walking, etc. I'm a driver, pedestrian, cyclist and taxpayer. I'm also a graduate student working on my masters degree in Urban Planning at VCU. None of those things qualify me as a traffic expert, but I'm going to take a stab at this one and y'all get to come along for the ride.

Localities in Virginia appear to be struggling to install bike lanes that involve road diets -- the act of removing a street lane (termed a "moving lane") for the sake of creating bike lanes or reducing travel lanes. The solution to the problem may be as simple as rewording the Virginia Department of Transportation codes.

In fiscal year 2013-14, the Richmond district (which contains Ashland, Blackstone, Chase City, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, South Hill and Richmond) will be allotted nearly $40 million for 3,048 lane miles in the from VDOT to pay for road maintenance of any kind. VDOT is scheduled to pay nearly $335 million for 26,057 lane miles statewide. The concern for localities is that there are no provisions in the codes that allow cities and towns to convert road lanes to bike lanes without avoiding financial penalties. Less miles = less money.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Just a minor quibble, but Richmond.com is separate from the Times-Dispatch. Still, Richmond's roads have a lot more problems than this, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

[cpzilliacus]

Just a minor quibble, but Richmond.com is separate from the Times-Dispatch. Still, Richmond's roads have a lot more problems than this, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Separate - but the bylines I see on Richmond.com seem remarkably similar to the ones seen on the Times-Dispatch site.

But thanks for pointing it out.

Looking at metropolitan Richmond from the perspective of someone that spends a lot of time driving on VDOT's Northern Virginia District roads, it seems that Richmond and it suburbs have gotten a better deal (overall) than NoVa (due at least in part to the behavior of some NoVa elected officials).

[WillWeaverRVA]

Just a minor quibble, but Richmond.com is separate from the Times-Dispatch. Still, Richmond's roads have a lot more problems than this, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Separate - but the bylines I see on Richmond.com seem remarkably similar to the ones seen on the Times-Dispatch site.

But thanks for pointing it out.

They have the same ownership and became separate entities when Media General sold the Times-Dispatch (although all the websites are run by the same group, hence their similar layouts). RTD writers do sometimes write on Richmond.com, though.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Cuccinelli and McAuliffe on transportation issues

Cuccinelli released a transportation plan Monday calling for transferring authority for much of the commonwealth's transportation system to county and local governments. Cuccinelli opposed a landmark transportation-funding measure signed by Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) this year as a "massive tax increase"  and raised legal objections about the legislation as attorney general. He also declared unconstitutional the imposition of taxes only on Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. The taxes would raise a total of about $500 million a year, to be used regionally. But he also offered guidance on making the bill constitutionally sound and said he would not try to change it as governor. He has spoken out against the Metro system's second phase of expanding the Silver Line into Loudoun County, saying the costs outweigh the benefits except for landowners in its path. He has also expressed concerns about the impact of the project on Northern Virginia motorists, whose tolls are helping to pay for the rail line's construction.

McAuliffe supported the transportation bill and said he would pursue similar bipartisan approaches to solving the state's transportation challenges. Earlier this year, he ran a TV ad suggesting that he made phone calls in support of the landmark measure that helped it pass in the Virginia General Assembly, a claim that met with objections from Republicans who supported the bill. He has said he will emphasize infrastructure to roads, rail lines and bridges focused on safety and economic development. He also said he would avoid a "laundry list"  approach to transportation projects by setting priorities. And he said he would search for ways to improve regional planning to prevent gridlock, as well as smart-growth planning in which land development decisions are made in ways that don't worsen traffic. He reiterated his desire to widen Route 58 to four lanes along the southern flank of Virginia. He has said he supports the Silver Line that will expand Metrorail service into Loudoun County.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Cuccinelli and McAuliffe on transportation issues

Excellent follow-up by the Post's Dr. Gridlock to the story above.  One of the best discussions I have ever read of Viginia's secondary highway network and how it differs from other states. Here's hoping that the folks that love to engage in VDOT-bashing read this.

Cuccinelli plan focuses primarily on secondary roads

Cuccinelli's plan may have emerged late in this campaign, but it's got a long history in the tensions between state and local control in decision-making on transportation issues. This is the short version:

In the people-moving hierarchy, secondary roads rank beneath interstates, U.S. routes or primary roads, but they are highly important in the daily lives of Virginians, many of whom will start and end their trips on these local public streets. There are more than 10,000 miles of them in Northern Virginia, within communities and between communities, compared with about 470 miles of primary roads. To identify roads in the secondary system, look for a black and white state shield with a route numbered 600 or above.

Outside of the Commonwealth, secondary roads are often known as county roads, and it's the counties that take responsibility for them. In Virginia, the central government in Richmond has a lot more control over local streets than is typical in most other states, including Maryland.

The Great Depression created an early crisis in local road financing, and the General Assembly agreed to have the state take control of many county routes. Under legislation known as the Byrd Road Act of 1932, creating a secondary road system in addition to the primary system of highways that the state already was developing and maintaining.

[NE2]

Other states, except for Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia...