When Virginia legislators return to Richmond next month, the number one issue expected be addressed will be transportation solutions for the state and particularly Northern Virginia, said a panel of state, federal and local officials Monday.
During the marathon General Assembly session earlier this year, lawmakers overcame a budget impasse to pass multi-million dollar funding increases for education and human services. But the legislators failed to agree on what to do about the growing problem of traffic.
"I don't think any of us have lessened our determination to do something about transportation," said state Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston) at a Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce legislative forum. "The fact is, we still need to raise $1 billion for transportation projects at least."
Gov. Mark Warner (D) proposed last week an $824 million transportation spending package that would fund public-private partnerships throughout the state, promote rail and other mass transit, encourage local oversight of road projects and eliminate deficits on completed projects.
Bipartisan elected officials from Reston and Herndon said they support Warner's proposal, but stressed that in order to truly fix the region's transportation problems the state needs to make a major, prolonged investment.
"Warner's proposal sounds pretty good and it is," said Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston). "But it's mostly one-time investments. We need a long-term sustained program."
WORSENING transportation problems for Reston and the surrounding region are becoming so bad that they run the risk of threatening Northern Virginia's economic growth, said Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill).
"It's one the most pressing issues facing us everyday," she said. "And each year that goes by, it costs more and more."
Apart from simply committing more funds for transportation projects, government officials on all levels need to develop creative, alternative solutions that reduce congestion and encourage public transportation, Hudgins said.
At Hudgins request, $750,000 was allocated in the FY 2006 federal budget to develop smart transit in Reston and Vienna. Smart transit technology would allow bus riders to locate buses through the Global Positioning System. Also it could turn traffic lights green to make the public bus system a faster, more efficient way to travel.
The Dulles Rail Project, which would extend a proposed Silver Line of the Metrorail system to Reston and eventually Dulles International Airport, was also cited as an important piece in getting commuters out of cars, off the highway and into public transit.
"In a region that now has an average of two cars per household, our asphalt just can't handle it," said U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8th District). "We need rail. It's efficient and world class."
Also, Moran said he wants to create a regional transportation authority that would coordinate traffic and accident response throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. A cross-jurisdictional authority could ensure traffic continues flowing and cut back on daily gridlock, he said.
IT REMAINS to be seen if Warner's transportation package will survive the General Assembly or if something else might emerge on the issue.
One threat to its approval is expected to be posturing from the anti-tax wing of the Republican party, Plum said.
"I don't know how we can make it so that an election year is seen as the time to actually do something," he said. All 100 seats in the House of Delegates are up for election in 2005.
But transportation problems have grown to such huge proportions, Warner's plan might receive substantial bipartisan support from the Republican-controlled House and Senate, said Del. Tom Rust (R-Herndon).
"I suspect most people are going to support that," he said.
Warner's plan contains only $147 million for the entire state for actual construction. To supplement that, Rust is introducing a bill that would require "bad" drivers — like excessive speeders and drunk drivers — to pay a special user fee to drive.
A similar program in New Jersey has raised as much as $140 million annually for transportation projects.
"That's the only new money I see out there," Rust said.