The good news is the county is in the process of re-evaluating the transportation plan for the first time since its last revision in 1991.
The bad news is there aren’t many ways to combat the ever-growing problems of traffic congestion, long commutes and road use, as employment and population growth is expected to continue to explode over the next 25 years.
At the second of seven public meetings to be held at various locations throughout the county within the next week, members of the county’s Department of Transportation presented information gathered by county agencies in regard to where people live, where they work, what roads and modes of transportation are used, how conditions can be improved, and where all these things may change in the next two decades.
“These are kick-off meetings. This process is going to take a few months,” said Leonard Wolfenstein, head of the planning section of the county’s Transportation Planning Division within the Department of Transportation. “We want to have a discussion with you and hear what you think is important for the future of Fairfax County.”
Since the last revision more than 10 years ago, several studies have been conducted, which led to improved commuter parking availability at Metro stations, a commuter rail system, the HOV network on major thoroughfares, and an expansion of the Fairfax Connector bus system, he said.
The revisions the county is hoping to make to the transportation system are geared with the vision of Fairfax County in 2030, and take into consideration where the county’s Comprehensive Plan allows for residential and commercial development and how the roadways and traffic volume in those areas will be impacted with growth.
“Within the next six months, we’ll start to see some issues resolved and start to engage the public and hear your concerns,” Wolfenstein said to the dozen or so residents at Marshall High School Thursday night. “The more formal public hearing process will come toward the end, in November and December, when we’ll go to the Planning Commission and then to the Board of Supervisors for approval, hopefully by the end of the year.”
The county is home to more than 1 million people, he said, and boasts over 600,000 jobs, as opposed to a little over 810,000 people and 400,000 jobs in 1990, an increase of 28 percent and 47 percent, respectively.
“The average traffic growth has been where the population has grown, mostly to the south and west of the county,” Wolfenstein said. “The economy is strong, and there are 13 of the 58 identifiable employment centers in the metropolitan region in Fairfax County, so this is a good place to be living and working.”
IN ADDITION TO car trips, over 16 million people use the Fairfax Connector and Metrobus systems annually, he said, and another 28 million use either Metrorail or the VRE train systems to get to work or other destinations.
The growth is expected to continue, he said, projecting an increase of 9,000 people in McLean and another 9,000 in Vienna by 2030, with an increase in jobs in those areas by 6,000 in Vienna and 26,000 in McLean in that same time frame.
“These are forecasting activities, and a big drawer of travel demand is how many people live here,” said Don Vary, a representative of Cambridge Systematic, a consultant firm hired by the county for this project.
Development will not be uniform throughout the county, however, with greater expansion expected along Route 66 and through the Dulles Toll Road/Technology Corridor, he said, in addition to the western portion of the county where there’s more room to grow.
“Eighty to 90 percent of residents’ work trips start in Fairfax County and end either within the county or elsewhere in Virginia,” he said.
That leads to traffic congestion, which may have an economic impact on the region.
“The overall amount of travel time people need to get from home to their destination increased by 30 percent in 2000,” Vary said, adding an additional 8 1/2 to almost 10 minutes.
“As we move forward, we will look into constructing new models and assumptions as to how the county is going to grow and what changes will need to be made,” he said. “We will look at land-use issues, the county Plan and its effect on traffic capacity ideas vs. land-use ideas.”
Additionally, the public transportation systems will “need to do better” in providing more efficient services to a growing population, including adding more train cars and destination choices, he said.
“Of course, trails and sidewalks are part of the quality of life in our county,” he said, and need to be maintained and protected.
The second round of public information sessions will begin to take place later in the spring or early summer months, Wolfenstein said.
Clark Tyler, a McLean resident, asked how the county is prepared to deal with areas that may not see an increase in development.
“As jobs move out to different parts of the county, it provides an option for people to have shorter commutes,” Vary said.
“Land-use plans set guidelines for how much housing can come in, so it may change where growth happens,” Wolfenstein added.
“THE NEXT BIG housing boom will most likely come in Loudoun County and parts of West Virginia,” Vary said. “Depending on the success of the commuter rail system, it can always be expanded.”
People who live in stable neighborhoods want to maintain a quieter atmosphere, said Sterling Wheeler, a county planner. “McLean can look to the Palladium, which is in an area designated in the Comprehensive Plan as an area for employment. Tysons has significant opportunity for high-density housing, and the county has a policy of encouraging housing and transit near employment centers.”
With over 100,00 jobs in the Tysons Corner area, there is an imbalance between jobs and housing, which will need to be rectified in the future, he said.
“As the area grows, it’s the bail-out traffic that kills us,” Tyler said, referring to commuters who cut through neighborhoods to take a few minutes off their travel time.
“There are some collector roads that carry traffic, but it’s not the majority of traffic,” Wheeler agreed. “We do have traffic-calming measures in place where cut-through traffic is a problem.”
CHRIS CHAMPAGNE asked about a map predicting a large growth in the Route 28 Corridor.
“Looking at the employment graph and expectations, that area will receive significant employment growth by 2030, so unfortunately that area will most likely stay as congested with traffic,” Vary said.
“There is a tremendous amount of jobs in that area, so (Routes) 50 and 66 will take some of the traffic,” Wheeler said. “Currently driving on Route 28, there’s a huge amount of open lanes available during rush-hour times.”
Jan Rosenbaum, a member of the Department of Transportation, said that “traffic has become a major thing in our lives,” and she’s not sure if there’s a workable solution in the future.
“We’re hoping a lot of curious people will come to these meetings and share with us how they want to see things change,” she said. “Things can always be better, but we’re excited about meeting with people and hearing what they have to say. Each conversation with a curious citizen reinforces who we’re working for.”
Congestion should be seen as a reminder of the strong economy of the area, Wheeler said. “It’s a sign of success. Only areas with vibrant, strong economies have congestion,” he said. “Roads are funded through the state budget. Unfortunately, what we get in return for what we give is low.”
The next public meeting will take place tonight at Key Middle School in Springfield at 7 p.m., with another Thursday night at Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly, followed by a meeting Saturday morning, starting at 9 a.m., at the Government Center in Fairfax.