Richmond Highway revitalization is a hot topic in Fairfax and Prince William counties. One of the most frequent requests we receive from constituents, after just getting Richmond Highway widened to three lanes in each direction, is to get it modernized by upgrading public transportation, businesses and utilities. Our community’s and business’ “Main Street” needs a modern 21st century “look” and transportation system.
The three of us support undergrounded utilities on Richmond Highway. It is also supported by the Mt. Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce, the Mt. Vernon Council of Citizens Associations, and has been requested by the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation.
While undergrounding utilities is expensive and disruptive, it significantly improves the desirability of the corridor, is crucial for changing perceptions of Richmond Highway and Mount Vernon as worn and out-of-date areas and necessary to secure private modernization development investments. It is also the standard for new or modernizing areas in Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria.
It also requires significant long-term planning. How can we get it done in Fairfax County?
The Prince William Experience
Prince William County has undergrounded or committed to underground utilities along its entire 14-mile segment of Route 1, even though they have 40-percent of Fairfax County’s population, a fraction of its residential and commercial property tax base, and a median household income that is $3,000 per year lower.
How are they doing it? They prioritized it using a combination of local General Fund monies and regional funds — all considered local funds by the State and Federal Government. Their board was convinced that the increased property values that came from revitalization created by an improved Richmond Highway (and the commercial tax revenue increases that generates) would more than pay for the financial investment required.
Status in Fairfax County
While the ongoing EMBARK Richmond Highway process is laying the groundwork to implement the objectives of the Route 1 Multimodal Study, there are no concrete plans for undergrounded utilities. This is something that we are working to correct.
The Path Forward
Underground utilities are estimated to cost an extra $60 million from Costco to Woodlawn and about $200 million along the entire stretch of Richmond Highway in Fairfax County. How could this be funded?
First, we should use state and regional transportation project funding that would otherwise have been spent on the overhead utilities that have to be moved to fund at least a portion of the undergrounding utilities investment. Further, we need to advocate for additional local flexibility in the use of transportation project funds to increase the portion invested in undergrounding utilities.
Second, we could use economic development bonds or other types of bonding mechanisms to fund these investments with the increased tax revenues generated from enhanced property valuations. Two hundred million dollars amortized over 30 years’ costs about $15 million per year.
Third, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors could appropriate the funds as an investment in the Richmond Highway Corridor’s future development, helping to further leverage private sector development dollars with the large state transportation investments.
Just as Prince William County is finding — new development could completely fund this investment from the higher commercial property values and increased revenue generated, resulting in no costs to existing residential tax payers.
At Fairfax County’s current property tax rate of $1.13, an additional $1 billion of real estate value would generate over $11 million per year in increased tax revenue. Today, merely the commercial properties on the three miles of the highway between Kings Crossing and Costco are assessed at over $1 billion in value — there is even more value (and far greater upside development opportunities) along the nine miles of Richmond Highway to the south. With undergrounded utilities, a bus rapid transit system and, further in the future, a two stop Metro extension, there will be more than enough commercial real estate value to generate the revenue needed to pay for these investments.
Our present-day mid-20th century highway and transit systems require public and private investments to create the revitalized 21st century “Main Street” our Richmond Highway corridor needs to become. We cannot afford not to make these investments and improvements. Now is the time to bring all these resources together for the Richmond Highway Corridor.
It is an honor to serve you. Your comments are welcomed. Please email us at scott@scottsurovell.org, paul@paulkrizek.com or Dan Storck at MtVernon@FairfaxCounty.gov.