I-66: Gut- and Reality-Check

On April 19th, Congressman Frank Wolf (10th District) and Fairfax Supervisors Pat Herrity (Springfield) and Michael Frey (Sully) hosted a forum on the status and future of the I-66 corridor inside and outside the Beltway.

Presenters covered a wide range of topics from opening shoulder lanes during highly congested periods to opening the westbound HOV exit ramps at Monument Drive and Stringfellow Road during non-peak hours. For more details on the forum and to view presentations, visit Representative Wolf’s webpage here.

However, perhaps the most insightful observation did not come from the dais or within the room or this country. It was a former mayor of Curitiba Brazil, who in a video on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) captured the essence of what is needed to implement the best I-66 solution.

"The most important thing (to improve transportation) is political will...guts."

“How did this happen? Because we decided to be realistic, and had the courage to begin.”

-- Jaime Lerner, former Mayor of Curitiba, Brazil

In short, improving transportation requires having the guts to face reality and do what’s best.

Unfortunately, guts and reality have been lacking too often in our region’s transportation programs, which helps explain why we have the nation’s second worst congestion.

Facing the reality that I-66 is a regional corridor and having the guts to place regional needs above parochial politics.
Facing the reality that I-66 inside the Beltway is more congested eastbound than westbound and having the guts to build one new lane in each direction.

Facing the reality that I-66 outside the Beltway requires additional conventional and HOV/transit dedicated/separated lanes and having the guts to buy the necessary right-of-way.
Facing the reality that Bus Rapid Transit is a more practical and affordable option for the foreseeable future than a fixed rail extension and having the guts to implement BRT.

The Fairfax and Prince William Parkways, Metrorail, Route 28, the Dulles Greenway, Route 28, Virginia Railway Express, Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement and other major transportation achievements that have made Northern Virginia’s economy the envy of the nation didn’t “just happen.” Each was a realistic and sorely needed solution that took guts to achieve.

Better Transportation Doesn’t Just Happen.
It Takes Guts.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance is the only organization focused solely on making better transportation a reality for Northern Virginia citizens and businesses.