Gordon Chaffin is a freelance journalist who focuses on infrastructure and traffic news and insights for Street Justice. You can support independent journalism by subscribing to Gordon’s StreetJustice newsletter: He’s offering a 20% discount to THIH readers. See more information below. –Maria Helena Carey
The Basics on Virginia DOT’s Commuter Choice Programs
Virginia’s Department of Transportation is doing a lot to change I-66, widening in places, lengthening express (i.e. toll) lanes further out from the DC core, updating gridlocked junctions, and adding transit services. Northern Virginia transportation groups, thanks in part to that new toll revenue, are expanding transit services via Commuter Choice grants. That Commuter Choice program just announced this year’s new crop of approved grantees. This model — directing some toll revenue to increase transit services — is being used also on I-95/395. [Full Story]
Parking Problems at DC’s Wharf
In the 50 days since Memorial Day, The Wharf has tweeted on 17 days that their parking garage is full. The Wharf has tweeted their garage is full on 11 of 19 weekend days, including Fridays and Independence Day, so far this summer. The destination neighborhood on the Potomac’s Washington Channel, three months short of two years old, is attracting car traffic levels and inducing driver behavior that harms safety. Not only are more private cars arriving seeking parking than projected, but UberLyft pick-up/drop-offs are snarling The Wharf’s two main entrances. [Full Story]
Summer No-Shows at DC’s ANCs
At Thursday’s ANC 4D meeting, only three of six Commissioners showed up — one short of a quorum. Because ANC 4D couldn’t take official action, the body was not able to endorse a zoning adjustment. Developers, who showed up to the meeting with documents request by 4D, were unhappy. The Board of Zoning Adjustment has a hearing on the application July 31st and 4D’s next meeting is mid-September. [Full Story]
Vienna Testing Uncharted Legal Waters
On Monday night — well, Tuesday morning at 2 AM — Vienna’s Town Council voted to instruct the town’s Planning Commission to negotiate with a developer on a modified proposal. The project is a mixed-use, 4-story housing and retail building at 374-380 Maple Avenue. It followed a three-year process of public and planning engagement, was approved by the Vienna Town Council on June 17th after being approved previously by the Planning Commission. Perhaps the most important issue to consider here is whether Vienna can even modify previous development approval. The move rests on a single legal precedent that might not hold up. [Full Story]
I-66 Widening to Begin in Falls Church
On July 10th, VDOT held an open house at Yorktown High School in North Arlington. As part of Transform 66, the agency is expanding I-66 from two to three lanes east of the current merge point at the Dulles Toll Road interchange. This covers four miles on the eastward side of 66, to Exit 71 (Fairfax Drive), and includes Falls Church. Why expand? The project website says that “adding another travel lane to this portion of eastbound I-66 helps address a choke point that snarls traffic during morning rush hour, evenings, and weekends.” [Full Story]
This is a daily newsletter produced by Gordon Chaffin, a journalist in Washington DC. I cover transportation & urban planning in DC, MD, & VA to explain what’s happening in the street and why. Reports delivered every weekday afternoon for paid subscribers and Sunday mornings for free subscribers. Sign up for free. Please support my local journalism with $5/mo or $50/yr. The Hill is Home readers can subscribe to Street Justice for a 20% discount.