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The
Road to Ruin project has concluded. Here are the
articles published in conjunction with the
initiative:
Boxed
In
As
diving property values threaten its hard-won AAA
bond rating, Prince William County has put its
road-building program on hold. There appear to be
few options left for dealing with growth.
by
Peter Galuszka, December 14, 2007
Growth
Backlash
In
the big under-reported story of the November
elections, voters said loud and clear, "We're
sick and tired of growth, and we aren't going to
take it anymore."
by
Peter Galuszka, November 29, 2007
"Senator"
Thomas
Uber-lobbyist
Bill Thomas shepherds controversial bills through
the General Assembly for Virginia's biggest
corporations. Even critics credit him with
phenomenal powers.
by
Peter Galuszka, October 29, 2007
Making
Green from Green
The
Belvedere development in Albemarle County radiates
with ecological sensitivity. If successful, it
could provide a money-making template for future
green development in Virginia.
by
Robert L. Burke, October 17, 2007
The
Marine Highway
As
head of the Maritime Administration, Sean
Connaughton proposes fighting traffic congestion
by moving cargo from Interstates to waterways. The
James River could become a pilot project.
by
Peter Galuszka, October 3, 2007
The
Creature from Stumpy Lake
The
$2.5 billion Southeast Parkway will provide a
short-cut to the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
Critics say the mega-project will needlessly open
up fragile wetlands to development.
by
Peter Galuszka, August 30, 2007
Fizzled
Launch
Whoops.
The General Assembly created a transportation
authority for Hampton Roads and empowered it to
raise a lot of money. But the authority has no
organization, no staff. Road projects could be
delayed for months.
by
Peter Galuszka, August 14, 2007
Vanquishing
the Density Demon
There's
no reason that higher density has to mean worse
traffic congestion. In the face of population
growth and commercial development, Arlington
County has kept its streets gridlock-free.
by
James A. Bacon, August 13, 2007
Libraries
as Liberators
Libraries
of yore were quiet, musty places run by bookish
schoolmarms. Today these activity centers pack in
the visitors, create economic value and even help
transform human settlement patterns.
James
A. Bacon, July 30, 2007
Don't
Panic!
The
most momentous changes to Virginia land use law in
a generation are grinding their way through the
system. Local government reaction is somewhere
between nervous and alarmed.
by
Robert L. Burke, August 2, 2007
The
Next Transportation Crisis
The
federal highway trust fund has blown through its
cash balance, and gasoline tax receipts are down.
In the years ahead Virginia will be hard pressed
to make up the difference.
by
James A. Bacon, July 16, 2007
Coming
to an Interstate Near You
Congestion
pricing is coming to Northern Virginia, promising
to help with otherwise intractable traffic
problems.
by
Lyle Solla-Yates, July 16, 2007
Fire
Trucks and Bike Lanes. Wilton on the James has
solved the intractable "design by fire
truck" issue without sacrificing its
commitment to a pedestrian-oriented community. The
result: an impressive network of bike paths.
by
James A. Bacon, June 19, 2007
Relieving
Interstate 81
A
$2 billion upgrade to Norfolk Southern rail lines
would take one million trucks a year off U.S.
highways. The railroad wants Virginia to kick in
$40 million to help pay for it.
by
Peter Galuszka, June 19, 2007
Fighting
Corridor Torpor
Not
every transportation solution requires building
new roads. The Kaine administration thinks
"corridor management" can reinvigorate
traffic flow through major traffic arteries.
by
Peter Galuszka, May 21, 2007
Reinventing
the Motor Mile
U.S.
29 North of Charlottesville is one of the ugliest,
most congested thoroughfares in Virginia. But
local officials have an imaginative plan to
transform the corridor over the next 20 years.
by
Robert L. Burke, May 21, 2007
New
Kent Ferment
Pete
Johns has found a way to make growth to pay for
itself: Pay $7,500 per house in proffers, issue
$86 million in CDA bonds, and sell houses to
affluent retirees with no children in school.
by
James A. Bacon, May 14, 2007
Auto
Busters
Arlington
County's population is growing but traffic
congestion isn't. What makes the difference? Five
Metro stations, smart land use and control over
local streets and roads.
by
Robert L. Burke, April 16, 2007
Earthquake
The
land use reforms embedded in the 2007
transportation bill will send seismic shocks
through Virginia’s local governments and
development industry.
by
Peter Galuszka, April 7, 2007
Doing
It Their Way
Since
1932, Henrico County has been building and
maintaining its own roads. Local officials like
the arrangement, but it's not clear whether
driving conditions are any better as a result.
by
Peter Galuszka, March 20, 2007
SOLs
for Roads
Lawmakers
may clash over how much to raise taxes for state
roads, but they do agree that Virginia would
benefit from SOL-like performance measures for
transportation.
by
Peter Galuszka, February 21, 2007
ITS
Wits
Creative
thinkers in the Kaine administration are pushing a
budgetary amendment that would give Intelligent
Transportation Systems a $20 million boost.
by
Peter Galuszka, January 18, 2007
Time
to Grow Up
Virginia
can never solve its transportation crisis, says
Del. Clay Athey, until urbanizing counties start
acting like cities -- and looking a bit like them,
too.
by
Robert L. Burke, January 11, 2006
Design
by Fire Truck
Why
can't developers today create walkable communities
like the small towns of the 1920s? Go ask your
fire marshal.
by
James A. Bacon, December 18, 2006
Curse
of the "D" Word
Developer
Ted Smart wants to build a mixed-use community in
Stafford County around a VRE rail station. But
many residents, fearing density, are putting up
resistance.
by
R. L. Burke, December 13, 2006
Close
Shave
The
Pocahontas Parkway was nearly a financial debacle.
But the timely intervention of a company from Down
Under kept the public-private partnership from
going under.
by
Peter Galuszka, December 11, 2006
A
Riddle Wrapped in an Enigma
How
much will the Rail to Dulles project cost?
Probably a lot more than the $4 billion figure
commonly cited. But there are too many intangibles
to say for sure.
by
Peter Galuszka, Nov. 13, 2006
Focused
Growth
To
tame scattered development and the ills it
creates, Frederick County concentrates growth in
an Urban Development Area. The idea works so well
that House Republicans want to take it statewide.
by
James A. Bacon, November 6, 2006
Spotsy
on the Spot
Creating
transportation-efficient development in
Spotsylvania County is like turning around the
proverbial cruise ship. County leaders are doing
many of the right things but it will be years
before they see results.
by
Robert L. Burke, November 1, 2006
The
Devolution Solution
Any
meaningful transportation reform would make
fast-growth counties responsible for their
secondary roads. The trick is coaxing them into
going along.
by
James A. Bacon, October 23, 2006
Seventy-Five
Years
Virginia's
system for building and maintaining roads has
changed little in three quarters of a century.
Some people think it needs more money. Others
think it needs an overhaul.
by
James A. Bacon, October 9, 2006
Follow
the Money
Rail-to-Dulles
is the most expensive public works project in
Virginia history. To understand the maneuvering
over what gets built and who pays for it, start by
untangling the web of special interests.
by
Peter Galuszka, Sept. 29, 2006
Spotsy
Turvy
Spotsylvania
County will spend $144 million to expand its
secondary road network. But no one is reforming
the auto-intensive development that spurs demand
for roads in the first place.
Robert
Burke, September 8, 2006
Who's
in the Driver's Seat?
As
Gov. Kaine faces another bruising battle over
transportation policy with House Republicans, he
has yet to make key transportation appointments in
his own administration.
by
Peter Galuszka, August 29, 2006
Will
the Real Prince William County Please Stand Up?
Prince
William County has embraced a new approach to
managing growth – you just can’t tell yet
because the market is still working through the
backlog of traditional, sprawl-style development.
by
Peter Galuszka, August 16, 2006
Growth
that Pays for Itself
Greenvest's
proposed $1.3 billion development in Loudoun
County would contribute $1 billion toward roads,
schools and public facilities. A great deal for
the public? Not everyone thinks so.
by
James A. Bacon, August 7, 2006
Loudoun
Lightning Rod
VDOT
sparked a storm last week when it released a
traffic-impact analysis of development planned in
Loudoun County. Agree or disagree with the
findings, the debate is healthy.
by
James A. Bacon, July 24, 2006
Going
It Alone
Frustrated
with VDOT, Prince William County is financing its
own massive road-building program. Critics are
concerned that the money will not be well spent.
by
Peter Galuszka, July 19, 2006
CDAs,
TIFs and TDMs
Lawmakers
are overlooking a huge source of revenue to
underwrite new transportation projects -- the
increase in property values made possible by the
transportation improvements themselves.
by
James A. Bacon, July 10, 2006
The
Traffic Man Cometh
A
new law will require local governments and VDOT to
study the impact of rezoning projects on traffic
congestion. Fast-growing Loudoun County may be the
acid test of how well it works.
by
Peter Galuszka, June 27, 2006
Gas
Shock
The
rising price of gasoline is prompting major
re-thinking of Virginia's transportation policies.
Just ask Sen. Marty Williams, a conservative
Republican who now supports growth management.
by
Peter Galuszka, June 15, 2006
Cluster
Clash
By
making it easier for developers to
"cluster" housing developments, new
legislation should reduce costs and preserve open
space. But it's unclear whether the law's
purported transportation benefits will ever
materialize.
by
Robert L. Burke, June 1, 2006
Corroding
Corridors
Slowly,
almost invisibly, the addition of new
intersections and curb cuts diminishes the
carrying capacity of major traffic corridors. The
Kaine administration think Virginia can do better.
by
Peter Galuszka, May 11, 2006
Incentives
out of Joint
In
theory, the Washington region can grow by 200,000
more households yet reduce traffic congestion if
it shifts to transit-oriented development. Trouble
is, localities have little reason to cooperate.
by
Robert L. Burke, May 4, 2006
Tipping
Point
Northern
Virginia may have reached a tipping point.
Transit-oriented projects are becoming a major
force in the marketplace, displacing traditional,
auto-centric development.
By
Peter Galuszka, April 19, 2006
Giving
Credits Where Credits Are Due
Tax
credits for conservation easements are costing
state government $130 million a year. But
they’re also a cost-effective way to preserve
thousands of acres of land from development.
by
Peter Galuszka, April 7, 2006
A
Quiet Victory
Localities
are getting a new tool, Transfer Development
Rights, to protect open space and steer
development where they want it.
by
Bob Burke, March 31, 2006
About
Face
Gov.
Tim Kaine has backed away from the land-use
legislation he touted during the 2005 campaign.
By
Bob Burke, March 8, 2006
Thin
Gruel
The
General Assembly is addressing the land use-
transportation connection for the first time, but
the bills likely to pass won't have much impact.
by
Bob Burke, Feb. 17, 2006
Aroused
about Roundabouts
In
many locations, roundabouts can handle more
traffic than signal lights. They're safer and
cheaper to maintain. Why, some experts wonder,
isn't Virginia building more of them?
by
Bob Burke, February 10, 2006
Subdivision
Politics
Loudoun
County is the fastest-growing locality in
Virginia. The Smart Growth movement there combines
face-to-face contact with interactive- media
savvy.
by
Bob Burke, February 2, 2006
It's
the Location, Stupid
The
Smart Growth and New Urbanism movements share
similar critiques of suburban sprawl, but they
don't always agree on the solutions.
by
Bob Burke, Jan. 16, 2006
Stop
and START
The
Senate transportation task force, START, has
explored some interesting ideas but it is still
struggling to find consensus on a legislative
package for 2006.
By
Bob Burke, Dec. 19, 2005
Seeing
the (Traffic) Light
Synchronizing
traffic lights is an indispensable tool for coping
with traffic congestion. There are limits to what
it can accomplish, but the return on investment is
better than for most alternatives.
by
Bob Burke, December 13, 2005
The
Listening-and-Learning Tour
Local
citizens had plenty to say about traffic
congestion at a public hearing in Manassas that
Tim Kaine held Tuesday. But the Governor-elect
gave few clues as to how he plans to address their
concerns.
By
Bob Burke, November 30, 2005
Show
Me the Money
With
transportation funds tight, the Warner
administration is turning to public-private
partnerships to build new highways. But critics
worry that low-priority projects are moving to the
front of the line.
By
Bob Burke, Nov. 28, 2005
Running
START
In
its third meeting, the senate task force studying
transportation has picked up the pace. The
discussion wasn't all about taxes: Panelists dug
into into a wide range of issues such as transit
and land use.
By
Bob Burke, Nov. 19, 2005
Buckle
Your Seatbelts
It's
going to be a wild ride. Governor-elect Tim Kaine
will take transportation policy down a road
Virginia has never been before.
By
Bob Burke, Nov. 11, 2005
Traffic
Buster
Pulte
Home's challenge: Slash the number of auto trips
generated by the proposed MetroWest project in
Fairfax County. Success there will show how the
right kind of growth can make traffic congestion
better, not worse.
by
Bob Burke, Nov. 2, 2005
At
Last, a Spark at START
The
Senate commission studying Virginia's
transportation future heard a grab-bag of ideas
Thursday. But no big theme, or debate, has yet
emerged.
By
Bob Burke, October 20, 2005
Congestion
Pricing
Too
many drivers and not enough roads -- traffic
congestion is nature's way of telling us that we
need a pricing system to allocate scarce highway
capacity. VDOT is studying a plan to
demonstrate that radical idea in Hampton Roads.
By
Bob Burke, October 8, 2005
Slow
Start for START
The
first meeting of a senate statewide task force was
long on PowerPoint presentations and short on
debate.
By
Bob Burke, September 21, 2005
When
Good Highways Go Bad: There was a
justification for Route 288 -- a decade ago.
Today, Richmond's newest highway stands as a
monument to bureaucratic inertia and the power of
special interests.
by
Bob Burke, September 12, 2005
Blind
Spot: Local officials look to state government
to solve the transportation crisis, but show no
sign of changing their own policies that helped
create it.
by
Bob Burke, August 19, 2005
Street
Cars and Zoning Codes: Arlington County is
trying novel tools to revitalize Columbia Pike, an
aging traffic corridor.
by
Bob Burke, August 8, 2005
Albemarle
Place: Can a Giant New Development be Part of
Charlottesville's U.S. 29 Traffic Solution?
by
Bob Burke, July
20, 2005
Proposed
I-95 HOT Lanes A Mixed Bag: They'd Pay Their
Own Way but Inspire More Sprawl
by
Bob Burke, June
27, 2005
Richmond
Region Grapples with Transportation Solutions
by
Bob Burke
June
20, 2004
Speaker
Howell Urges Free-Market Solutions to State
Transportation Woes
by
Bob Burke
June
14, 2005
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