Bacon's Rebellion

BACK TO KILGORE’S WORDS

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by

James A. Bacon
in

The 4 March post on Kilgore’s words (“Blow Right Over” – Isn’t That…) has become swamped by irrelevancies and non-sequiturs but the importance of discussing these words has not diminished.

Kilgore’s quote comes from an interview with Times Community Newspapers editors and reporters. If one reads the story, Kilgore is saying if elected he would support the “Techway” not one of the other two Potomac crossings that the Road Gang supports. Many of the posts in the last thread addressed these corridors.

The Eastern Bypass in theory relieves congestion on I-95 from South of Fredericksburg to North of Baltimore. VDOT and MDOT studies show a roadway in this location would not meet this goal. Scattered urban land-use would generate traffic in eastern Virginia, southern Maryland and in the DelMarVa Urban Support Region that would swamp the new roadway. As is the case with I-81, moving freight to rail (plus an Auto-Train that would carry cars and RVs from North of the Susquehanna to Florida) would be far more efficient.

The Western Bypass (aka, Western Transportation Corridor) would carry traffic from North of Fredericksburg to I-70 in Maryland. In theory this would serve Washington-Dulles Airport and the “fast growing” urban agglomerations west of VA Route 28 in Virginia and cross the Potomac to connect with I-70. Again the data does not support this roadway for the same reasons.

The Techway is a different roadway. It is a Potomac river bridge and access roads to get folks who live in Maryland and want to work in the northern part of Virginia or fly out of Dulles from the I-270 corridor to the Dulles Toll Road/Greenway corridor. For yet a third time, the numbers do not support the idea. Frank Wolf who sponsored a study of the Techway found out how strongly citizens felt and dropped it like a hot potato.

For 30 years Maryland (at the state, county and community levels) has been adamantly opposed to any and all of these roadways. Given the leanings of the current Governor, he may support one or more until he reads the pole results and considers the impact of voter views on his next election. That reversal is just what has happened land week to the Western Transportation Corridor in Loudoun County. Even the Build Everywhere board elected in 2003 can not ignore the lack of support.

Some roadway improvements in all three of these corridors may be needed. On the other hand PRT or some other technology may be better. It is very clear that Balanced Communities both inside and outside the Clear Edge will greatly reduce the demand for any new infrastructure.

What is the solution here? It is to have region-wide agreement on a future settlement pattern and on a mobility system to provide mobility. That means Balanced Communities. Sorry there is no alternative regardless of the length of filibusters and the number of non-sequiturs. For another view on this see Roger Lewis’ column in the Saturday TWP Real Estate section. The solution is not a badly informed comment by Kilgore which was our original post.

We will address some of the overarching issues in our next two columns including an easy to apply definition of Geographic Illiteracy.

EMR

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  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Here is a quote from a regional planning agency based on a search for balanced communities. they conclude that new housing will come from the rural areas.

    “High demand urban areas

    Vibrant economies in urban areas such as Trafford, Stockport or north Sefton are driving up demand for housing, leading to increasing concerns about housing affordability. Their attractiveness as places to live has meant that house prices have been driven higher. The contrasts between these sections of the housing market and lower demand, lower cost areas relatively short distances away are acute. The Board view progress toward an urban renaissance in the housing market renewal Pathfinder areas and elsewhere as vital in achieving a long term solution to the pressures these areas face. However, this does not address the immediate issues of social exclusion apparent in high demand urban areas, where (as in the rural areas) high levels of Right to Buy sales are restricting access to social rented housing and high land values make new affordable development difficult to achieve.

    Rural affordability

    Rural communities (including many market towns) face a range of challenges, including the push to diversify local economies away from their traditional dependence upon agriculture and tourism. Particularly in more scenic areas or those accessible to urban centres, rural housing markets are under pressure from long distance migration, often at retirement, or from demand for second and holiday homes. With property values being driven up by higher income households from outside the local economy, the lower income levels common to most rural areas makes owner-occupation a distant prospect for many local households (especially newly-forming households). Homelessness is an increasing concern. …… The outcome is a position which can threaten the viability of local services and the economy more generally, as the labour force finds itself priced out of the local housing market.

    In setting out its own investment strategy, the Regional Housing Board’s priorities for the use of the single housing pot will be:

    SHP Priority 3. Investing to help provide additional affordable housing where the long term balance of mixed communities is being undermined, as part of broader rural renaissance strategies. Available evidence suggests that this includes:

    3.1 The Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and surrounding parts of South Lakeland, Eden and Allerdale; and
    3.2 Other rural communities across the region.”

    Ray Hyde
    Delaplane, VA

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