While I am despondent about the passage of the GOP transportation-financing package, there are shreds of consolation from the General Assembly, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has enumerated three of them in a Saturday press release touting his legislative successes. They are:
SB1181: Subdivision Streets
Patron: Martin E. Williams, R-Newport News
Strengthens standards for accepting subdivision streets into the state system by increasing connectivity standards for roads and subdivisions. Basic connectivity enhances the overall capacity and efficiency of the transportation network and reduces congestion on major arterials by providing alternative routes for local trips.
HB 2228, SB 1312: Access Management
Patrons: Del. Leo C. Wardrup, R-Virginia Beach, Sen. Charles B. Hawkins, R-Chatham
Promotes traffic flow and interconnectivity on the state’s road system, ensuring that new and existing roadways are not degraded by the creation of too many and poorly spaced intersections, turn lanes, median breaks, and other impediments.
HB2163, SB1144: Incident Management
Patrons: Del. Shannon R. Valentine, D-Lynchburg, Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach
Allows VDOT vehicles to participate in clearing cars and restoring traffic flow after an accident, improving response time.
Each of these bills is worthwhile, and each will make an incremental improvement to ameliorating traffic congestion. They constitute worthwhile first steps down the long road to land use reform. Let us hope, however, that lawmakers don’t declare victory and move on.
