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Grid of streets - everyone agrees the grid is needed. While Fairfax County's funding plan for transportation is not final, it is generally expected the landowners will pay for the grid of streets, either though direct profffers or by Road Club funds (to construct the grid where development has not occurred.) Finalizing plans for the grid of streets is a key goal of the three CTIAs. That will also include transit, bike and pedestrian components.

FC DOT is using the following Measures of Effectiveness (MOE)•Level of Service and Delay at Intersections; •Vehicles Mile Travel; •Hours of Delay; •Average Speed; •Travel Time; and •Queue Length.

FC DOT is using the following methodology to address increased traffic, in tiers: 1.No right of way impact (traffic reassignment, signal modification, lane restriping); 2.Some right of way impact (turn lanes, additional through lane, additional grid link); and 3.Additional mitigation (i.e., big stuff).

The County has broken down the Table 7 projects by year based on expected levels of development. Of course, as the pace of development changes, so will the infrastructure development. In sum, much the grid of streets is scheduled for completion by 2030. So are: Widen VA 123 to 8 lanes from Rt. 7 to I-495"; "Widen VA 123 from 4 to 6 lanes between Rt. 7 and Old Courthouse Road"; and "Widen Rt 7 from 4 to 6lanes between I-495 and the City of Falls Church," among others.

The pace of development and the growth in traffic will certainly have an effect on these projects. If more people live and work in Tysons or we hit another recession, the road widenings might be deferred. If the economy booms, the widenings might be accelerated. But just as the grid of streets will be built to accommodate urban growth at Tysons, so too will the road widening projects occur. Fairfax County has firmly concluded that all Table 7 projects are necessary to accommodate growth at Tysons. I cannot foresee anything that could change this conclusion. Affect timing and cause tweaks here and there, absolutely. But eliminate an item on Table 7, absolutely not.

by tmtfairfax on Jun 26, 2012 3:42 pm • link • report