Virginia is launching a new study of transportation problems in the Washington suburbs and beyond.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will begin analyzing commuter traffic patterns and develop a comprehensive plan for alleviating congestion in the area around the key employment centers outside Washington, D.C., Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Monday.
The study, dubbed “Super NoVa,” will include traffic moving from the Shenandoah Valley in the west, to Culpeper and Carolina counties in the south and the eastern Northern Neck, and consider commuters from Maryland, West Virginia and D.C. It will ignore jurisdictional boundaries.
“To truly address congestion in Northern Virginia, we have to take a broader view of what constitutes the region and the commuting patterns of its workforce,” McDonnell said. “We must develop a geographically broader vision and plan for transit and (transportation demand managements) that do not stop at local or state political borders.”
The goal is to increase mobility and choices for commuters across the area, while keeping in mind future developments. The state will work with local governments, transit providers and other stakeholders.
