The Alexandria City Council is opposinga high-occupancy toll lane project on Interstate 95/395, following resistance from residents who arefightingthe project.
Alexandria residents have argued that, rather than relieving congestion in the crowded I-95/395 corridor, the HOT lanes ultimately would add cars and increase pollution in the surrounding areas.
“In certain instances, private-public partnerships have added value, but not in this case,” said Heather Rogers, co-chairwoman of the Parkfairfax HOT Lanes Task Force. “Northern Virginia represents 42 percent of the tax base in the entire state, and should have a say in how money allocated to transportation is spent, especially what works best for moving people living in the region. Clearly this project does not. The council’s vote sends a strong message that Alexandria citizens, and most importantly taxpayers, oppose this project.”
The city is the third jurisdiction in the region to express concerns about the proposed project. Arlington County filed a lawsuit against the commonwealth and the federal government in August, arguing that the project was improperly allowed to proceed without a full environmental review.
While the council has formally opposed the project, the city has no plans to join Arlington’s lawsuit at this point, said city attorney James Banks.
Though Prince William County has declined to join Arlington’s lawsuit, Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large, said the county still has concerns about the lanes and that he plans to work with the new governor on the issue.
“I’m delighted that Alexandria has joined the fray,” Stewart said. “Prince William County has opposed HOT lanes for a long time.”
Neighboring Fairfax County formally supported the project last month.
The project, a public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and the joint Fluor-TransUrban, was put on hold this summer because of lack of funding. It would allow vehicles carrying one or two people to pay a fee to drive in HOV lanes, which normally would be reserved for three-person occupancy vehicles, buses and motorcycles.
The Alexandria council voted 6-0 to approve the resolution opposing the toll lanes, with Democratic council member Paul Smedberg absent.
