Arlington will drop its controversial lawsuit challenging high-occupancy toll lanes now that the Virginia Department of Transportation has abandoned plans to install the lanes on Interstate 395.
The county’s lawsuit drew fierce criticism for naming several current and former transportation officials in a claim that the civil rights of people living near the highway would be violated by the lanes. That could have made the officials personally liable for any damages. County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman maintained that the lawsuit only meant to challenge a decision to exempt the HOT lanes project from an environmental impact study.
Arlington state representatives released a statement last week urging the county to drop the lawsuit, and added that “certain elements of the suit may have damaged Arlington’s reputation as a fair-minded community.”
