I-66 Expansion INSIDE the Beltway (Arlington, Reston: construction, quality of life, association)

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

This is the NoVA sub-forum, though, where "ME FIRST!!!" is the common sentiment. I learned this when I posted while living here in 2009 and 2010. Nobody makes any decision communally; it is all about promoting one's own self-interest and self-worth without any regard to the negative consequences such decisions may have upon others.

Who cares about diminishing the quality-of-life for those residing in Arlington as long as soccer moms from Loudoun County can shave five minutes off their commutes in their Honda Pilots?

I'm 100% aligned with the Arlington County Board of Supervisors for being opposed to freeway expansion throughout their jurisdiction. If people in the boonies don't like it then they can feel free to move closer to the urban core. If they need more square footage than what's available in Arlington's existing single-family housing stock at their price point, then they should have thought about if they'd have a sufficient income to raise children before, well, deciding to raise children. Why should Arlingtonians pay for everyone else's shortsightedness?

How is deciding everything in Arlington's favor and to heck with everyone else deciding things communally? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what communally means?

[car54]

Originally Posted by dkf747

How is deciding everything in Arlington's favor and to heck with everyone else deciding things communally? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what communally means?

I guess Arlington feels it must look out for it's own interests....because the folks commuting through from their faux stone and vinyl sided palaces out in Timbuktu sure as hell won't.

[Carlingtonian]

Here's my take as an Arlington homeowner:

Arlington did its part in the '70s by agreeing (after much negotiation) to allow I-66 to be built. Homes were razed, trees lost, all so a high-speed freeway could pipe people from farther out into DC. And by the way, we still don't get to drive on it in rush hour unless we are HOV or have that stupid hybrid exemption.

The agreement was that it wouldn't be widened, because people do live nearby, just on the other side of the sound wall.

The principle that demand alone should dictate what roads should be widened and by how much does not give the wants/needs of all citizens the same respect. Just as there may be demand for more lanes from those further out, there is demand right here not to have more pollution, noise, and congestion so near our homes. And because we're talking about our homes, we have more to lose.

Imagine if someone proposed allowing Dulles to fly 24 hours, at low takeoff/landing altitudes, over that entire area (Herndon, Ashburn, Centreville, Aldie, etc.)--because everyone else would find it convenient. Most people out there would rightly complain.

What if we wanted to build a new landfill right behind Brambleton? I can imagine the conniptions. But hey--the rest of the area would benefit by not having a landfill anywhere near us.

My point is that the quality of life for people's homes should trump greater convenience for others.

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Here's my take as an Arlington homeowner:

Arlington did its part in the '70s by agreeing (after much negotiation) to allow I-66 to be built. Homes were razed, trees lost, all so a high-speed freeway could pipe people from farther out into DC. And by the way, we still don't get to drive on it in rush hour unless we are HOV or have that stupid hybrid exemption.

The agreement was that it wouldn't be widened, because people do live nearby, just on the other side of the sound wall.

The principle that demand alone should dictate what roads should be widened and by how much does not give the wants/needs of all citizens the same respect. Just as there may be demand for more lanes from those further out, there is demand right here not to have more pollution, noise, and congestion so near our homes. And because we're talking about our homes, we have more to lose.

Imagine if someone proposed allowing Dulles to fly 24 hours, at low takeoff/landing altitudes, over that entire area (Herndon, Ashburn, Centreville, Aldie, etc.)--because everyone else would find it convenient. Most people out there would rightly complain.

What if we wanted to build a new landfill right behind Brambleton? I can imagine the conniptions. But hey--the rest of the area would benefit by not having a landfill anywhere near us.

My point is that the quality of life for people's homes should trump greater convenience for others.

Totally agree, and it is appalling that people think otherwise.

I have, however, berated my local leadership for not widening certain local 2-lane roads around me to allow for safe walking, and biking for LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD people. It does not take nearly as much easement to allow for that, though.

Let's leave major expansions and widening of roads in the 20th century, and come up with some new solutions to everything.

[gomason]

Arlingtonians can also drive on 66 during rush hour to Dulles like I did last week with only a single occupant. That would be a major PITA without 66.

66 has major benefits for Arlington. You can put your head in the sand and say otherwise if you please. To each their own.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by gomason

Arlingtonians can also drive on 66 during rush hour to Dulles like I did last week with only a single occupant. That would be a major PITA without 66.

Anyone can do that, via the Dulles Airport Access Road. Sure, we use 66 to get to that now, but it would have been easy to extend that access road to Washington Boulevard or Lee Highway. (I end up using 66 for maybe a mile before the airport turnoff.)

We're getting off topic, but I never said 66 has no benefit at all to Arlington. We do get into DC faster with 66 than on Route 50 or Lee Highway. Although without 66, there would be fewer drivers competing with us on those roads, because less housing would've been built in the exurbs. But even accepting that quicker DC access as a benefit, I think the negative effects for Arlington are probably more of an impact than the benefit of that marginally quicker access.

As to the question of widening it: That violates previous agreements and again sets a precedent that those of you farther out might not want. If the majority will should always prevail over local quality of life, then don't be surprised if you find your community eventually getting the short end of the stick.

[Zack]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Here's my take as an Arlington homeowner:

Arlington did its part in the '70s by agreeing (after much negotiation) to allow I-66 to be built. Homes were razed, trees lost, all so a high-speed freeway could pipe people from farther out into DC. And by the way, we still don't get to drive on it in rush hour unless we are HOV or have that stupid hybrid exemption.

The agreement was that it wouldn't be widened, because people do live nearby, just on the other side of the sound wall.

The principle that demand alone should dictate what roads should be widened and by how much does not give the wants/needs of all citizens the same respect. Just as there may be demand for more lanes from those further out, there is demand right here not to have more pollution, noise, and congestion so near our homes. And because we're talking about our homes, we have more to lose.

Imagine if someone proposed allowing Dulles to fly 24 hours, at low takeoff/landing altitudes, over that entire area (Herndon, Ashburn, Centreville, Aldie, etc.)--because everyone else would find it convenient. Most people out there would rightly complain.

What if we wanted to build a new landfill right behind Brambleton? I can imagine the conniptions. But hey--the rest of the area would benefit by not having a landfill anywhere near us.

My point is that the quality of life for people's homes should trump greater convenience for others.

My take as an Arlington homeowner is that it's 2015, not 1970. The footprint of I-66 has already been razed, so adding a third lane in that corridor, which easily fits without taking more homes, is a good idea to add additional capacity. Arlington residents benefit as they get easier access to the Tysons and Dulles corridor.

To reduce pollution, make the lanes HOT and free-flowing which will greatly reduce pollution vice cars sitting in place spewing emissions.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by Zack

My take as an Arlington homeowner is that it's 2015, not 1970.

So promises and agreements are null and void when some length of time you decide has elapsed? OK....

Originally Posted by Zack

The footprint of I-66 has already been razed, so adding a third lane in that corridor, which easily fits without taking more homes, is a good idea to add additional capacity.

It's going to add pollution and noise. Arlington has already endured "spot widening" of 66. If you want a faster route into DC, maybe you can get McLean to support widening of Route 123.

As to taking homes: They just took a chunk of several people's backyards on the north side of 66 westbound (Falls Church), right before the turnoff for the branch that leads to the DTR and the Beltway.

Originally Posted by Zack

Arlington residents benefit as they get easier access to the Tysons and Dulles corridor.

What makes you think we want or need any easier access? It's easy to get to those places already from Arlington--via 66 or Old Dominion.

Originally Posted by Zack

To reduce pollution, make the lanes HOT and free-flowing which will greatly reduce pollution [versus] cars sitting in place spewing emissions.

Or just don't widen the already widened freeway yet again. Besides, traffic moves quite well on 66 through Arlington most of the time.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

It's going to add pollution and noise. Arlington has already endured "spot widening" of 66. If you want a faster route into DC, maybe you can get McLean to support widening of Route 123.

I agreed with what you said about Route 66 in Arlington, but the primary bottleneck getting into downtown DC from 123 is in Arlington as you approach Chain Bridge, and then on Canal Road, not in McLean. Are people in Arlington advocating to widen 123 there? Other bottlenecks on 123 can be found in Vienna, where 123 becomes the main commercial thoroughfare (Maple Avenue), as well as in downtown Fairfax.

Traffic actually flows fairly well on 123 in McLean once you're east of Tysons, because there's little commercial development directly off the road. In that regard, it's more like some of the Arlington roads (think of stretches of Route 50 in Arlington) than a typical Fairfax highway (think of stretches of Route 50 in Falls Church and Fairfax).

[Zack]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

So promises and agreements are null and void when some length of time you decide has elapsed? OK....



It's going to add pollution and noise. Arlington has already endured "spot widening" of 66. If you want a faster route into DC, maybe you can get McLean to support widening of Route 123.

As to taking homes: They just took a chunk of several people's backyards on the north side of 66 westbound (Falls Church), right before the turnoff for the branch that leads to the DTR and the Beltway.



What makes you think we want or need any easier access? It's easy to get to those places already from Arlington--via 66 or Old Dominion.



Or just don't widen the already widened freeway yet again. Besides, traffic moves quite well on 66 through Arlington most of the time.

Arlington is not party to that agreement (the USDOT and VDOT are) and even the Arlington Board has stated publicly they can't stop widening of I-66. Agreements are revised all the time and this would be no different as conditions change in 40 years.

The spot widening of I-66 has been done entirely within the State's right of way. Not a single owner's property has been taken and they are adding in sound barriers that weren't there before, which should reduce the noise.

I don't think widening 123 in Mclean would do much, since you'd spend a bunch on taking property and most the slowdowns are due to lights along the route. However, I would actually support fixing US-50 through Falls Church as an alternate route to I-66, but that road is a mess with all the strip malls along it. That problem is totally on Fairfax County as the Arlington portion of US-50 flows quite well.

As an Arlington resident, I would like easier access to Tysons and Dulles as I do quite a bit of business that way and use the airport frequently for long distance flights. I don't care to sit in 30 minute backups and crowding up 2 lane roads such as Old Dominion is not good for those who live along that road; particularly when the I-66 right of way has plenty of room in it to absorb more traffic and buses.