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Date published: 2/3/2009
UNFORTUNATELY, Nevertheless, there is a process, and one of the foundations of that process is the creation of a regional 20-year transportation plan. For more than a year the elected officials and professional staffs of the city of Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline counties have been working with the transportation planners at the George Washington Regional Commission to create the 2035 long-range transportation plan. This is a detailed, comprehensive catalog of all possible funding sources for the next 20 years, and a listing of the most beneficial transportation projects that can be completed with these potential funds. First, let me compliment the effort and talent that went into this document. Our elected and professional representatives worked long and hard to find every conceivable dollar, and to classify every proposed project as to its cost and benefit. Each project was rated according to dozens of criteria, from safety and congestion relief to environmental impact. After countless hours of meetings and calculations, and numerous public By the year 2035, after this almost $2 billion is spent on improvements to our regional transportation network, the majority of our major highways will operate at a level of service of a D or an The obvious conclusion is that we cannot--absolutely, inarguably cannot--build our way out of the transportation congestion in the Fredericksburg area. If we keep doing what we're doing traffic is going to get worse, not better.
I have been talking and writing to politicians etc. about the light rail options for solving our commuting woes. I have had some interesting conversations with a FAMPO board member on the same subject. I have written letters to the editor on the subject. I will admit, I do not feel there is a lot of political interest in light rail; some pols would rather lease our transpo lanes to foreign firms. I re-read your article and I really don't see the delineation between short and long term you feel you made.
Me, a community leader? Thanks. The OP-ED clearly differentiated between short term and long term solutions, and the focus was on what people could do NOW to make things better. Light rail is definately a long term solution, and I mention that the forum will discuss what's on tap for the future. I'm volunteering my time and energy to work with local and state officials to come up with a comprehensive transportation plan. What are you doing, Gramps?
Mr. Howson had my rapt attention. Was he on to something here? Unfortunately, he loses me in the last four paragraphs. His proposals are a "re-hash" of old, existing solutions. These solutions have not, to date, achieved results worthy of any high expectation. There is no new innovative thinking here. For instance, where is the consideration, or even mention, of lightweight rail rapid transit? After all, we are talking about a 20 year plan! Alas, another community leader with no foresight.
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