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Motorists are shown passing the entrance |
Do they realize that the stretch of Interstate 95 from Springfield to Richmond is the thinnest part of the hourglass for the main north-south highway that serves at least
Many commuters think the HOT-lanes plan is over the top and somewhat foolish. Why completely redo the current lanes from the Pentagon to Dumfries?
Further, we envision clogged HOT lanes with vehicles whose drivers would write off HOT tolls as a business expense. This would only add to the current HOV congestion caused by the flyover ramp at Newington in the morning, the Dumfries merge in the evening, and the never-ending hybrid exemption.
The people who really need the "bailout" are the commuters below the current HOV merge south of Dumfries.
Most commuters will say that they wish for a diamond-lane HOV lane in each north-south direction, perhaps similar to diamond lanes in Tidewater that are clearly and frequently marked as HOV lanes and have plenty of signs to make non-HOV traffic aware.
A diamond lane in each direction could also help with the weekend I-95 backups that are now a fixture between Springfield and Massaponax in both directions.
I'm no engineer, but it seems to me that the cost of building a diamond lane in each direction would be far less than the extreme lane makeover they have been dangling in front of us for years now.
Heck, Arlington County has now filed suit to stop the planned nonsense.
Tim Fahey
Spotsylvania
