Northern Virginia Business Organizations Urge Strategic Regional Approach to Transportation Network

A Strong Economy, Regional Security and High Quality of Life Require a Robust and Well-Connected Regional Transportation Framework

McLean, VA, Jan 12, 2016 – The Northern Virginia Transportation Coalition today announced the adoption of a resolution signed by twenty major business and industry organizations that urges regional transportation investments be based on five criteria and identifies nine projects it believes represent the investments of greatest regional benefit.

The Coalition believes that achieving the best solutions to our transportation challenges requires a big picture perspective – regionally as well as statewide. The focus of our region’s transportation planning should be on the investment of regional, state, federal, and private sector transportation dollars on highway, transit improvements, and intelligent transportation systems that will:

• Move the greatest number of people throughout the region;
• Reduce congestion and travel time between major regional employment centers and communities;
• Increase reliability of the network region-wide while producing the best long-term return on investment;
• Promote regional economic development and growth; and
• Enhance regional security.

Investments in our regional transportation network should be made on the basis of these criteria, not political boundaries. Transportation needs are not proportional by jurisdiction.

“The fact that our region has the nation’s worst traffic congestion and an economy more dependent upon daily inter-jurisdictional and inter-state travel than any other major metropolitan area makes it essential that regional transportation priorities be based on investments likely to do the most to reduce congestion and improve travel times,” said David Birtwistle, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance (the Alliance).  The Alliance is a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Coalition.

The Coalition also coalesced around a list of nine projects of major regional significance including construction of a new northern Potomac River crossing, improved Metro maintenance, operations, safety and rail fleet, widening of I-66 outside and inside the beltway and establishment of a regional express bus network.  The Coalition takes the position that while not the only transportation investments needed, these projects will do the most to improve regional mobility. The preponderance of regional and state resources should be invested in these projects and their implementation and advancement should be the standard against which regional transportation progress is measured.

Read the entire Northern Virginia Business Transportation Coalition 2016 priorities resolution here.

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About the Northern Virginia Transportation Coalition: The Northern Virginia Transportation Coalition is a consortium of chambers of commerce, business and industry groups that share a common belief that greater investment in regional transportation infrastructure is essential to Northern Virginia’s, and the greater metropolitan Washington area’s future economic competitiveness and quality of life. For over a decade, the Coalition worked to secure new state and regional transportation funding.  The Coalition’s top priority is now to ensure the wise investment of funds made available by the Virginia General Assembly’s 2013 passage of HB2313 and previously existing transportation dollars.