It’s time to Upgrade the Capital Beltway
The Virginia Department of Transportation has taken the next step in its study to improve the Southside of the Capital Beltway – identifying a recommended preferred alternative.
The proposal would add two new Express Lanes from Springfield across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to MD 210, maintain the same number of free lanes, and invest in significant transit, bike, and pedestrian upgrades along the corridor.
This truly multimodal project will help everyone who lives, works, and travels this segment of the Beltway including free and toll lane drivers, carpoolers, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
VDOT has also committed to preserving capacity for future Metrorail across the Wilson bridge, investing in express bus service NOW to build demand for rail, and making new bike and pedestrian connections. And as this process moves forward, additional transit investments will be identified with input from local leaders.
On the other hand, if we do nothing, travel times in this corridor will double in the next twenty-five years. That makes it harder for everyone in our region to access jobs and opportunities.
At a time when our region’s economy is struggling, our neighbors are losing livelihoods, and regional budgets are coming up short, this project would secure billions of dollars in multimodal transportation investments – without raising taxes or pulling regional resources from other projects and priorities.
Furthermore, there is currently no public money in Virginia or Maryland for a different project. While Maryland raised taxes and fees to add $500 million in new transportation funding this year, all of that money is already committed to other projects and communities.
Currently the only options are to move forward with Express Lanes – including major bike, pedestrian, and transit upgrades – or do nothing for the next 30 years while traffic gets worse.
It’s time for our region’s elected leaders to act and upgrade the Southside of the Capital Beltway. Click the link below and complete the form to contact your leaders today.