Toll Opponents File Petition

Hampton Roads

"It wasn't the tolls per se that violated the state's constitution, but the profit they will generate for a private company.

That's the gist of the argument that opponents of the Midtown Tunnel project are using to try to get the Supreme Court of Virginia to take another look at their case.

The plaintiffs filed a petition for a rehearing on Tuesday, less than four weeks after the Supreme Court unanimously issued a ruling that cleared the way for tolling of the Midtown and Downtown tunnels to begin Feb. 1. They cannot appeal the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court because there is no federal issue in play."

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~Writes David Forster from the Virginia Pilot

Funding for Silver Line in Loudon County

Loudoun County

"Loudoun's Board of Supervisors in the months ahead must decide whether to pursue a federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to help contain costs associated with Metro's Silver Line extension into Loudoun County."

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Board to decide in 2014 on Metro funding, parking garages

Loudoun County

“Loudoun's Board of Supervisors in the months ahead must decide whether to pursue a federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to help contain costs associated with Metro's Silver Line extension into Loudoun County. If the county moves ahead with seeking the federal dollars, it will have to include the cost of constructing parking garages in its overall share of the Silver Line project's tab.”

~Writes Trevor Baratko of the Loudoun Times

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Residents Updated on Stafford Project

Stafford County

“A Boswells Corner intersection project will eat up land from a half-dozen property owners around the intersection of U.S. 1 and Telegraph Road, according to details displayed at Thursday night’s meeting in North Stafford… Work is slated to start in the spring of 2014 and could be finished by the fall. The intersection is notorious for backups and accidents, especially since the Base Realignment and Closure, which has caused an increase in traffic in the area and at the nearby Marine Corps Base Quantico.”

~Writes Scott Shenk of the Free Lance Star

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Roanoke County

“While the City of Roanoke has been proactive in bike-friendliness (a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community), Roanoke County has lagged behind. Though incorporating bike-ped has been VDOT policy since 2004, the county was not necessarily onboard. (Is this a familiar story?) Well, no more. Two county supervisors who are also on the MPO board brought the bike-ped case to the county board, which unanimously agreed to, and passed, a bike-ped integration policy. Kudos to the Roanoke County supervisors for their vision and leadership.”

~Writes Virginia Bicycling Federation

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Work Begins on Corridor Study of Bike Route 76

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

"U.S. Bicycle Route 76, also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route, is a National Bike Route that spans from the Midwest to eastern Virginia. Along this path, the route passes through five of the localities in our region - Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson. As part of its FY14 Rural Transportation Program, the TJPDC staff will conduct a Corridor Study of the Route 76 segments within our region. The intent of this work ultimately is to increase safety, access and awareness of the bike route. The Rural Technical Committee has conducted a scoping meeting for this project to help guide the process and deliverables.

TJPDC staff included the Route 76 project in its FY13 Rural Transportation Work Program, but was unable to begin work because of the large volume of rural projects. The Rural Technical Committee and Commission carried over this project to the FY14 Work Program, intending it to be a high priority project. The original project scope included three main elements:

1.    An inventory of existing conditions;

2.    A promotional campaign to provide route information and online resources; and,

3.    Recommendations for roadway improvements that would increase bike safety."

~TJPDC News Brief

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Work Begins on Corridor Study of Bike Route 76

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

"U.S. Bicycle Route 76, also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route, is a National Bike Route that spans from the Midwest to eastern Virginia. Along this path, the route passes through five of the localities in our region - Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson. As part of its FY14 Rural Transportation Program, the TJPDC staff will conduct a Corridor Study of the Route 76 segments within our region. The intent of this work ultimately is to increase safety, access and awareness of the bike route. The Rural Technical Committee has conducted a scoping meeting for this project to help guide the process and deliverables.

TJPDC staff included the Route 76 project in its FY13 Rural Transportation Work Program, but was unable to begin work because of the large volume of rural projects. The Rural Technical Committee and Commission carried over this project to the FY14 Work Program, intending it to be a high priority project. The original project scope included three main elements:

1.    An inventory of existing conditions;

2.    A promotional campaign to provide route information and online resources; and,

3.    Recommendations for roadway improvements that would increase bike safety."

~TJPDC News Brief

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Charlottesville Seeks Safe Routes to School Grant for Jackson-Via Elementary

City of Charlottesville

“Charlottesville is seeking state funds to make it safer for pedestrians around one neighborhood school.  The city is applying for a $250,000 Virginia Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Grant for Jackson-Via Elementary. The proposed project would fill in gaps in sidewalks along Harris Road, install more visible crosswalks, and create a trail system to connect the school to the Belmont and Ridge Street neighborhoods.”

~Reports nbc29

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Sidewalk Project in Arlington County

Arlington County
Sidewalk Project
"Construction is on the way to the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Glebe Road. The Arlington County Board is expected to approve easement acquisitions to the northwest and southwest corners of the intersection at its meeting Saturday, which will allow the county to widen sidewalks and install bus shelters at the intersection." 
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Cost of Halting Western Bypass a $50-Million Question

Albemarle County

“For Albemarle County’s incoming supervisors, it’s the $50-million question. That group could help pull the plug on the long-debated Western Bypass of U.S. 29, but at what cost? So far, more than $50 million in state and federal money has been invested in the project, and the state could demand that money back, said Sarah Rhodes, the program coordinator for the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization. But where that money might come from, or whether the state would even make the demand, is still unclear, Rhodes said.”

~Writes J. Reynolds Hutchins of the Daily Progress

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