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1994 SESSION

LD7030410
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 256
House Amendments in [ ] -- February 7, 1994
Directing the Virginia Department of Transportation to study the U. S. Route 1 corridor in Fairfax County.
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Patrons--Puller; Senator: Gartlan
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Referred to Committee on Roads and Internal Navigation
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WHEREAS, U.S. Route 1 is the prime north-south highway serving a substantial portion of interstate, commuter, and local traffic in Fairfax County between the Prince William County line and the Alexandria City boundary, and is the only direct alternative or emergency diversion route for Interstate Route 95; and

WHEREAS, U.S. Route 1 is continually impacted by industrial, commercial, and residential growth that creates conditions detrimental to providing an effective or efficient transportation facility; and, therefore is fraught with congestion, poor access, limited serviceability, and safety problems; and

WHEREAS, continued growth in the corridor will increase the ineffectiveness of the facility, lead to further endangerment of the traveling public, degeneration of socio-economic vitality, and eventual deterioration of the corridor's potential revenue-producing capacity; and

WHEREAS, several items, occurring or planned, will continue that scenario including (i) development in the Belmont Bay area (Prince William County) of over 140 acres with a potential of almost 2,000 residential units, and an excess of three million square feet of non-residential use including some 500 condominiums or hotel units; (ii) expansion of Fort Belvoir's scope and mission in accordance with the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC), increasing the work force, dependent housing, personal and personnel services for active and retired government employees in the region, thereby increasing the demands on the already strained transportation infrastructure; (iii) development of the Engineer Proving Grounds (EPG), an 840-acre tract in a unique government and private enterprise partnership, with potential for many square feet of commercial and office and approximately 4,000 residential units at buildout; (iv) completion of the Fairfax County Parkway (VA 7100) from I-95 to U.S. Route 1, providing direct connection of the U.S. Government-related operations and services at the EPG and the service-oriented facilities at Fort Belvoir; and (v) reconstruction or replacement of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and improvements to the I-95 (Capital Beltway) at the northern terminus of U.S. Route 1 in Fairfax County; and

WHEREAS, the capability of U.S. Route 1 to act as an efficient transportation corridor is directly related to the ability of the region to present viable business and housing opportunities to potential developers, ensuring a continuing and stable revenue base; and

WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act and its Amendments (CAAA), and the State Implementation Plan (SIP) legislate specific criteria for emissions reductions, especially in an identified non-attainment area, directing a Corridor Study and Alternatives Analysis of any transportation improvement projects; and

WHEREAS, U.S. Route 1 is included in the National Highway System (NHS) of the International Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), it is not included in the Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) category, pending a study of its existing and proposed capabilities; and

WHEREAS, a complete and comprehensive study has never been carried out for the entire U.S. Route 1 corridor in Fairfax County; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) be requested to study the U.S. Route 1 corridor in Fairfax County [ from the and ] Prince William County [ line to the Alexandria City limits ] . VDOT is requested to pursue every avenue for funding availability through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization. The study should be modeled after the "Beltway Study" and provide a series of immediate near-term and long-term recommendations; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the study be conducted using the citizen input and participation model of the I-95/395/495 Interchange and Woodrow Wilson Bridge studies; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Department complete its study in time to present its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the [ 1995 1996 ] Session of the General Assembly in compliance with the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.