October 30, 2001 - The Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation (ACST) called for a calm, rational response to terrorist attack evacuation plans instead of assuming a need to widen Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway. The group was responding to Gov. Jim Gilmore's request for $130 million in emergency federal funds to add lanes to I-66.

"Like all our transportation decisions, we need to make emergency plans by considering the whole system instead of cobbling together projects that sound nice but may not make sense," said ACST President Miriam Rollin, of Arlington. "There are many ideas out there, and asking to devote emergency funds to a specific project without looking at all needs and all alternatives is very premature."

Rollin said the answer could be as simple as switching inbound lanes to outbound in an evacuation-one of many ideas state officials are considering. "In our response to terrorism, we should apply a lesson learned from past transportation planning failures-the first solution that comes to mind isn't always the best one," she said. "The I-66 corridor inside the Beltway is unique in that 60% of morning inbound trips are on Metrorail and most of the rest are in high-occupancy vehicles. Adding lanes to I-66 is not an effective way to get these car-less commuters home, even when Metrorail isn't operating."

"The Governor shouldn't throw pet projects into the emergency funding pot while the Commonwealth is still formulating a response plan," she added. "It looks too much like opportunism, and Congress will notice."

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin a planning study of adding lanes to Interstate 66 inside the Beltway this fall. Facing increasing concerns over air pollution, traffic congestion, scarce transportation resources, and other burdens, the Virginia General Assembly and the Transportation Coordinating Council of Northern Virginia both directed VDOT to consider alternatives such as reverse-HOV during peak travel hours and design changes to improve traffic flow in its study.

The study must also investigate negative impacts of adding lanes to the highway such as increased air and noise pollution, reduced Metrorail expansion opportunities, and the social and economic impact on nearby communities, and it must comply fully with applicable federal planning laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). State Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington) sponsored the Virginia General Assembly resolution (SJR 411) requiring a broader study.

"VDOT's study must now evaluate all reasonable alternatives instead of just assuming that new lanes are the only solution," said Rollin. "Thanks to Sen. Whipple and the Arlington County Board, we can focus in on the best, most cost-effective, longest-lasting, and least disruptive solutions to traffic congestion, and that should apply to emergency evacuation as well."

At its monthly meeting October 14, ACST presented awards of appreciation to Senator Whipple and Arlington County Board Vice-Chairman Chris Zimmerman (D) for their leadership in the I-66 controversy.

The Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation (ACST) is a grassroots citizens group formed to ensure that I-66 is not changed unless the changes are part of a comprehensive regional plan and are made with community consensus. Inside the Beltway, I-66 runs through Arlington County and around the City of Falls Church.

"Considering alternatives to adding lanes is especially important when transportation dollars are so scarce," added Rollin. "Widening I-66 inside the Beltway hasn't made the cut in a single regional transportation plan, and those plans already face an enormous shortage of funds. There's an orderly, democratic process for prioritizing transportation projects, and there is no reason I-66 shouldn't go through that process. And it's especially important to have a good, solid plan for responding to terrorist attacks when lives are at stake."

Complete information on the controversy and links to planning documents are available at the ACST website, www.acstnet.org.