No VRE Service Today, Memorial Day, May 31

In observance of Memorial Day, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will not operate service today, Monday, May 31. Regular service will resume tomorrow, Tuesday, June 1.

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Remember Virginia's “Move Over” and “Move It” Laws This Holiday Weekend

Memorial Day holiday travelers are reminded that Virginia has two laws to keep vehicles moving safely and smoothly around traffic incidents. These are the “Move Over” and “Move It” laws.

Virginia’s 'Move Over' Law

The “Move Over” law states that when approaching a stationary vehicle displaying flashing, blinking or alternating blue, red or amber light or lights, drivers must yield the right of way by changing lanes into a lane not adjacent to the stationary vehicle.

If changing lanes would be unreasonable or unsafe, drivers should proceed with due caution past the vehicle and maintain a safe speed for highway conditions.

A single violation of the “Move Over” law is punishable as a traffic infraction. Subsequent violations may be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Virginia’s 'Move It' Law

If you’re in a fender bender with no injuries and you can move your vehicle, move it from the travel lanes – it’s the law.

When you leave your vehicle on the road after a crash, you add to traffic backups, which then may cause other more serious crashes in terms of property damage and personal injury.

If you are in a crash, check first for injuries. If anyone is injured, call 9-1-1 immediately. If no one is injured and traffic is blocked, move the vehicles, when possible, to the nearest safe location, then call 9-1-1.

VDOT and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office asks motorists to take the Highway Safety Challenge by doing the following while on the road:

• Buckle up (a recent state survey shows that more than 80 percent of Virginians use their seat belts)
• Avoid distractions/No texting while driving – it’s the law!
• Share the road
• Drive drug- and alcohol-free
• Obey speed limits

Finally, while planning your holiday trip, remember to call 511 or visit www.511virginia.org for the latest traffic and travel information throughout Virginia.

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Interstate 95/395 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes This Weekend

If you're planning to travel the Interstate 95/395 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes this weekend, be aware of the following:

• The I-95/I-395 HOV lanes will run southbound from noon Friday, May 28, until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 29.
• The HOV lanes will run northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, May 29, until 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 1.
• The I-95/395 HOV lanes will be closed from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 30, for the Rolling Thunder rally.
• No HOV restrictions on Monday, May 31.

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VDOT Lifts Lane Restrictions for Memorial Day Weekend Travel

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has lifted lane restrictions on interstates, primary routes and other major highways in preparation for Memorial Day holiday weekend travel.

“While this weekend historically marks the start of the busy summer travel season, the traveling public should be assured that public safety is VDOT’s primary focus,” said Greg Whirley, acting VDOT commissioner. “Employees assigned to critical operations and emergency response will be on duty and prepared to respond, if necessary.”

In addition, VDOT will open travel lanes temporarily closed because of construction or maintenance work beginning at noon tomorrow Friday, May 28, through noon Tuesday, June 1, for holiday travelers.

Construction zones with concrete barriers and orange barrels will remain in place.

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Virginia State Police Step Up Patrols and Click It or Ticket Enforcement Over the Coming Holiday Weekend

Those traveling this holiday weekend can expect to see more Virginia State Police on the roadways statewide as part of the annual Operation C.A.R.E. traffic enforcement campaign (Word document).

The Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) is a state-sponsored, national program designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by speeding, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints. As a participating agency, State Police will increase its visibility and traffic enforcement efforts throughout the Commonwealth beginning tomorrow, Friday, May 28, at 12:01 a.m. and continuing through midnight, Monday, May 31.

In addition to Operation C.A.R.E., the Virginia State Police is also continuing its active participation in the nationwide Click It or Ticket educational and enforcement effort. The traffic safety project, which runs May 24 through June 6, is aimed at increasing seat belt use in Virginia and ultimately saving lives.

Last year during the holiday weekend, Virginia State Police troopers statewide cited 1,019 seat belt violations. Another 347 summonses were issued for children not being properly secured in either a child safety seat or booster seat.

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Ashburn Residents Hear Good News About Road Plans

From the Leesburg Today is an article about an Ashburn Village town meeting about the Countywide Transportation Plan.

"Many Ashburn residents are breathing a little easier after Tuesday night's town hall meeting in Ashburn Village about plans for roads on the Countywide Transportation Plan. The Ashburn Village Homeowner's Association board convened the town hall session, inviting residents from Ashburn Farm and other area neighborhoods to hear from county transportation staff and supervisors about Ashburn roads that were being planned for six lanes, an idea that caused concern for residents."

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Close Call Prompts Loudoun Sheriff’s Office to Remind Motorists of Move Over/Slow Down Law

A Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office cruiser was struck by a passing motorist Tuesday night while a deputy was conducting a traffic stop on Route 28. Fortunately no one was injured in the crash. As a result of the incident, however, the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash, a 16-year-old female from Springfield, Va., was charged with failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

The incident has prompted the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office to take the time to remind motorists of the Move-Over/Slow Down Law.

Section § 46.2-921.1 of the Code of Virginia requires drivers to move-over one lane, if possible, whenever an emergency vehicle on the side of the road displays emergency lights. And, if traffic is too congested to move-over safely, the law requires drivers to simply slow down, below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop.

Virginia implemented the Move Over/Slow Down law in 2002. In Virginia, the law is a Class 1 misdemeanor. By not following the law, you face possible jail time, and a $2500 fine.

Unfortunately, many motorists are unfamiliar with the law and are unaware that each time an officer makes a traffic stop, it’s one of the gravest dangers law enforcement can face on the road today. More than 150 U.S. law enforcement officers have been killed since 1999 after being struck by vehicles along America's highways.

When you see an emergency vehicle on the side of the road with its emergency lights on, slow down, change lanes and save lives.

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Regional Transportation Award to Member of Loudoun County's Office of Transportation Services

Judy Galen, Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services, has received a regional transportation award from the Dulles Area Transportation Association (DATA).

The DATA Awards recognize “outstanding contributions to mobility solutions and transportation demand management in Northern Virginia” and were presented on May 20 as part of DATA's 24th anniversary and awards celebration.

According to a Loudoun County press release, Galen was recognized as a 2010 Outstanding Northern Virginia Transportation Demand Management Partner.

The award citation noted her “outstanding and ongoing dedication to helping mitigate congestion, safeguard the environment, and improve the commute for all of Northern Virginia.” She was also recognized for her commitment to reducing single-occupancy vehicle commuting.

As an Employer Outreach Specialist, Galen helps local businesses develop successful workplace commuting programs.

DATA is a transportation management association that identifies transportation needs; advocates steps to meet those needs; and provides a forum for members and other concerned parties to be informed of opportunities and participate in timely actions that will bring about a more effective transportation system.

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Video: VDOT Seeks Volunteers to Cut Grass Alongside Roadways

It's a story we've reported on before, but last night, WJLA TV-7 reported on the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) plan to have volunteers cut grass alongside state roadways. Watch the TV-7 story below.



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Northern Virginia Public Meeting Tomorrow Night on Virginia's Six-Year Transportation Plan

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has posted the Working Draft Fiscal Years 2011-2016 Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) for public review in advance of four public hearings to solicit public comments about essential rail, transit, transportation demand management, bicycle, pedestrian and highway projects. The SYIP is now available at www.VirginiaDOT.org and www.drpt.virginia.gov for review. (VDOT news release)

The $7.7 billion Working Draft SYIP proposes $5.6 billion for highway construction and $2.1 billion for rail and public transportation, focusing on four main principles:

• Funding deficits on projects under way
• Maximizing the use of federal funds
• Funding projects already under way and those with new phases starting in fiscal year 2011
• Funding deficient bridges and pavements

The SYIP also programs $103 million in federal funding held in reserve in the previously adopted program due to uncertainty in transportation funding at the federal level. Releasing this reserve:

• Provides partial funding for three stimulus contingency projects:
• I-66 paving in the Northern Virginia District
• I-581 improvements at Elm Avenue in the Salem District
• Route 50 Courthouse Road improvements in the Northern Virginia District
• Partially funds VDOT project development costs on the Midtown Tunnel public-private partnership project in Hampton Roads
• Provides funding for the Route 164 Median Rail project in Hampton Roads administered by the Virginia Port Authority
• Provides special program funding (enhancement program, congestion mitigation and air quality funding and regional surface transportation program projects)

A public meeting for Northern Virginia will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, May 26, at the Fairfax City Hall, 10455 Armstrong Street in Fairfax. An elected officials’ open house begins at 6 p.m. followed by the public meeting at 7 p.m.

If you can't make the meeting, written comments may be submitted via mail or e-mail until June 11, 2010 to: the Public Information Office, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, 600 E. Main St., Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219. E-mail: drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov.

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Click it or Ticket Campaign Started Today

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that while seat belt use is at a record high 84 percent nationwide, 45 million Americans are still not buckling up when riding in motor vehicles. In an effort to increase belt use and save lives, the Secretary today kicked off Click It or Ticket, a national enforcement mobilization that encourages all motorists to wear their seat belts – day and night. Drivers caught not wearing their seat belt run the risk of being ticketed.

"We've made great strides to get Americans to buckle up, but we must not rest on our laurels," said Secretary LaHood. "Not wearing your seat belt is a serious, life-threatening practice. If you are one of the 45 million Americans who won't buckle up, our Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization will be looking for you."

On any given day about 38 people who are not buckled-up are killed in motor vehicle crashes, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2008 alone, nearly 14,000 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants lost their lives on U.S. roadways. Nearly half of them could have been saved if they had been belted. Click here to view map.

NHTSA statistics also show that those least likely to buckle-up are teens; young adults; males; nighttime riders; motorists traveling on rural roads; and individuals traveling in pick-up trucks. Click here to view statistics.

"Regular seat belt use is the single best way to protect yourself and your family in motor vehicle crashes," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "Wearing your seat belt costs you nothing. But the cost for not wearing one certainly will. Don't risk your life, or getting a ticket. Please remember to buckle up day and night – every trip, every time."

The "Click It or Ticket" campaign is set to run from May 24 through June 6.

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Route 28 Corridor Initiative Public Stakeholder Workshop This Morning at 8:30 a.m.

Don't forget today's Route 28 Corridor Initiative Public Stakeholder Workshop at 8:30 a.m. at Claude Moore Park, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane in Sterling.

The Route 28 corridor is a major economic and transportation gateway into Loudoun County. Route 28 also is the county’s most heavily travelled roadway and is a vital link for regional traffic, and traffic to the Washington Dulles International Airport.

For more information about Loudoun County's Route 28 corridor-related initiatives and activities, contact the Loudoun County Planning Department at 703-777-0246 or dop@loudoun.gov.

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Celebrate Bike Month... Get Out and Ride!

Hot off the heels of yesterday's "Bike to Work Day," we thought we'd remind Loudoun County Traffic readers that the month of May is Bike Month!

So in case you didn't ride to work yesterday, we encourage you to get out on your favorite two, three wheel or even four wheeled bike and enjoy this great weather.

Here are some suggestions for ways to celebrate:

• Teach someone how to bike safely.
• Take time to learn Virginia's bike law.
• Get friends together to ride to a coffee shop or to a museum.
• Buy a new, more visible bike light that will help keep you safe.
• Give your bike a check up. Use the ABC Check Method.
• Donate a used bike to a community group.

More information is available at BikeWalk Virginia, a statewide nonprofit organization that promotes biking and walking for health, environmental, and economic benefits.

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2010-2012 Virginia Map Features 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s new official state map is being released just in time to assist travelers with their Memorial Day and summer travel plans. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) collaborated with the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) and the National Park Service to develop the 2010-2012 state map.

According to a VDOT press release, the new map features the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway and encourages travelers to visit the many attractions along the parkway and across the commonwealth.

“The new Commonwealth of Virginia state map is a valuable traveler resource and an open invitation to visit the natural beauty and incredibly diverse attractions we have to offer in Virginia,” said Sean T. Connaughton, secretary of transportation. “From the Blue Ridge Mountains to Virginia Beach, Virginia offers both historic sites and fun-filled entertainment for visitors of all ages.”

The 2010-2012 state map underwent an extensive formatting conversion that represents the first major overhaul of the map software since 1995. This includes improved user-friendly fonts and detailed shaded relief to display enhanced elevation. More than 140 cartographic changes – including newly completed or widened highways – were added this year.

This year, 2.5 million maps were printed and are available at Virginia’s state welcome centers and by request at safety rest areas. State maps are also available at VDOT offices across the state. The state map and other VDOT maps also can be ordered or printed from VDOT’s website.

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Route 50 Now Open

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office reports that Route 50 is now open in both directions after a two vehicle crash closed the roadway between Route 15 and Watson Road earlier this afternoon.

Loudoun County's Bike to Work Day a Success

According to Loudoun County officials, about 445 cyclists stopped by the two pit stops along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, in Leesburg and Sterling today, hosted by the Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services as part of Bike to Work Day 2010.   
 
The county's Office of Transportation Services coordinated today's annual Bike to Work Day in cooperation with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. The annual event promotes bicycling as a clean, healthy commuting choice.

Congrats to all of Loudoun's bikers. And don't forget... Loudoun County Traffic would love to have pictures from today's Bike to Work Day. If you any pictures you'd like to share -- riding, at one of the pit stops, etc. -- e-mail to us and we'll publish! Be sure to give us some details about who is in the picture, where it was taken, etc.

Route 50 Near Howsers Branch Drive Closed Due to a Crash

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office reports that Route 50 is closed in both directions due to a serious crash in the area of Howsers Branch Drive. The roadway is currently closed between Watson Road and Gilbert's Corner Route 15). Motorists are advised to expect delays in this area.

For real-time traffic incident information please visit www.loudoun.gov/traffic or via your web browsing cell phone at www.loudoun.gov/mobile traffic.

If You're Going to Use Metrorail This Weekend, Expect Lengthy Delays

Trains will share one track on the Red, Orange and Green lines

Metrorail riders can expect lengthy delays of up to 30 minutes this weekend (May 21-23) as old track components are replaced on the Red, Orange and Green lines, causing inbound and outbound trains to take turns sharing one track on portions of the rail system.

Customers planning to take the Red, Orange or Green lines to area events this weekend should add up to 30 minutes to their travel times. The Washington Nationals play at Nationals Park today, Saturday and Sunday, and the DC 101 Chili Cook Off is at RFK Stadium on Saturday.

More details online at Metro.

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VDOT Provides Biking Safety and Commuting Tips for Tomorrow's Bike to Work Day

This week is National Bike to Work Week, and as the culminating event, commuters are encouraged to leave their cars at home and bike to work tomorrow, Friday, May 21.

Events are being organized around the state as part of the celebration to remind commuters about the various transportation choices available in Virginia.

Biking safety and commuting tips are available on VDOT’s Web site. Among the things bikers and drivers should be aware of:

• Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as vehicles.
• Vehicles must pass with at least two feet clearance from bicyclists and at safe speeds.
• Bicyclists may ride in the center of the travel lane under certain circumstances.

For more on Bike to Work Day, visit the Washington Area Bicyclist Association website.

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Citizens Seek More Affordable, Sustainable and Effective Loudoun County Transportation Plan

Loudoun County residents hire own transportation consultant for second opinion

Citizens for a Countywide Transportation Plan (CCTP), a coalition of residents from across Loudoun County, has been raising a number of concerns about the cost, scale, impact and effectiveness of the draft Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP). Using contributions from community members they hired Smart Mobility, Inc, a transportation consulting firm, to review the draft CTP and have just released the consultant's initial findings to the County Board of Supervisors and staff.

"We have a number of technical professionals in our coalition who perceive significant problems with the draft transportation plan, including the high price-tag $1.6 to $2 billion, large highway expansions through communities, and failure to evaluate alternatives," said Steve Hines, spokesperson for CCTP. "We decided we needed an independent professional review of the draft plan and the modeling analysis used to create it. That review has confirmed our concerns.

"In our view, a $1.6 to $2 billion wish list of large road projects isn't a real plan if we could never afford it, and we can't," said Karen Ficker, Ashburn. "Any corporate CEO would take one look at an unaffordable proposal like this and at the failure to look at alternatives, and would tell the staff to try again."

The Citizens CTP suggests advanced solutions for traffic choke points while preserving community character and setting the stage for the kind of economic development Loudoun needs. It's a pro-business residents' perspective that serves the community and calls into question who is served by the County's current draft.

Key findings of the Smart Mobility report from the coalition's perspective:

• The transportation model used is not up to the state of the art in multimodal planning. It has structural flaws and is not calibrated to Federal Highway Administration standards, leading to many flawed strategies.
• The model overestimates future car trips, resulting in road projects, road widths and priorities detrimental to Loudoun residents:
• North-south or circumferential travel is 33% too high resulting in too many of those roads
• External trips into and through the county are overestimated and do not account for rising energy prices
• The level of service focus leads to road widening through neighborhoods, instead of addressing intersection bottlenecks which can be managed through other neighborhood-friendly techniques

The full report is posted online (http://sites.google.com/site/loudounctp/smart-mobility-study) and includes an up-front summary of the technical findings.

Read the complete press release from the Citizens for a Countywide Transportation Plan.

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Dulles Greenway "Drive for Charity" is Today

Don't forget today is the day for the Dulles Greenway's "Drive for Charity." All you have to do is drive on the Dulles Greenway and 100 percent of the tolls will be returned to the community. That's right... All tolls collected today (Thursday, May 20) on the Dulles Greenway will be donated to local charities.

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U.N. and International Officials Launch Global Effort to End Distracted Driving

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and senior representatives from the United States and Russia appeared at the United Nations headquarters in New York today to launch a global effort to address the growing and deadly epidemic of distracted driving. Secretary Ban was joined for the announcement by U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin and Jennifer Smith, President of FocusDriven, a victims’ advocacy organization based in the U.S.

With approximately 600 million passenger cars on the road today and 4.6 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide, drivers talking and texting behind the wheel is becoming a growing public safety threat. Distracted drivers are about four times as likely to be involved in a crash as those who are focused on driving, and drivers who are texting are more than 20 times more likely to crash than non-distracted drivers. In 2008, nearly 6,000 people were killed and more than half a million were injured in crashes involving distracted driving in the U.S. alone.

Today, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a directive to more than 40,000 United Nations staff, barring employees from texting behind the wheel while driving U.N.-owned vehicles. Similarly, President Obama signed an Executive Order last fall prohibiting nearly 4 million U.S. government employees from texting while operating government-owned cell phones, vehicles or while on official business.

The rapid increase in cell phone use around the world threatens to exacerbate an already worsening traffic fatality rate worldwide. Today, road crashes claim 1.3 million lives each year, the equivalent of one death every 30 seconds. By 2030, the World Health Organization projects that traffic crashes will climb from the ninth to the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. The vast majority of road crashes result from preventable driver behavior.

The global anti-distracted driving effort launched today also has an active online component that will allow other countries, safety organizations, and anti-distraction campaigns to share news and research as well as multimedia and other information. Facebook users can find out more about the campaign as well as other anti-distraction groups and events by visiting www.facebook.com/gcedd, the Global Call to End Distracted Driving Facebook page. The U.S. Department of Transportation also hosts an official U.S. government website to devoted anti-distraction news and information at, www.distraction.gov.

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Greater Greater Washington Says Loudoun County is Blindly Pushing Massive, Senseless Road Widenings

Did you see the article on Greater Greater Washington by David Alpert about Loudoun County's transportation plan?

According to the article, "Loudoun County is pushing a plan to widen huge numbers of roads across the county, but residents are fighting back."

"The plan is something right out of Robert Moses' 1950s designs: Draw bigger and wider roads everywhere, at even spacing, and design completely around the needs of cars to the exclusion of people.

"My grandparents used to live in South Florida (like so many others), where the entire landscape is filled with a grid of six-lane highways surrounding country clubs and housing subdivisions.

"It's not a pleasant urban form, and is certainly not walkable or bikeable. It's not what Loudoun should aspire to look like."

Read the complete article on Greater Greater Washington.


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This Friday for "Bike to Work Day" Metro Encourages Riders to Bike to Metrobus, Metrorail

Metro encourages bicyclists to ride their bikes and take Metrobus or Metrorail to work on “Bike to Work Day,” this Friday, May 21. The event is sponsored by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and promotes bicycling as a clean, fun and healthy way to get to work.

Bicyclists who ride to a Metrobus stop and take the bus to work can secure their bikes on racks on the front of any bus. Information on how to use the racks is available at www.wmata.com/getting_around/bike_ride/bikes_bus.cfm.

Many Metrorail stations have facilities for bicycle storage so bicyclists can ride their bicycle to a station, leave it there, and take Metrorail or Metrobus. Storage facilities include free racks or lockers for rent, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Metro currently has about 1,600 bicycle racks and an additional 1,300 lockers spread throughout the Metrorail system at most of the 86 Metrorail stations. Bicycles are welcome in the Metrorail system anytime except during weekday rush hours, from 7 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information about Metro’s Bike ‘N Ride Program, visit http://www.wmata.com/getting_around/bike_ride.

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VDOT Offers Opportunities for Volunteers to Help Maintain Virginia’s Roadsides

With spring upon us, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) maintenance crews and contractors are kicking off spring maintenance activities — removing litter, mowing grass, pruning trees and cutting brush along roads throughout the commonwealth. VDOT has developed mowing priorities and schedules for all state-maintained roads, beginning late April and continuing through October.

This year’s roadside maintenance schedule remains similar to the one adopted in 2009, when mowing cycles on most routes were reduced, extending the length of time between repeated mowing in areas where sight distance and motorist safety were not issues.

In response to calls from citizens asking for permission to provide additional mowing and maintenance activities along Virginia’s primary and secondary highways, VDOT is expanding its program to allow volunteers to assume responsibility for roadside maintenance.

The Adopt-A-Highway program has recently been expanded to encourage a new “volunteer mowing” alternative for interested citizens, civic groups and businesses.  VDOT will continue to accept volunteers to assist in maintaining low-volume primary and secondary roads through its Adopt-a-Highway program.

For details about becoming an Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, and for more information on how VDOT maintains state roadsides, visit www.virginiadot.org.

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Belmont Ridge Road Closed in Both Directions Between Truro Parish Road and Cochrans Lock Drive

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is reporting that Route 659 (Belmont Ridge Road) is closed in both directions between Truro Parish Road and Cochrans Lock Drive due to a single vehicle crash. For real-time traffic incident information from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at www.loudoun.gov/traffic or via your web browsing cell phone at www.loudoun.gov/mobiletraffic.

More on Distracted Driving

WJLA TV-7's "On Your Side" looks at distracted driving in the fight to keep teens safe behind the wheel.



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Loudoun County's Countywide Transportation Plan Remains in the News

More media coverage about Loudoun County's Countywide Transportation Plan.

From today's Leesburg Today:

"If last week's Board of Supervisors' committee meeting is any indication, the debate over the proposed changes to the Countywide Transportation Plan will be heated, as supervisors passionately defended their positions, and challenged each other on what the plan should look like and whether the county was approaching it in the right way.

"During the May 12 Transportation/Land Use Committee meeting seven members of the Board of Supervisors were present, but there was no agreement on whether the CTP should be seen as the "30,000-foot view" of transportation, or should deal with specifics, like money available for road construction, approved development and allowed land use."

And from today's Loudoun Times:

"A group of residents is asking Loudoun supervisors to revise the county’s transportation plan before approving it, saying the blueprint is too costly and is not calibrated to federal standards.

"Citizens for a Countywide Transportation Plan, known as CCTP, a group that formed in March to provide alternative ideas, has produced its own proposal on how to fix the area’s road congestion problems.

"The group commissioned a transportation consulting firm to review the county’s plan. Vermont-based Smart Mobility Inc. found that the Countywide Transportation Plan is fundamentally flawed"

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