Too Many Construction Projects at One Time!!!!!! (Arlington, Alexandria: neighborhood, income)

[pgtvatitans]

This madness in NoVA has to stop. I understand that there are projects that need to be completed, but it is ridiculous that every where you go, there is some type of construction going on. I mean in the past few weeks I've seen construction on I-95, I-495 near Alexandria and near Fairfax and now they are even doing work at night on Route 1 in Crystal City. Is it really necessary that all these of these projects have been be done at the exact same time? It's just make traffic worse and worse.

[persnicketygal]

Add to that night paving on Little River Tpke. It's a looong stretch -- but I can't understand why they can't completely finish one portion at a time. A portion I'd define as, say, from the 395 entrance/exit ramps to the Salvation Army bldng, perhaps? At the turn-lane points, from the highway ramps all the way down to John Marr (perhaps farther down), there's still the "ridge" in the center that you have to go over (or go "down" from, depending on which direction you're headed). I'm sure the engineers have their reasoning, but I'd like to know!

But even wondering about that, I'm glad it's night work. Connecticut used to do a lot of night work (maybe still does). I know the state paid a lot more for that, and I always wondered why night work was sporadic around here. Until the bridge project and the Tysons Metro work.

[Ben 'n Jen]

I counted 17 dump trucks between Lorton and PWC Pkwy yesterday afternoon. Ridonculous!

[spencgr]

If you look at the county and state plans for transportation projects, they are not all getting done at once. There are hundreds that need to be done, and they are actually scattered over time.

It's amazing to me. We b**ch about not enough roads and better quality roads; yet when improvements are being made we b**ch about the disruption to our lives. Only in America, I suppose.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by spencgr

If you look at the county and state plans for transportation projects, they are not all getting done at once. There are hundreds that need to be done, and they are actually scattered over time.

It's amazing to me. We b**ch about not enough roads and better quality roads; yet when improvements are being made we b**ch about the disruption to our lives. Only in America, I suppose.

My mom was recently visiting; she lives in an industrial suburb of Atlanta that was it hard by the recession. Her comment on seeing all the construction (not just roads and Metro, but housing): "Wow, that's a lot of jobs." And income for heavy equipment rental, etc. We are fortunate to live in an area that can still afford infrastructure projects.

[snowdenscold]

Makes you long for those days in Northern Virginia when all was peaceful and there was no construction going on. You know - circa 1450 AD.

[saganista]

Heck, in 1450, it seemed like there was some new Indian settlement going up at every bend in the river. Trees being felled, lodges being built, new trails into existing hunting grounds being opened. Finally had to go to war over that last sort of stuff...

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by spencgr

If you look at the county and state plans for transportation projects, they are not all getting done at once. There are hundreds that need to be done, and they are actually scattered over time.

It's amazing to me. We b**ch about not enough roads and better quality roads; yet when improvements are being made we b**ch about the disruption to our lives. Only in America, I suppose.

It seems like some of the roads aren't that old (like the FFX County Parkway) but start falling apart prematurely. Also, they've been paving neighborhood streets here in W. Springfield (around the Orange Hunt neighborhood) that I didn't think needed paving, but other roads like Hooes pretty much shake my car apart.

I'm not sure which streets are county vs. state maintained. Are they easy to find on transportation project plans?

[saganista]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

I'm not sure which streets are county vs. state maintained.

Virtually all roads roads in Fairfax County are maintained by the state (VDOT). The exceptions are those within incorporated cities and towns, although those often maintain their secondary roads only.

[Virginia Prime]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

It seems like some of the roads aren't that old (like the FFX County Parkway) but start falling apart prematurely. Also, they've been paving neighborhood streets here in W. Springfield (around the Orange Hunt neighborhood) that I didn't think needed paving, but other roads like Hooes pretty much shake my car apart.

I'm not sure which streets are county vs. state maintained. Are they easy to find on transportation project plans?

In Virginia all the roads except non-limited access highways in independent cities and some incorporated towns, as well as in Arlington and Henrico Counties are state-maintained. It's a unique situation that dates from the Depression era.

The reason why Virginia recently changed the route number on the Fairfax County Parkway was to make it eligible for more Federal assistance. It was originally classified as a secondary road (7100). Now it's a primary route (286). That's part of the reason it's getting paved (FINALLY) this summer.