NoVA wins again (Reston, Leesburg, Winchester: foreclosure, leasing, condos)

[normie]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Well let's just leave at that, then. I presented to you my own evidence that I've traversed the main surface drags of North Arlington (i.e. Wilson Boulevard, Fairfax Drive, Glebe Road, etc.) on several occasions on different days (including weekdays) and have also traversed the main surface drags of Reston (i.e. Reston Parkway, Baron Cameron Avenue, Wiehle Avenue, etc.) on different days (including weekdays). The most congested intersection, overall, I've come across in Arlington has been the intersection of Glebe & Fairfax in Ballston. Arlington has 3.5 times the population of Reston and a much higher density, but it also appears to have less traffic congestion (I'm not talking about those on I-66 who use Arlington as a "cut-through" en route between the outer 'burbs and DC). This just proves my argument that increasing density and focusing more efforts on developing more transit-oriented neighborhoods will reduce traffic congestion in the long-run, but if some of you would prefer to say they disagree, then let them do their own analysis.

LOL, nothing like saying "let's just leave it at that" and then going on for another 15 lines of text! Just teasing RR if you want to believe Arlington is less congested than Reston be my guest.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by normie

I'm not sure who or what you're talking about.

You will find people on this sub forum who oppose development in western Loudoun, but the area where the employers are moving in (and also where they are being sought) is in the eastern quadrant, and as far as I know nobody on his sub forum has been against that. Western Loudoun has restrictions against most developments. Thus, corporate developments are confined to the eastern half of Loudoun (with Leesburg as the dividing point). BTW, it is geologically unsound to do much development north of Leesburg (plus it is a historic area) so that area is a moot point.

Perhaps people outside of Loudoun do not understand the difference in zoning between eastern and western Loudoun? that's my best guess.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

It's a bloody shame we continue to shoot our transportation woes in the foot by encouraging more and more decentralization of employment centers from dense transit-oriented nuclei such as Crystal City or Rosslyn in favor of gelatinous car-dependent 'burbs like Reston. I just walked today from the Washington Plaza Hotel in the District to West Falls Church via Arlington, and this county is so well-planned that there were barely any cars on the roads wheras Reston, with a fraction of the population, always has congestion.

To those of you saying how much "cheaper" it is in Loudoun, I hope you don't mind spending MORE of your tax dollars to widen roads, extend Metro, etc. out there as well to accommodate an influx of workers. Also, Leesburg becoming a major employment center would KILL the rural tranquility of the Route 7 Corridor between Leesburg and Winchester.

Why must the battle cry of Northern Virginia always be "Viva la Sprawl?" I can say the same thing for Nortrhop Grumman's short-sighted decision to relocate its headquarters to a car-dependent part of Fairfax Couny over a highly transit-serviced part of Arlington. You people whine about the gridlock here, but then you also encourage more sprawl and then won't be willing to pay higher taxes to subsidize solutions to make that sprawl more manageable. I really don't understand this place.

So, Arlington has more people, but many fewer cars than Reston? Any idea why that would be? Or any proof that is that way?

Most people would be willing to pay for more roads IF they were guaranteed that their increase in taxes would actually go to pay for more roads.

[FairfaxGuy73]

Originally Posted by Denton56

So, Arlington has more people, but many fewer cars than Reston? Any idea why that would be? Or any proof that is that way?

Most people would be willing to pay for more roads IF they were guaranteed that their increase in taxes would actually go to pay for more roads.

I can answer that. Arlington has lived in deep fear of being paved over. They don't want more roads. Anyone who commutes into DC is aware that you lose a lane on I-66 when you hit Arlington. This is because they made an agreement for fewer lanes when it was first put in. (I think that VDOT is finally breaking the agreement now and may be adding a lane.)

Most areas force businesses to have a certain amount of parking spaces. Arlington does that, but in reverse. They don't allow many parking spots to be available in certain areas. This is remedied by the availability of the Metro, which they want to encourage.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by FairfaxGuy73

(I think that VDOT is finally breaking the agreement now and may be adding a lane.)

Technically, they're just extending a merge lane to the next exit, but you're description works well.

[NOVAmtneer82]

Originally Posted by dkf747

Technically, they're just extending a merge lane to the next exit, but you're description works well.

VDOT is adding a deceleration/merge lane within the existing right-of-way..it's not like they are instantly making the road a 12 lane highway. As someone that actually lives in north Arlington, I can't thank them enough for that. It shouldn't take me 40 minutes to get 7 miles from Clarendon to Tysons in the morning because of one annoying bottleneck at 66 and Fairfax Drive.You would think many Arlington residents who were around when that "agreement" with VDOT was made (few and far between now) would want extra capacity on I-66. Maybe it would end the whining about all of the "cut-through" traffic on Lee Highway, Route 50, and various other streets.

And several posters have also said that the traffic problems on I-66 are the direct result of commuters from the outer burbs trying to get into DC..that isn't an entirely accurate statement. There are A LOT of people in Arlington and DC who "cut-through" neighborhoods further out in the burbs to get to our jobs in Tysons, Fairfax Reston, Herndon, Dulles, etc. It might seem convenient but you can't blame everything on people that live outside the Beltway.

[stpickrell]

I thought the agreement was "we'll widen to four lanes each way at a later date." VDOT is NOT, I repeat NOT, building anything that wasn't in the master plan when I-66 was rolled out.

Either folks will go in/out on I-66 or they'll go in/out on 29, 50, Washington Boulevard, Wilson, etc. I guess Arlington residents want cut-through traffic more than a wider I-66.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by stpickrell

VDOT is NOT, I repeat NOT, building anything that wasn't in the master plan when I-66 was rolled out.

It's easy to make the false assumption that if something does not magically appear right away, it's due to "bad city planning." The truth is lots of things are planned but don't happen (or don't happen for many years) due to financial issues. One of the reasons Virginia is surviving the recession better than states like California is we don't spend money like it grows on trees.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by normie

You will find people on this sub forum who oppose development in western Loudoun, but the area where the employers are moving in (and also where they are being sought) is in the eastern quadrant, and as far as I know nobody on his sub forum has been against that. Western Loudoun has restrictions against most developments. Thus, corporate developments are confined to the eastern half of Loudoun (with Leesburg as the dividing point). BTW, it is geologically unsound to do much development north of Leesburg (plus it is a historic area) so that area is a moot point.

I hope you're right Normie. I, too would dread seeing Rte 7 west from Leesburg to Winchester become a congested artery. And I am hoping that areas around Berryville, Winchester, etc. can holdout. Seems like if it were to happen the question wouldn't be when but how it should be handled. Both Rte 28 and Rte 7 (from Sterling Blvd to Leesburg) used to have alot of stoplights, now slowly but surely being replaced by off-on ramps. While this does not stop sprawl, it is a better way of thinking about traffic. Still, to me, the ideas of roads and the metro are still behind: the things that are going on now should have happened 10+ years ago IMO. Sure we're expanding the roads and metro system but is it enough to keep up with the rapidly growing population in these areas?

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

Sure we're expanding the roads and metro system but is it enough to keep up with the rapidly growing population in these areas?

FWIW, I don't think we'll continue to see the growth we've been experiencing in the last 2-3 years once the economy gets better. Many temporary residents have poured into the area because they feel they can't get jobs elsewhere. When times get better, many of them will move on. I don't think we'll see a shrinkage, but I do think it'll either plateau or growth will slow down to a trickle.