Why So Few River Crossings Between Loudoun County, VA and Montgomery County, MD?

[TheseGoTo11]

Why would anyone need to go to Maryland?

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

Why would anyone need to go to Maryland?

Lots of reasons. You could ask the same question for Virginia, BTW.

[eastli84]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

Why would anyone need to go to Maryland?

Ask that to the thousands of people who make the circuitous commute from Montgomery County to the Toll Road/Rte 28 job centers every day...

[saganista]

I bet a lot of them would answer that they like where they live, they like where they work, and they don't mind the commute enough for them to give up either one.

[williardium]

Originally Posted by LynchburgLover

Because the Maryland side where a bridge would go, would pass right through the Potomac/Darnestown/Poolesville area which is loaded with Montgomery County power brokers, lawyers, lobbiest, congressional members and staff. The money, horses and environmentalists have controlled that area forever. And, since Montgomery County and Maryland are having all kinds of financial problems, they're not about to anger any more millionaires and make them move to Virginia, Frederick or Howard Counties.

That part of Montgomery County is actually in the MoCo Agricultural Reserve. It was established in the 80s to provide a greenbelt around ever-increasing sprawl. They have talked about a "techway" linking MoCo with Dulles Airport via VA SR 28 in Fairfax County. The highway would bisect the agricultural reserve in half, which is why politicians are still bantering over it.
As for all of the wealthy people living there, well, that is what happens when the county zones the area to have 1 house per 25 acres. For comparison, look at Fairfax Station, the area around Clifton, and Great Falls. Fairfax County zoned the areas to have a much lower density than areas such as Springfield or Centreville, creating a "rural" feeling within those areas despite not being exactly "rural." Developers want to maximize profit while building a home, and when you have greater than 5 acres to develop, then you end up having those gigantic McMansions all-so-common around areas such Fairfax Station or Potomac, MD.

[eastli84]

Originally Posted by saganista

I bet a lot of them would answer that they like where they live, they like where they work, and they don't mind the commute enough for them to give up either one.

Sure, but one could logically assume that they'd be the first ones crossing over an additional river crossing (and enjoying it)!

[Mike from back east]

The states of VA and MD hate each other and refuse to work together.

The NIMBY mentality is at work - everywhere.

Major river crossings are very expensive due to the cost of bridge building.

There is no existing road network on either side of the river to carry the potential traffic that would appear if a river crossing were to be built.

Traffic in the DC region is among the worst in the nation. Woe to anyone who lives in either of those counties and has to commute to work in the other.

[CHIP72]

The lack of Potomac River crossings, both north and south of the Beltway, is one of the biggest problems in the DC area. As others have noted, part of the problem is high value properties in Montgomery County north of DC. However, the bigger problem is that until the last 50 years or so, Washington, DC wasn't that big of a city/urban area. There was no need for bridges connecting northwest Fairfax County/northeast Loudoun County with western Montgomery County, or connecting southeast Fairfax County/eastern Prince William County with southwestern Prince George's County/western Charles County because there weren't many people who lived more than 15-20 miles beyond downtown DC in the late 1940s to early/mid-1960s time period. However, as is the case in many fast-growing areas (with DC's growth occurring solely because of the shift to a service-based economy), the infrastructure didn't keep up with the growth. There are examples of that all over the DC area (particularly in Virginia and especially along the I-95 corridor south of about Woodbridge where there are only 2 through north-south roads, I-95 and US 1, serving a fast-growing population that now extends beyond Fredericksburg), and the lack of bridges over the Potomac River is one of the best and most problematic examples.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Traffic in the DC region is among the worst in the nation. Woe to anyone who lives in either of those counties and has to commute to work in the other.

No one in this region has to make a long, dreadful commute. Each of us who does it is choosing to do it. There are many things that may factor into that choice (land, house size, schools, amenities, etc) to make it worthwhile; but it is still a choice. You could always change jobs (not too difficult in this market) or move closer to work. Those options may require some sacrifices (lower salary, apartment instead of home, etc), but they are choices everyone must make.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by spencgr

No one in this region has to make a long, dreadful commute. Each of us who does it is choosing to do it. There are many things that may factor into that choice (land, house size, schools, amenities, etc) to make it worthwhile; but it is still a choice. You could always change jobs (not too difficult in this market) or move closer to work. Those options may require some sacrifices (lower salary, apartment instead of home, etc), but they are choices everyone must make.

Or work out a telecommuting arrangement with your company. It's amazing what our economy pays to move people between home and work.