Future looks bleak for 66 (Richmond, Arlington: employment, neighborhood, to live)

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Just like driverless cars, telework is the promise that will never be the mainstream. Sure its nice for IT folks and those who work in niche fields, but it's never going to be an option for the vast majority of employers and employees, and definitely not on a 40 hour basis. The real solution is to go back to tried and true town and city planning that worked perfectly fine for two millennium of civilization and commerce; all with the added benefit of decreasing heart disease and diabetes in this country to help bring down the national deficit which continues to get drained into medical costs.

There are many types of jobs for which telework can be feasible and effective. It requires management to change some systems but they can reap huge benefits for the company/agency/etc. as well as for employees and the community. Making these changes would go a long way toward improving traffic problems.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

There are many types of jobs for which telework can be feasible and effective. It requires management to change some systems but they can reap huge benefits for the company/agency/etc. as well as for employees and the community. Making these changes would go a long way toward improving traffic problems.

I don't disagree. But you are still talking about at best 10% of jobs. My company is highly digital, we can do a lot of the stuff remote, but we still have to come in otherwise nothing would get done because the communication would be delayed and there is too much communication necessary.

The big IT firms tried this for a while too, what they found was the client (USG) hated it, and wanted to see people's faces and get real time interaction in many cases (and in others not so much). That doesn't begin to include the 60-70% of jobs where you literally have to be there (service industry, construction, retail, food, hospitality). That being said, a 3% reduction in road volume is what changes LOS F to LOS A so it would help to reduce congestion.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

Well, I don't think that it is "ethical" to live in an exurb and be a part of the force that demands that roads be widened in OTHER places. At all. How is that ethical?

It really isn't just 66 that is slated to be widened. Widening roads like Little River Turnpike will affect an ENORMOUS number of businesses and residences, and yet, the county says that it just has to go through. HOW IS THIS ETHICAL?????????

I'm not sure why you're using the word "ETHICAL" in your question. I don't see anything unethical about widening roads. What might be unethical is the outrageously high cost of housing in the areas you would prefer they live.

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by dkf747

I'm not sure why you're using the word "ETHICAL" in your question. I don't see anything unethical about widening roads. What might be unethical is the outrageously high cost of housing in the areas you would prefer they live.

Everyone has ideas of what they consider ethical and acceptable.

If you see nothing unethical about continuously widening roads via the government taking land from businesses and individuals, and cannot understand why this might be a problem, than I hope that your residence and favorite places of business are currently on a roster to be paved over due to increased traffic demands.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

I know. It really is amazing.

No one ever wants to admit that they are traffic, they are exurban sprawl, and that other people, in many ways, made better and more responsible choices.

It was about 16 years before my wife and I were able to afford to live near where we work in Fairfax County. Before that we commuted from Prince William.

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

It was about 16 years before my wife and I were able to afford to live near where we work in Fairfax County. Before that we commuted from Prince William.

I live in one of the most affordable areas in Northern Virginia - in Fairfax County actually.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

There are many types of jobs for which telework can be feasible and effective. It requires management to change some systems but they can reap huge benefits for the company/agency/etc. as well as for employees and the community. Making these changes would go a long way toward improving traffic problems.

Telework is growing all the time. The Federal government is pushing it pretty hard, and most agencies allow it in varying degrees. (I would not work for one that didn't unless it was a huge promotion.) My current agency allows it 5 days per pay period. There are agencies where some people telework full-time, though my sense is that this is done only for certain people who are good at managerial rump-nuzzling.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by carlingtonian

rump-nuzzling.

Rump-nuzzling™®

I like the phrase, and I'm gonna take credit for it.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Telework is growing all the time. The Federal government is pushing it pretty hard, and most agencies allow it in varying degrees. (I would not work for one that didn't unless it was a huge promotion.) My current agency allows it 5 days per pay period. There are agencies where some people telework full-time, though my sense is that this is done only for certain people who are good at managerial rump-nuzzling.

I can't speak for all DOD agencies, but I know quite a few DOD agencies that could care less about telework. And of course there are many professional jobs in the federal government that require you have face-to-face interaction every day.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

Everyone has ideas of what they consider ethical and acceptable.

If you see nothing unethical about continuously widening roads via the government taking land from businesses and individuals, and cannot understand why this might be a problem, than I hope that your residence and favorite places of business are currently on a roster to be paved over due to increased traffic demands.

No, I do see the problem. I just thought the choice of the word "unethical" was weird. It fits better in the above post than it did in the other one. BTW, if they give me fair value for the land then they can have it.