Approximately 200 people attended the Idea-66 spot improvements workshop held on January 23, 2007. Future opportunities for public participation will include a community workshop in the fall of 2007, and a public hearing on the proposed design of the spot improvements in late 2007/early 2008. Thank you for continued participation!Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the Study Limits?
The I-66 study corridor is 6.5 miles long and runs through Arlington and into Fairfax Counties. A feasibility study was conducted and completed on the portion of I-66 westbound between the Rosslyn tunnel and the Dulles Airport Access Road in March 2005. Three spot improvements were recommended by VDOT and FHWA as a result of that study. Preliminary engineering design of the spot improvements begins in April 2007.
2. Why is the study only looking at westbound I-66?
In September 2003 Gov. Warner directed the Virginia Department of Transportation to work with the Federal Highway Administration to conduct a study looking at four initial concepts for westbound I-66.The four concepts considered were No-build, High Occupancy Vehicle/High Occupancy Toll (HOV/HOT) Managed Lanes, Roadway Widening, and Transit improvements. These concepts were to address Congressional concerns including:
1. Provide quicker emergency evacuations from Washington DC;
2. Ease congestion on I-66 westbound;
3. Reduce congestion on parallel local roadways;
4. Improve access to regional activity centers; and
5. Improve economic vitality of activity center.
3. What are the corridor characteristics within the study limits?
- MULTI-MODAL CORRIDOR: I-66 in Northern Virginia is a multi-modal corridor and contains heavy rail service, bus service, bicycle and pedestrian trails and serves as High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes westbound during the PM rush hours and eastbound in the AM rush hours. Trucks are not permitted within the study limits.
HOV LANES: The HOV-2 lanes between I-495 and the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, operate westbound during the PM rush hours and eastbound in the AM rush hours. There are no general purpose lanes during the rush hours in the AM eastbound and PM westbound. Vehicles traveling to and from Dulles Airport during rush hour are exempt from HOV-2.
METRO RAIL: Within the study limits, the Orange line runs in the median between eastbound and westbound I-66. The East Falls Church station is also within the study limits. The Orange line continues west on I-66 to the Vienna Station. The Dulles Rail Extension will tie into the Orange line between the West Falls Church and East Falls Church Stations. The Dulles Rail line extends through Fairfax County and into Loudoun County.
- BUS SERVICE: Bus service within the study area is provided by Metrobus, Arlington Transit, Loudoun County Transit, Fairfax Connector bus system, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) from Prince William County. The Washington Flyer and numerous van services operated by private businesses and retail stores also operate within the corridor.
RAIL/BUS TRANSFERS: Each of the Orange Line Stations in the corridor provides opportunities to transfer to local bus services. The Dulles extension will provide additional transfer points at East Falls Church. Transfers to the Blue Line trains may be made at Rosslyn, while transfers to VRE, MARC, and Amtrak may be made in Washington, D.C. - The average daily traffic (ADT) volumes on I-66 westbound vary by segment. The spot improvements address the most congested areas with average segment ADT’s at 57, 000, 52,000 and 48,000. (See Figure 3-1 Feasibility Study)
4. What are the Spot Improvements?
- Spot 1 Arlington County - Extends existing westbound acceleration deceleration lane (1.5 miles) from Fairfax Drive on-ramp to existing deceleration lane at Sycamore Street off ramp to reduce congestion and improve safety by reducing short distance weave and merge movements.
- Spot 2 Arlington and Fairfax Counties - Adds a continuous acceleration deceleration lane from Sycamore St/Washington Blvd on ramp to existing Dulles Airport Access Ramp Rte 267 (1.6 miles).
- Spot 3 Arlington – Extends existing acceleration lane from Lee Hwy/Spout Run on-ramp to existing deceleration lane at Glebe Road off ramp to create a continuous acceleration / deceleration lane (0.9 miles).
Work on all three projects will be within existing right of way (ROW), including any required retaining and sound walls relocations or additions. All the proposed spot improvements encompass design evaluation of enforcement areas / safety pull offs, sight distance improvements, ramp metering, signing, traffic management systems, and reconstruction of the shoulder to provide for emergency evacuation.
5. Is the Glebe Road ramp the same as Fairfax Drive?
Yes, the Fairfax Drive on ramp is the ramp onto I-66 westbound from Fairfax Drive and Glebe Road in Ballston.
6. What are the BENEFITS OF SPOT IMPROVEMENTS?
- All increase average speeds in AM and PM
- All reduce speed variability in corridor
- All reduce travel times in AM and PM
- Mainline improvements do not increase congestion on parallel routes and intersections.
- Provide local network benefits to Washington Boulevard, Sycamore Street and Route 29
- Safety enhanced by Spot Improvements
1. Lengthened Weave and Merge Areas
2. Decreased Speed Fluctuation
3. Improved Level of Service to reduce “stop and go” Crashes
4. Provided Additional Storage Capacity For Incidents on Mainline
5. Reduced Travel Time for Emergency Responders
7. How will the Custis Trail be affected?
The Custis Trail runs parallel with I-66 within the study limits and will be maintained. During construction of the spot improvements, it may be necessary to shift the trail or temporarily relocate the trail. Input from trail users on trail improvements will be considered during the project design.
8. Will there be new sound walls?
During preliminary engineering, a noise study will be conducted and evaluation of impacts to existing sound walls. Recommendations will be made utilizing federal and state requirements regarding noise impacts and sound walls.
9. Will additional Right-of-Way be needed?
One of the guiding principles of this feasibility study is to restrict proposed improvements to the existing right-of-way of I-66. The right-of-way mapping may be viewed at VDOT or Arlington County as listed below:
VDOT Arlington County
14685 Avion Parkway, Plan Room 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 900
Chantilly, VA 20151 Arlington, VA 22201
Theresa DeFore at 703-383-2150 Tamara Ashby at 703-228-3833
10. Has the current Right-of-Way been verified?
VDOT verified the adequacy of the I-66 right of way to accommodate the current spot improvements through a detailed a on-the-ground surveys and review of legal documents from June through December 2006.
11. Are any additional improvements planned?
There are other interim improvements that can occur with minimal impact. The preliminary design process will also look at possible improvements to existing signing, review of traffic management systems (TMS) locations and messages, review and implementation of enforcement areas on I-66 westbound, review of horizontal and vertical alignments to improve safety, re-timing of signals on parallel roads, evaluation of ramp metering, and the addition of a continuous 12-foot shoulder to be used only in the event of an emergency evacuation. No improvements are outside the existing I-66 right of way.
12. Doesn’t the Coleman Decision forbid widening I-66 inside the Beltway?
The requirements of the Coleman Decision are no longer in effect, except for the conditions related to allowing Dulles airport traffic during HOV periods and a ban on heavy trucks. Except for these two restrictions, Interstate 66 inside the Beltway is to be treated as any other section of the Interstate in Virginia, and is subject to all existing federal laws and requirements.
13. What happens next?
In April 2007, preliminary engineering design will begin. In the fall of 2007 a public workshop will be held to review the draft design and obtain comments. In early 2008 a public hearing will be held on the final design of the spot improvements.
14. What is a context sensitive solution?
A context sensitive solution is a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that includes the early involvement of key stakeholders to ensure that transportation projects are in harmony with the natural, historic, economic, and cultural environment, while maintaining safety and mobility.
15. How has the public been included in the process?
The Idea-66 process so far has had:
11 Community Dialogues with associations and interested groups within corridor
2 public workshops and 1 open house were held.
Three newsletters were distributed to over 42,000 recipients per issue in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
A telephone survey was conducted, a web site created and other forms of communication were employed.
18 Interviews with Community Leaders.
In advance of preliminary engineering beginning on the three spot improvements, a public workshop was held and a newsletter distributed to over 46,000 recipients. Meetings were held with key stakeholders and some community groups. Additional public meetings will be held as project design is developed.
There will be additional opportunities for public participation. A community workshop will be held in summer 2007, and a public hearing on the proposed design of the spot improvements is tentatively scheduled for late 2007/early 2008. Of course, you can always submit questions and comments through this Web site!