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Motorists are shown passing the entrance to HOV lanes on I-95 near Dumfries.
REBECCA SELL/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

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HOT lanes? Give us diamonds instead

HOT lanes--not so hot: Give us a diamond instead

Date published: 8/30/2009

It's not surprising to hear that the powers that be have decided to yet again put off the HOT-lanes project ["Funding delays HOT lanes," Aug. 19].

Do they realize that the stretch of Interstate 95 from Springfield to Richmond is the thinnest part of the hourglass for the main north-south highway that serves at least 15 states?

Many commuters think the HOT-lanes plan is over the top and somewhat foolish. Why completely redo the current lanes from the Pentagon to Dumfries?

Further, we envision clogged HOT lanes with vehicles whose drivers would write off HOT tolls as a business expense. This would only add to the current HOV congestion caused by the flyover ramp at Newington in the morning, the Dumfries merge in the evening, and the never-ending hybrid exemption.

The people who really need the "bailout" are the commuters below the current HOV merge south of Dumfries.

Most commuters will say that they wish for a diamond-lane HOV lane in each north-south direction, perhaps similar to diamond lanes in Tidewater that are clearly and frequently marked as HOV lanes and have plenty of signs to make non-HOV traffic aware.

A diamond lane in each direction could also help with the weekend I-95 backups that are now a fixture between Springfield and Massaponax in both directions.

I'm no engineer, but it seems to me that the cost of building a diamond lane in each direction would be far less than the extreme lane makeover they have been dangling in front of us for years now.

Heck, Arlington County has now filed suit to stop the planned nonsense.

Tim Fahey

Spotsylvania



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Date published: 8/30/2009


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Heads in the asphalt (posted by DeanFetterolf , Aug. 30, 2009 1:04 pm)   
It ain't rocket science and you are so correct. The last few weekends its taken 2 hrs to travel 20 miles on I-95S. We need more regular travel lanes on I-95 from Springfield to Spotsy and even Richmond. VDOT and local transportation planners need to get their head out of the asphalt. Where are our Congressmen and Senators this is afterall an Interstate highway?

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