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HOT lanes could cool down commuters.

Date published: 11/7/2005

Get hot on HOT

FIVE--COUNT 'EM, FIVE--wrecks on Interstate 95 on Wednesday morning left the main artery clogged and rush hour in cardiac arrest. Time for a stent. Any stent.

Virginia has done many things right over the years. Handling transportation needs is not one of them. Allowing mega-growth to occur in the exurbs with only one major artery leading into job-rich D.C. guarantees breakdown. That's what occurred Wednesday as it has on countless other occasions.

If the Fluor Virginia/Transurban team wanted to design a better promotional event for its I-95 HOT lanes proposal, it couldn't have. Fluor/Transurban proposes to build a 56-mile High Occupancy Toll lane facility from the 14th Street Bridge to Massaponax. On Tuesday, the company received the backing of a panel of transportation advisers looking at solutions to the area's traffic woes. But will the Fluor plan adequately serve the Fredericksburg area?

The answer to that question is in limbo. A competing proposal from Clark/Shirley would have included HOT lanes down to U.S. 17 in Stafford and southbound collector-distributor lanes from there to State Route 3. The C-D lanes, which would parallel I-95 and funnel local traffic away from the interstate, would relieve congestion at all times of the day, not just during rush hour. Two members of the Virginia Department of Transportation panel from this area, David Ogle of VDOT and Zeke Newcomb, both spoke in favor of the Clark/Shirley proposal, but their position failed to prevail.

At least, however, Fluor reps were listening: They've said they will consider adding C-D lanes in the Fredericksburg region if further studies warrant. The panel's recommendation now goes to interim Transportation Commissioner Gregory Whirley for consideration.

Will HOT lanes solve the nightmarish problems on I-95? They will at least alleviate them for a time. But there is no question that additional north-south routes will some day be needed. Meanwhile, let's hope the HOT lanes will be Fredericksburg-friendly. Adding C-D lanes to the proposal would help. Starting the road-building process from the south would be an extra boon.

Fredericksburg-area commuters have spent enough time snarled in the traffic tangle on I-95. Clogged roads restrict commerce, eat up family time, raise blood pressure, and cause death, injury, and economic loss. It's time for a fix.

Date published: 11/7/2005