Loudoun County Traffic

Route 50 Project Update

2009-11-10T06:48:00.004-05:00

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the contractor for the roundabouts project at Gilbert's Corner has been working to finish the final pavement course resulting in some delays in the off peak time between morning and evening rush hour. The contractor is also building up the shoulders and preparing the slopes for seeding.

Kenny Robinson, VDOT Route 50 Corridor Program Manager, reports that the landscaping is underway and "we hope to have it all in place by Thanksgiving." Furthermore, the lighting contractor is still working on getting all the poles up and conduit in place. And work is still underway to get all the new signs up. Guardrails also have been installed.

Robinson adds that drivers need to remember to yield to traffic already in the circle and to be careful of other drivers that fail to yield.

VDOT should be ready to cut the ribbon on this project shortly after Thanksgiving.

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Sheriff's Office Announces Results From Weekend Sobriety Checkpoint in Leesburg

2009-11-09T18:30:00.005-05:00

A sobriety checkpoint held this past Saturday, November 7, in Leesburg, saw just one motorist charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The checkpoint was held on Riverside Parkway at McDowell Square. The checkpoint had 132 cars pass through with 10 motorists further screened. Six motorists were charged with traffic-related infractions.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office currently conducts one checkpoint per month throughout the year and holds additional checkpoints during the holidays.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure the roads are safe for all motorists by achieving voluntary compliance with the drinking and driving laws,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Steve Simpson. “If you drink and drive, we’re going to catch you,” Simpson warned.

The Sheriff’s Office designed the checkpoints to raise public awareness and to discourage impaired driving. Members of the Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Unit and volunteers from the Loudoun Chapter of MADD assisted with the checkpoint.

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Route 50 Task Force Meets Today in Middleburg

2009-11-09T06:53:00.001-05:00

The next Route 50 Task Force meeting will be held this afternoon, November 9, at the Middleburg Town Hall starting at 4:30 p.m. Visit VDOT's Route 50 traffic calming Web page for more information and minutes from past meetings, etc.

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Dulles Metro Newsletter

2009-11-05T19:02:00.003-05:00

The latest issue of the Dulles Metro newsletter is online (PDF). A pretty cool picture of the tunnel construction is on the front page, plus lots of info about lane shifts and traffic pattern changes for Route 7 and construction maps.

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Airport Authority Board Votes to Double Tolls on the Dulles Toll Road

2009-11-04T20:50:00.005-05:00

WTOP Radio was among the media outlets reporting today on the increase in the roll rate for the Dulles Toll Road. According to WTOP, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved a plan earlier today to raise rates along the toll road.

"Starting Jan. 1, the toll at the main gate will rise from 75 cents to $1. On Jan. 1, 2011, that toll will rise again by 25 cents to $1.25. And again in 2012, the toll will rise another 25 cents to $1.50. Meanwhile, tolls at the off ramps will go up from 50 cents to 75 cents starting this January."

The MWAA Board indicated that the revenue is needed to finance the $5.2 billion Silver Line Metro extension to the Dulles International Airport.

The Fairfax Times reports that "the Authority took over management of the 14-mile toll road from the Virginia Department of Transportation in November 2008. It is responsible for operating and maintaining the road for the next 50 years, as well as completing construction of the rail line, and is allowed to collect the toll revenue in return." The paper also noted that today's action by the MWAA Board was expected.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post notes that "the proposed increases met with little opposition at board meetings in recent weeks. Rate increases have been considered likely for months, given that the board had pledged the additional toll revenue as a source of financing for the $5 billion extension of Metrorail to Dulles International Airport.

The Post also reported that "AAA Mid-Atlantic criticized the vote, however, calling the increases 'patently unfair' for motorists in Loudoun County and for workers with low-paying jobs."

The Post article also noted that "Authority rules required the board to seek public comment, and the reaction in commuter submissions was overwhelmingly negative. Last month, the board released a summary of 221 public comments, and opponents outnumbered supporters by about 3 to 1."

The Leesburg Today reports that "in Loudoun opinions were split about the plan, with some residents saying they did not like the idea of paying higher tolls, but said the Metro project is important enough that the tolls are necessary. Others, however, said they were not pleased that the only plan to pay for the expensive project was on the backs of commuters."

The Airport Authority, in a news release today, said that "an important factor in the Board’s decision is the commitment that the Airports Authority has made to construct the Metrorail Project through the Dulles Corridor. That commitment is contained in agreements with the Commonwealth of Virginia and local governments in Northern Virginia, and is based in substantial part on the parties’ agreement that funding for the Metrorail Project is to come from Dulles Toll Road revenues, as well as contributions by the federal government, the Commonwealth, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, and the Airports Authority."

So... what are your thoughts? Post your comments below about the new rate structure for the Dulles Toll Road. Will it cause you to drive less on the Toll Road?

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Board of Supervisors Approves New Bus Service from Loudoun to Tysons Corner

2009-11-04T20:36:00.003-05:00

Loudoun County will launch a new express bus service to employment sites in Tysons Corner next fall as part of a plan to reduce vehicle congestion in Tysons during the most disruptive period of construction of the Dulles Metrorail.

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors today voted to accept Dulles Corridor Metrorail Transportation Management funds for the temporary service, which is scheduled to run from September 2010 through the end of 2013. The funds will cover operation of the express bus service, including the purchase of four commuter coaches that will operate between two lots in Loudoun and various stops at employment sites in Tysons Corner.

The Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services plans to hold public meetings and conduct other community outreach efforts early next year to solicit input from potential bus riders related to possible routes and schedules.

More information about the new service will be posted as it becomes available on the Loudoun County Web site at www.loudoun.gov/bus.

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Major SmartBenefits® Changes to Begin January 1, 2010

2009-11-04T07:15:00.001-05:00

Beginning January 1, 2010, Metro’s SmartBenefits® program will change and enable employers to comply with a new federal mandate that requires transit benefits to be disbursed and monitored separately from other value stored in their employees’ SmarTrip® cards.

Under the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) mandate, transit benefits and parking benefits will be stored in two distinct accounts in a central location that will be accessible system-wide through the SmarTrip® card. The card itself will store only value directly added by the employee. In addition, area workers enrolled in the SmartBenefits® program will no longer need to take an extra step to load their transit benefits onto their SmarTrip® cards at a vending machine.

New monthly benefits, stored centrally, will automatically load when the card is tapped at any SmarTrip® target, including targets on bus fareboxes and rail faregates. Upgrades to the SmarTrip® card will enable customers to pay as they go, because value will be added to their cards similar to a bank debit card.

The maximum personal stored value by the employee will continue to be $300. Transit and parking benefits will be limited to $230 each in addition to the stored value limit.

For more information about Metro’s SmartBenefits® program, visit www.wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/.

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Residents Call For Restraint On Road Widening in Transportation Plan

2009-11-03T08:05:00.002-05:00

Leesburg Today had an interesting article on Friday about last week's public hearing on the draft Countywide Transportation Plan. According to the article:

"Many of the residents from that area said they were concerned the widening of roads and road extensions could be use to justify additional development in an area that has previously been eyed for new mixed-use communities and neighborhoods, and asked the Planning Commission not to let the CTP, in effect, change the county's planning policies for the the transition area.

"The roads most objected to by residents are the Lenah Loop, Tall Cedars Parkway, the once called Tri-County Parkway and limited-access highway improvements to Rt. 50."

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Route 50 Task Force Meeting Next Week in Middleburg

2009-11-02T18:50:00.002-05:00

The next Route 50 Task Force meeting will be held next week, November 9, at the Middleburg Town Hall starting at 4:30 p.m. Visit VDOT's Route 50 traffic calming Web page for more information and minutes from past meetings, etc.

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Survey Says Virginians Are Unfamiliar with Gas Tax

2009-10-26T22:43:00.003-04:00

According to a story on InsideNova.com, Virginians do not know how much the statewide gas tax is.

The story reports that "many of the respondents in a recent statewide poll of 506 likely voters, commissioned by Christopher Newport University and two other state media outlets, believe the gas tax to be 72 cents per gallon statewide. In reality, the tax is about 18 cents, according to the survey results.

"The question about the gas tax was a multiple choice question. Respondents were given options like 28 cents, 45 cents, 72 cents and the correct answer of 18 cents per gallon. The results stated 63.7 percent admitted they didn’t know what the answer was.

"The last time the state increased the gas tax was 22 years ago, when the state created the Transportation Trust fund. Since 2002, money from the transportation trust fund has been funneled to cover the costs of maintenance and upkeep of the state’s transportation network. Now the state boasts 1,700 structurally-deficient bridges. Virginia Transportation officials announced last week the state will fork out $58 million to repair 119 bridges, two of which are in Loudoun County."

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Try Transit Week a Success; Loudoun Commuter Wins Prize

2009-10-25T20:59:00.001-04:00

For the second straight year, more than 1,000 Virginians pledged to stop driving alone and try a form of transit during Try Transit Week. The event, which took place from September 21-25, helped raise awareness about available transit options and about the benefits of using transit, such as saving time and money.

During Try Transit Week, Virginians were encouraged to visit www.trytransitweek.com to learn more about the transit options available and to pledge to try a form of transit other than driving alone. Each pledge to try transit was automatically entered into the contest to win a one- year, free transit pass.

For the second straight year, a Loudoun County Commuter bus rider won the contest. Debbie Haught of Ashburn was randomly selected to win the one-year, free transit pass.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) conducts the annual statewide event to encourage Virginians to try all forms of transit including bus, rail, carpools, vanpools and telework. Officials say taking transit can help an average family save more than $9,000 a year. Encouraging the use of transit also is important to help reduce highway congestion, harmful emissions in the environment and the high cost of commuting.

More information on the Loudoun County Commuter Bus system as well as other locally available commuting options is available on the Loudoun County Web site at www.loudoun.gov/bus.

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NVTC and Metro to Host Public Forum on Budget Issues Tonight

2009-10-21T03:45:00.004-04:00

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and Metro will co-host a public forum to address critical budget issues including operating challenges and capital needs for the FY 2011 budget tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 21, at George Mason High School, 7124 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Metro General Manager John Catoe will give a presentation that outlines Metro’s fiscal challenges as well as some proposed solutions. A public discussion will follow.

The cost of Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess services is funded in part by passenger revenues and, in part, by subsidies provided by the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland and local jurisdictions in Virginia.

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HOV Violators to be Targeted During Tomorrow Morning's Commute

2009-10-20T22:06:00.003-04:00

According to InsideNova.com, Virginia State Police will be patrolling during tomorrow morning's (Wednesday) rush hour looking for drivers violating High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restrictions on Interstates 95 and 395.

The article reports that "Officers will be on the look out for violators — single drivers who use the express lanes — from Dumfries to the Pentagon between 6 and 9 a.m. Troopers will also patrol for drivers who wait on highway shoulders for the HOV restrictions to be lifted at 9 a.m.

"In 2009, police in Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington counties and the City of Alexandria have issued 15,077 HOV violations. That number is up by more than 1,600 more over all last year, according to state police."

HOV lanes are restricted to cars and buses with three or more passengers in them, from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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"Avoid Harm, Obey the Stop Arm" During 43rd Annual National School Bus Safety Week

2009-10-19T05:14:00.001-04:00

The American School Bus Council asks drivers of passenger vehicles to ensure the continued safety of school bus transportation with National School Bus Safety Week, October 19-23, and the 2009 theme, Avoid Harm, Obey the Stop Arm.

Educating parents about the proven safety of the school bus is another critical objective during the national observance as a recent survey from the Council found that 49 percent of parents incorrectly believe a car driven by an adult is the safest mode of transportation to get students to and from school.

So let's be sure to drive carefully and watch our for Loudoun County school kids during National School Bus Safety Week.

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"Orange Cones, No Phones" Campaign Targets Cell Phone Use in Work Zones

2009-10-17T22:54:00.005-04:00

While the word is out about texting and talking on the cell phone while driving, the danger is compounded through a work zone.

This message is the main point behind the “Orange Cones, No Phones” campaign aimed at drivers traveling the I-495 High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes construction zone on the Capital Beltway.

According to a report compiled by Transurban-Fluor and AAA Mid-Atlantic, 56 percent of the approximately 210,000 daily drivers on the Capital Beltway use their cellphone or read and write text messages while driving. Nearly half of those cell phone drivers make no change while driving in construction zones.

“We need the full attention of drivers when traveling in the changing and constricted construction zone on the Capital Beltway,” said Tim Steinhilber, Transurban-Fluor’s General Manager for the Capital Beltway HOT lanes project.

VDOT, the Federal Highway Administration and the Virginia State Police are promoting the "Orange Cones, No Phones" awareness program on the radio, Internet, social networking venues, schools and employers.

For more information, visit virginiahotlanes.com.

Reprinted from the VDOT "Northern Virginia Project News" newsletter, October 2009, Vol. 2, Issue 9.

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Gilberts Corner Update

2009-10-16T11:55:00.001-04:00

This reminder from VDOT...

Although all the roundabouts at Gilberts Corner are operational, a lot of work remains to be done. The contractor’s employees are working behind all the barrels along the project and construction equipment is also using the roadways.

VDOT reminds motorists in the area to please be careful when traveling through the work zones.

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The Train Beats Driving From Lynchburg to D.C.

2009-10-15T18:40:00.003-04:00

Did you know that taking the train is faster than driving from Lynchburg to Washington, DC? That according to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT).

DRPT says to "give yourself a break and try the new Amtrak Virginia service. Use your free time to work, catch up with friends and family, or just relax along the way."

DRPT notes that if you’re going further north, you can be in New York City before 3:30 p.m. without having to change trains on the direct Northeast Corridor service. See amtrakvirginia.com for more information on Amtrak service in Virginia.

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New Details: Dulles Toll Road's $54 Million Open Road Tolling Plans

2009-10-14T13:59:00.004-04:00

According to Toll Road News, "Virginia DOT was planning to use an existing contract with TransCore to implement about $54 million of toll system upgrades to bring open road tolling (ORT) to the Dulles Toll Road in the Washington DC metro area.

"However a spokesman for the new DTR owners, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) says they have the option to issue an open Request For Proposals to compete the project. They haven't made any decision, he tells us, on whether TransCore is granted the job or whether it gets competed.

"Most spectacular feature of the project will be new gantry pairs carrying equipment for three open road toll lanes in each direction at the mainline toll plaza near Tysons Corner, a mile (1.6km) west of the Capital Beltway. They don't plan to widen the footprint of the toll plaza as a whole so one or two of the existing five cash toll lanes each direction will almost certainly go.

"The exact plan for the redesigned mainline plaza isn't complete. Design is complicated by bypass lanes linked with ramp toll points at a nearby interchange with Spring Hill Rd/International Drive. The existing plaza operations building will continue to be needed."

The complete article can be found on Toll Road News.

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Route 50 Task Force Meeting This Afternoon

2009-10-13T08:15:00.000-04:00

According to VDOT, the next Route 50 Task Force meeting will be held today, Tuesday, October 13, at the Middleburg Town Hall starting at 4:30 p.m.

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Today's Motorcade Route for Fallen Soldier

2009-10-11T04:08:00.002-04:00

Law enforcement agencies in Loudoun County will be escorting the body of fallen soldier and Purcellville resident Stephan L. Mace today, Sunday, October 11.

The body of Mace, who was 21 at the time of his death, will be flown from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to Leesburg Executive Airport and is due to arrive at 8:28 a.m. Members of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Motor Squad, as well as personnel from the Leesburg Police Department, the Purcellville Police Department, the Middleburg Police Department and the Virginia State Police will be assisting with the escort to Hall Funeral Home in Purcellville.

The route will follow Sycolin Road to the Route 15/Route 7 Bypass and continue onto Route 7 westbound. The motorcade will then exit onto Route 9 (Charles Town Pike) and travel west on Colonial Highway through Hamilton and into Purcellville on Main Street ending at Hall Funeral Home on South Nursery Avenue. Delays along this route should be expected.

Those wishing to show their support are asked to line the roadway along the listed secondary roads (Sycolin Road, Colonial Hwy. through Hamilton, and Main St. or South Nursery Ave. in Purcellville). Please do not attempt to drive with the motorcade.

The Army specialist was among eight U.S. soldiers killed on October 3 during a firefight against more than 200 Taliban insurgents in the Nuristan Province of Afghanistan. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, October 12, at the Purcellville Baptist Church. Mace will be interred at 11 a.m. Monday, October 19, at Arlington National Cemetery.

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Dulles Toll Road Seeks $44 Million in Federal Stimulus Money

2009-10-09T09:27:00.000-04:00

Toll Road News reports that the Dulles Toll Road has been "put in for $44.1 million of stimulus (aka ARRA TIGER) grants from the federal government to fund full open road tolling by its new operator Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).

"Called an ORT Corridor Mobility Project it will aim to make toll collection "frictionless" according to a fact sheet provided by MWAA to Toll Road News. At the mainline toll plaza there would be toll lane reconstruction and additional lanes.

"For now open road tolling is likely to provide for 3 lanes each direction but eventually the full four lanes will need to be covered each direction, so gantry structures are likely to provide for 4 lanes. New pavement is normally needed to emplace tracking and vehicle classification loops.

"Also mentioned as part of the project:

improved separation between stopping traffic and the highway speed traffic in the central lanes
extra approach and departure transitions
upgrades to striping and signage
a new toll collection system
incident warning and dynamic message signs

Toll Road News reports "the Feds have two reasons for rejecting the application. First, improvements to electronic toll collection are clearly labor saving, and stimulus grants are supposed to create jobs. Second the Feds administering the program are prejudiced against Virginia and have been extremely critical of the slow speed with the state has used federal stimulus monies in the past.

"Data the feds provided show as of Sept 1 work had only begun on only 16.5% of the $695m of road and bridge projects for which Virginia received federal stimulus funds, compared to 43% nationally.

"A letter to Virginia governor Kaine said 'your state ranks last among all states (51 out of 51), based on an analysis of the percentage of Recovery Act highway formula funds put out to bid, under contract and under way.'"

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Distracted Driving Now an "Epidemic"

2009-10-07T21:19:00.002-04:00

The Loudoun Times reports that distracted driving has reached the epidemic level.

"About 56 percent of drivers use their cell phones while driving, according to a recent survey of drivers who regularly drive through the Virginia section of the Capital Beltway, where the high-occupancy toll lanes are under construction.

"One in four of the 1,000 respondents said they read or write text messages while driving, and 50 percent of those respondents said they had an accident or near miss because of texting while driving.

The Times reports that "AAA Mid-Atlantic and HOT lanes builders Fluor-Transurban conducted the survey as part of a public awareness campaign to get people to put their cell phones down. The campaign -- “Orange cones. No Phones.” -- includes radio and online ads, as well as distributing educational material to schools and employers."

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Joint Sobriety Checkpoint Nets Two Arrests

2009-10-06T15:45:00.001-04:00

The Loudoun County Sheriff?s Office, in conjunction with the
Purcellville Police Department, conducted a sobriety checkpoint this
past Friday, October 2, at Main Street and Route 287 in the Town of
Purcellville.

The sobriety checkpoint saw 384 cars pass through with five drivers
further screened. Two drivers were charged; one for Driving Under the
Influence and one for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. There were
also 19 citations issued for other traffic violations.

The ultimate goal of the sobriety checkpoint is to ensure the roads
are safe for all motorists by achieving voluntary compliance with the
drinking and driving laws.

The Sheriff's Office designed the checkpoints to raise public
awareness and to discourage impaired driving. Members of the Sheriff's
Office Auxiliary Unit and volunteers from the Loudoun Chapter of MADD
assisted with the checkpoint.

Route 50 Westbound is Now Open

2009-10-02T12:11:00.001-04:00

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office now reports that Route 50
westbound is NOW OPEN after being closed in the area of Gum Spring
Road due to a two-vehicle crash earlier this morning.

Route 50 West Closed

2009-10-02T11:09:00.001-04:00

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Route 50 westbound
is closed at this time due to a two vehicle crash in the area of Gum
Spring Road. Motorists traveling in this area should expect delays.