Column: When Business as Usual Becomes Irresponsibility, John Lovaas, Reston Connection, July 21, 2010

The Progressive has followed the work of the Reston Master Plan Special Study Task Force closely for over eight months. One learns a lot about the challenges facing our community in this process. Some challenges are being addressed. The response to others is pre-emptive surrender.

A classic example is transportation planning for the Wiehle Avenue Station area. Several months ago, during a Saturday “community meeting” sponsored by the County, a resident stood up and asked what was being done to solve the already bad congestion in the to-be station area. He lives on Inlet Court just off Wiehle about one mile north of the station area and said it currently takes about 20 minutes inching along to cover the distance. What will happen, he asked, when the rail station opens as the end of the line for three years and planned development is built? Silence from the assembled county officials, until one piped up “people in the area are just going to have to learn to walk more!” Said in jest maybe? But, no other response was offered.

At a recent meeting of the Task Force’s Wiehle Avenue Subcommittee, a senior Fairfax County transportation official briefed on plans for the station area. His report focused on the RMAG (Reston Metro Access Group) recommendations. RMAG, he noted, had recommended scores of modest improvements totaling about $104 million, of which only $4.5 million has been made available to date, an amount he said would have little impact on the F (for failure) rated intersections at Wiehle and Sunset Hills and Wiehle at Sunrise Valley. When asked by Subcommittee Co-Chair Bill Penniman what impact the RMAG recommendations would have if the full $104 million were available now, the County response was, “very little” and it would not change the F rating. His remarks were followed by silence and a few stunned expressions. Then the meeting went on. It remains to be seen if the Subcommittee or the Task Force will delve more strenuously into this pending disaster than the County has. The F rating, we were told, means a failed intersection, one unable to handle projected load. Our Fairfax County “leaders” accept this without batting an eyelash. Full speed ahead. Business as usual in Fairfax. Irresponsible, I say.

Behind this failure in part is the reality of our self-crippled public sector — unable to address modern infrastructure needs because politicians are unwilling to raise the revenue (tax) needed or cut existing budgets sufficiently to fund essential needs. For example, the state of Virginia is providing Fairfax County a total of $1900 for all its secondary roads for the coming year—not enough for one new traffic light. Fairfax complains but doesn’t act.

A Progressive salute goes to St. Clair Williams and Cathy Lewis, Fairfax County analysts who reviewed the JBG Fairways redevelopment proposal, thoroughly condemned it and recommended denial by the Board of Supervisors. Now it is up to Commissioner de la Fe and Supervisor Hudgins to decide. Bets?


By John Lovaas
Reston Impact Producer/Host