Opinion: How Virginia can make ‘devolution’ work, John Cook, Washington Post, December 9, 2011

This well written and balanced opinion piece by Braddock District Supervisor John Cook explains how the prospect of "devolution" of local road responsibilities to counties can be made to work.   It begins:

As identified recently in The Post, the potential “devolution” of responsibility for local, or secondary, roads may headline the Virginia General Assembly’s agenda when it convenes in January. Local control of local roads is the system used by 47 states and by Virginia’s cities. The Fairfax County executive, staff and other leaders across the commonwealth all agree that this system has clear benefits in terms of increased responsiveness and meeting neighborhood needs.

I understand the trepidation of some county leaders to take on this responsibility [“Why road ‘devolution’ is a bad deal for Northern Virginia,” Local Opinions, Dec. 4]. Yet if it is done correctly (a big if), the devolution of secondary roads could bring positive change to Northern Virginia roadways. Here’s what is needed to make devolution work: . . .

Click here to read his ideas. 

The hard part of this will be for the General Assembly to give away the authority it has over local roads commensurate with the responsibility it is likely to pass on to Virginia's counties.