$100 million in transportation projects on Fairfax County ballot, Robert Thomson, WaPo, October 30, 2014: Reston 2020 encourages Restonians to vote "YES!"

Voters in the D.C. region’s most populous jurisdiction will be asked on Tuesday to approve a new round of investment in their transportation system through a bond program.

Fairfax County is among the local jurisdictions that periodically go to the voters for permission to finance transportation construction through the bond markets. The road, pedestrian and bike projects to be financed through bonding are just a portion of the county’s $1.4 billion transportation program for the next six years. So looking at the list of bond projects doesn’t reveal much about the county’s overall plans for developing the transportation infrastructure. Also, Fairfax residents, like those in other jurisdictions, travel on roads and rails developed with federal, state and private funding. . .

Tom Biesiadny, Fairfax County’s transportation director, said some of those other sources are better suited to finance major road and transit projects. So the money raised from the bonds would target some spot improvements in roadways, as well as trail and sidewalk improvements that would improve community connections to schools, transit hubs and other centers of activity.

This is a "must read" article for those headed to the polls next Tuesday.  The Post's Robert Thomson lays out the $100 million bond referendum that is a small part of the County's $1.4 billion six-year transportation plan, primarily funded by federal and state resources.  The $100 million in this referendum will go to spot road, pedestrian, and bike/path improvements.   

In Reston, four important pedestrian/bicycle improvements are on the list:

• Sidewalks on Sunrise Valley Drive that will make access to the Wiehle Silver Line station easier and safer.
• A sidewalk on South Lakes Drive from the village center west to Soapstone that will make it safer and easier for kids to walk to/from the high school and intermediate school.
• A pedestrian/bike along Fox Mill Drive that will make biking and walking there safer and easier to reach the Fox Mill shopping center.
• RMAG-recommended pedestrian/bicycle improvements near the coming Reston Town Center Silver Line station.

For the full list of projects, click here.

The County's transportation infrastructure is probably its most pressing and enduring problem.  This bond will be an important first step in addressing our traffic and safety problems.  We strongly encourage Restonians to vote "YES" on this bond referendum and, most importantly, VOTE next Tuesday.