Northern Virginia Transportation Funding

In order to make these investments NVAR supports the full restoration of Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funding diverted in 2018, using statewide or regional dedicated funding sources and not from additional taxes on the real estate industry.

NVAR has long considered transportation one of our top priorities and improving our regional transportation network through both roads and transit as essential to the economic success of the greater metro area as well as providing benefits to all of Virginia. As such, NVAR made difficult decisions to support additional taxes on real estate enacted in 2013 and 2018. Each of these historic pieces of legislation provided vital transportation funding our region desperately needed and we were proud to be part of the solution. After the 2020 General Assembly Session, there remains a $38.5 million per year shortfall in funding. We believe the Commonwealth should maintain its commitment to fund transportation improvements in Northern Virginia through other statewide funding mechanisms.

Suburban Maryland Transportation Authority

NVAR supports the creation of a Suburban Maryland Transportation Authority to identify, prioritize, and fund transportation capacity improvements in Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties using new, dedicated regional revenue and specified performance metrics.

WMATA Funding

Metro is a core regional and statewide asset, and that a well-maintained, safe, reliable, and fiscally sustainable Metrorail system is essential to the Washington Region’s economic competitiveness.

NVAR supports maintaining sustainable, adequate Metrorail funding tied to implementation of appropriate operational, safety, and governance reforms. We also support an evaluation of WMATA’s long-term financial stability due to the ridership impacts of COVID-19 and telework trends in the region. WMATA should also work with local transit agencies to continue improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our regional bus network including a bus network redesign, modernization, and the creation of a new dedicated bus lanes network in the region.

Key Transportation Projects

NVAR supports solutions to transportation challenges that require a big picture perspective – regionally (DC, MD, No.VA), as well as statewide. Transportation funds should be primarily focused and leveraged, where appropriate, with federal, state, and private funds on projects of large-scale regional significance. These projects include:

• Incomplete Projects—numerous projects around the region have been started, but delays plague completion. Efforts need to focus on driving these projects to completion.
• American Legion Bridge – Add two new High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes in each direction and add express bus service between Virginia and Maryland per the recommendations of the American Legion Bridge TDM Study.
• Regional Express Lanes Network – Complete the planned Regional Express Lanes Network along the Maryland Beltway from the American Legion Bridge to I-270 and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to I-95, the Virginia Beltway from Springfield to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and I-270 to Frederick. All express lanes should be free for HOV and public transit vehicles.
• Regional Rail Expansion – Fund the construction of a new Long Bridge and fourth track to Springfield, Union Station upgrades, and expansion of MARC and VRE run-through service between Virginia and Maryland.
• New Potomac River Crossing – Construct a new Bridge northwest of the American Legion Bridge.
• Route 355 BRT – Construct new dedicated lanes for Bus Rapid Transit along Route 355 in Montgomery County Maryland.
• WMATA funding – Continued investment in safety and reliability of the region’s Metro system as it continues to recover from COVID-19 related declines in ridership.
• Route 15 – Widen and improve Route 15 including the Point of Rocks Bridge between Frederick, Maryland and Leesburg, Virginia; and improve heavily congested sections in Frederick, Maryland.
• Route 28 – Build the 28 Bypass and Route 28 STARS improvements in Prince William County.
• Richmond Highway – Expand roadway capacity including dedicated lanes for Bus Rapid Transit.
• Northstar Corridor – Connect Route 234 in Prince William with US Route 50 in Loudoun County.
• Prince George’s County – Key interchanges and other corridor improvements to boost transit-oriented development around the Greenbelt Metro station, New Carrollton, and various Blue Line Corridor Improvements including Medical Center Drive and Largo.
• Southern Maryland Rapid Transit – Fixed guideway transit project along the MD-5/US-301 corridor.

Project Prioritization

The primary function of our transportation infrastructure is to facilitate the movement of people and goods throughout our region. That function goes far beyond commuting, which only accounts for about 20% of all daily trips.

NVAR supports continued investment in Northern Virginia’s transportation infrastructure using performance-based statewide and regional transportation plans that focus on corridors of regional and statewide significance and the prioritization of projects that produce the best long-term return on investment. We support similar investments in Maryland and throughout the region that deliver

performance-based benefits to our region.

When prioritizing transportation projects, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Northern

Virginia Transportation Authority, State and local agencies in Maryland, and the region’s Transportation Planning Board should focus on projects that:

• Reduce congestion and travel time between major regional employment centers;
• Move the greatest number of people throughout the region;
• Increase region-wide network reliability; and
• Promote regional economic opportunity and growth.