HomeMy Public PortalAbout1989_05_23_R098RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION:
PRESENTED May 23 ~ 1989
89-98 ADOPTED May 23~ 1989
OFFERING COMMENTS ON PLANS TO CONNECT THE DULLES TOLL
ROAD TO THE LEESBURG BY-PASS
WHEREAS, the Toll Road Corporation of Virginia has filed an application with the
Commonwealth Transportation Board pursuant to Section 56-544 of the 1950 Code of Virginia, as
amended, for appropriate authority to construct and operate an extension of the Dulles Toll Road to
the Leesburg by-pass; and
WHEREAS, by Council Resolution No. 87-98, adopted May 20, 1987, the Leesburg Town
Council .nanimously endorsed the Leesburg terminus for the Dulles Toll Road extension; and
WHEREAS, the Council has previously endorsed both the Virginia Department of
Transportation and the Toll Road Corporation of Virginia, in their efforts to design and fund a toll
road extension to Leesburg;, and
WHEREAS, a public hearing will be held on June 7 in Leesburg on the proposed plans to
extend this important transportation facility; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 89-38, adopted February 14, 1989, this Council listed six
concerns relevant to the Virginia Toll Road Corporation application, of which several remain
unaddressed to the satisfaction of this Council; and
WHEREAS, this Council has outstanding concerns relevant to both the public and private sector
plans for this facility.
THEREFORE, RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia as follows:
The following are endorsed as comments on the ~r~rginia Department of Transportation and Toll
Road Corporation Dulles Toll Road Extension proposals:
A. VDOT (Proposed Plan)
1. Interchange with Route 15 by-pass
Comments
The cloverleaf is a desirable interchange
at this location and will provide the
-2-
RESOLUTION: OFFERING COMIMENTS ON PLANS TO CONNECT THE DIUJ~R8 TOLL ROAD
o
A large partial cloverleaf is shown with
enough R.O.W. for future cloverleaf inter-
change and collector-distributor roads as
indicated on the VDOT plan.
Interchange with Battlefield Parkway is shown as
"diamond" interchange.
VDOT has proposed a plan to install a toll
booth on the collector and distributor roads
at the Rt. 15 by-pass and the toll road
intersection.
The Toll Road Corporation of Virginia (Proposed
P~n)
Interchange with Rt. 15 by-pass
North side of Rt. 15 by-pass would be
signalized intersection with no right-of-way
for future cloverleaf interchange.
Battlefield Parkway interchange is proposed
to be a modified partial cloverleaf (parclo)
interchange.
highest service level. This design also
provides the flexibility needed to provide
additional ramps to extend Harrison St.
While this design would provide
m,~mlly better service, it will not
meet airport development objectives
(see comments for toll road alternatives).
A toll booth located at this location
would cause considerable traffic back-up
onto Rt. 15 by-pass.
This interchange would generate
significant back-ups for traffic entering
the toll road and is not currently
recommended. A partial cloverleaf
or flyover interchange would be
acceptable.
The design of the Battlefield Parkway
interchange is severely constrained by the
Leesburg Airport and the J. Lupton
Simpson Middle School. A full cloverleaf
interchange would deny direct access to
the Kay property on the west side of the
airport which would affect the necessary
land dedications. Also a full cloverleaf
alignment with the preferred Toll Road
Corporation alioonment on the western
edge of Kay property would encroach
upon school property. While the parclo
interchange will not provide the same
level of service as a full cloverleaf
interchange (Leesburg's Rt. 7 east inter-
change illustrates this) it may be the only
acceptable alternative to affording access
to our airport and meeting the land
dedication requirements of the private
toll road alternative. This design was
developed by the town's airport con-
sultants I-INTB in an effort to work with
Road Corporation to identify access
alternatives for the airport.
-3-
RESOLUTION - OFFERING COMMENTS ON PLANS TO CONNECT THE DULLES TOLL ROAD
o
The Toll Road Corporation plans no toll
booths between Rt. 15 by-pass and
the Battlefield Parkway (Rt. 654)
The location of main toll booths outside
the Leesburg corporate limits as shown
by the Toll Road Corporation is preferred.
C__~. Additional Council Comments
1. The schedule for completion submitted by the Toll Road Corporation provides for completion of
the toll road to Leesburg by the end of 1992 which improves on the VDOT estimate by 18 months.
The town believes that both time schedules win be difficult to achieve.
2. Neither VDOT nor Toll Road Corporation proposed plans address right-of-way reservations for
commuter parking and/or a future light rail station in Leesburg. These important reservations need
to be addressed at least initially at this stage.
3. Both VDOT and Toll Road Corporation proposed plans shown the interchange with Route 654
(Battlefield Parkway realigned) as a "future" interchange which will not be constructed initially. This
is acceptable.
4. To continue the growth of our airport, a significant economic development asset for the town,
land for aircraft facilities adjacent to the airport must be preserved. A different set of FAA standards
will be applied to our airport as it develops. These standards call for a 750-foot building restriction
line to the west of the runway. Because the VDOT Alloornnent is closest to the airport (within 800
feet of at the northwest comer), it provides fewer opportunities for aeronautical uses west of the
airport. There is limited available land east of the airport for these uses. The Toll Road Corporation
alloonment and interchange design afford sufficient land for airport growth opportunities and is,
therefore, preferred.
D_~. Previous Comments on the Toll Road Corporation Proposal Not Addressed.
1. Traffic Stud.~ The use of any town land use projections is not recognized in the revised
application. COG and Loudoun County studies only are referred to in the application.
2. By-pass Impacts: The Toll Road Corporation should not wait for revenues from the toll road to
generate the nec~_ry funds to assist Leesburg with the four-laning of the Leesburg by-pass. This
by-pass will carry significant traffic from the north to the toll road and is presently operating during
peak hours at service level "C~. Additional traffic from the toll road will obviously exacerbate an
already existing traffic and safety problem, inherited by the town. Adding $2 million of the $3
million needed to widen the by-pass to the $145.6 million cost for the toll road extension will only
increase costs by 1.4%. The town could easily credit this amount to The Toll Road Corporation from
any future distribution of excess profits to the town. The same requirement should eq~mlly be
imposed on VDOT, which built the road.
RESOLUTION - OFFERING COMMENTS ON PLANS TO CONNECT THE D~S TOLL ROAD
PASSED this 23rd d~y of May
.][989.
Town of Leesburg
A~I~EST:
Clerk of Coun~/~