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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2009_03_10_R029 - Additional Lane for I-66 The Town of Leesburg, Virginia PRESENTED March 10. 2009 RESOLUTION NO. 2009-029 ADOPTED March 10.2009 A RESOLUTION: REQUESTING THE TRANSPORT A TION PLANNING BOARD OF THE NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION REINSTATE THE PROJECT TO ADD A THIRD WESTBOUND LANE ON INTERSTATE 66 FROM THE ROSSYLN TUNNEL TO THE DULLES CONNECTOR, AND URGE GOVERNOR KAINE TO EXPEDITE THE CONSTRUCTION WHEREAS, expansion plans for widening 1-66 were recently dropped from the National Capitol Region Transportation Planning Board's Constrained Long Range Plan; and WHEREAS, 1-66 is at a choke point morning, noon and night; and WHEREAS, the footprint for widening 1-66 outbound from the Rosslyn tunnel already exists; and WHEREAS, the estimate that the cost of adding an additional westbound lane to the Dulles connector could be as low as $30 million; and WHEREAS, Representative Frank Wolf (R-l Oth VA) and former Representative Tom Davis (R- 11 th VA) procured funding from the federal government to construct such a project; and WHEREAS, another lane would flush out traffic more quickly during the evening rush hour and get more cars off Arlington residential streets; and WHEREAS, another lane would help with the morning reverse commute; and WHEREAS, another lane would provide a better evacuation route in the case of an emergency; and WHEREAS, another lane would facilitate travel to Dulles Airport, which is the economic engine of Northern Virginia; and WHEREAS, Northern Virginia's economy would be severely impacted if Thurgood Marshall (BWI) International Airport in Maryland becomes more convenient for tourists and business travelers because of the length oftime it takes to get from downtown Washington to Dulles; and WHEREAS, the region could risk losing federal dollars if it does not work to reduce ozone levels; and -2- A RESOLUTION: REQUESTING THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING BOARD OF THE NATIONAL CAPITOL REGION REINSTATE THE PROJECT TO ADD A THIRD WESTBOUND LANE ON INTERSTATE 66 FROM THE ROSSYLN TUNNEL TO THE DULLES CONNECTOR, AND URGE GOVERNOR KAINE TO EXPEDITE THE CONSTRUCTION WHEREAS, widening 1-66 westbound would help cars move freely instead of idling and creating more air pollution thereby improving air quality; and WHEREAS, another lane would allow motorists and Loudoun County bus commuters to get home more quickly to enjoy family time and improve their quality of life. THEREFORE, RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia hereby requests the National Capitol Region Transportation Planning Board reinstate the westbound widening of 1-66 into the Fiscally Constrained Long Range Plan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Leesburg in Virginia urges Gov. Tim Kaine to expedite the construction of this lane. PASSED this 10th day of March 2009. C. mstattd, Mayor Town of Leesburg