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The Tri-County Parkway |
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The 10.4-mile TCP is estimated to cost $201 million. Currently the state has no money to build the road, so the Commonwealth Transportation Board asked VDOT to get private sector construction proposals. If the TCP is built by a private developer, then commuters would have to pay a toll to use the road. The next step is for the federal government to complete a final environmental impact statement (FEIS), most likely in 2006. June 2005: Both the Tri-County Parkway study and a related study for the Manassas Battlefield Bypass have reached a critical stage for decision makers. Draft environmental impact statements (DEIS) were released for both projects on the possible routes these highways could take. Public hearings were held in May for both projects and citizens had the opportunity to submit written comments. Now officials from the Federal Highway Administration, the Virginia Dept. of Transportation, and several local municipalities will meet and make a decision on these projects. They will choose from several proposed routes and also a "no-build" option. Officials could also choose an outcome not currently on the table. A record of decision - meaning, the final decision - is expected by December 2005.
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December
2005, Loudoun Outer Beltway segment is approved: The Commonwealth
Transportation Board chose the western-most route for the Tri-County Parkway (TCP),
West Two, which runs from 234 Bypass/I-66 near Gainesville, west of Manassas National
Battlefield, and then north to Route 50 in Loudoun County.The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is considering the construction of a new 6-lane divided highway through the Dulles South Area/Transition Area of Loudoun County, called the Tri-County Parkway.
While you sit in horrendous traffic on Route 50, I-66, and the Greenway, VDOT is spending millions to study this north-south highway that would bring MORE traffic into Loudoun County, not less.
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| Regional map showing Outer Beltway proposals (Tri-County Parkway and Manassas Battlefield Bypass), a possible Potomac crossing, and development proposals in Loudoun and Prince William Counties. |
Ultimately, these roads could connect to a Techway bridge across the Potomac to Maryland.
Sound familiar?
That's because one possible route for the TCP is the same route for the
proposed Western Transportation Corridor
(WTC). Loudoun citizens successfully fought the WTC - and we can do
it again!
Will this road make my commute shorter?
No. In fact, one possible route for the TCP runs right through
land owned by developers - where developers want to build 28,000 new houses.
If this route is approved for the TCP, it would be almost impossible to
stop those massive development proposals.
Can we really afford an Outer Beltway?
These proposals would build two pieces of an Outer Beltway, but study
after study has shown that these highways would not relieve traffic congestion.
Most traffic moves east-west, not north-south. These roads will not
solve our region's traffic problems - they'll actually make traffic worse.
Can we really afford more cars on our roads and more time wasted in traffic? Our quality of life is at stake!
VDOT should help commuters, not developers.
Across Loudoun County and all of Northern Virginia, we have seen how
the construction of new roads simply brings more development and more cars onto
our roads. Both the Battlefield Bypass and Tri-County Parkway would
open up rural land to developers.
VDOT says it doesn't have enough money to fix our east-west commuting corridors, so why is VDOT pushing two new unnecessary highways? We need real solutions to our problems.
Solutions that would work:
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Fix east-west commuting corridors, including I-66
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Make safety upgrades to local roads
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Improve local road connections so that there are more options when traveling within each community
- Complete the interchanges on Route 28 past Dulles
- Stop the massive development that crowds our roads
| Interested in learning more? Want to get involved? Here's how to help: 1) Write a letter to the editor. Your letter will help make more people aware of what could happen if these highways are approved. 2) Send us an email to get involved further - we need your help. We will also keep you updated with the latest news on these projects. 3) Make a donation to help us continue the fight against an Outer Beltway. 4) Join the DC Sierra Club in their ongoing fight against an Outer Beltway. |
More Information:
Manassas
Battlefield Bypass official website
Tri-County
Parkway official website