Whereas the draft MTP includes many proposals for new transportation facilities and projects but does not provide cost estimates or priorities in funding these projects, and

Whereas current plans of Arlington and neighboring jurisdictions for additional development, population and employment will result in increased traffic congestion, and

Whereas this draft MTP includes many detailed and complex standards and proposals many of which have not been previously been known to or reviewed by many interested Arlington residents, and

Whereas some standards and proposals in the draft MTP could have significant effects on some Arlington residents and may benefit some residents at the expense of others, and

Whereas some previous county transportation policies (such as those involving stop signs and mandatory sidewalks) have resulted in conflicts between County staff and Arlington residents and civic associations, and

Whereas the Civic Federation has previously passed resolutions on transportation policy such as requesting flexibility with respect to mandatory sidewalk requirements in order to have streets repaved or benefit from other street related projects, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Arlington County Civic Federation:

(1) acknowledges the need for a revised and updated MTP,

(2) requests that the County Board provide for a process of community input on the draft MTP including public forums on well-defined components of the MTP of a manageable size and impacts on particular types of neighborhoods,

(3) requests that the many detailed standards be viewed as guidelines that allow for some flexibility rather than as mandatory requirements,

(4) requests that the County Board establish priorities among transportation projects or standards and processes for determining such priorities,

(5) requests that the County Board consider the following areas of concern of Civic Federation delegates about the MTP:

The Civic Federation:

1. supports the MTP's overarching principle of enhancing transportation quality and choice of mode, including ensuring appropriate facilities for walking, biking, and the use of motor vehicles and transit,

2. requests that the county initiate a study of truck traffic and freight, including truck routes, the effects of development on truck traffic, and the effects of potential truck limits on truck traffic and costs to consumers,

3. supports amending the draft to more fully address the needs of Arlington residents of areas outside the urban corridors, many of whom must necessarily use a personal vehicle to meet most transportation needs, even to patronize businesses or work in the urban corridors,

4. recommends that greater priority be given to policies that address traffic congestion through selective improvements such as additional left turn lanes, improved signal timing, improved traffic information, and new technologies such as traffic volume sensitive signal timing,

5. does not support further narrowing of roads such as Lee Highway and Glebe Road due to concerns that current and future development in Arlington and adjoining jurisdictions will likely result in increased transportation demands for such Arlington County Roads. Hence, were these roads to be narrowed, they would not be able to handle such demands.

6. opposes any policy that requires conversion of neighborhood streets to "yield" streets as a requirement for street improvement projects to be undertaken,

7. supports a high priority for the plans for regular and adequate maintenance of streets and sidewalks,

8. supports the concept of a Primary Transit Network with enhanced transit service,

9. supports expanded transit service in other corridors only to the extent that such increased service can be shown to be both cost effective and environmentally sound,

10. is concerned that any potential time saving to bus passengers by locating bus stops in travel lanes may not exceed person delays caused to drivers and passengers of other vehicles and recommends a more careful study be undertaken before any such policy is implemented,

11. recommends raising the proposed standard of 20 passengers per service hour, since this standard implies lower fuel efficiency than many typical private vehicles.

12. believes that the MTP should consider the effects of transportation policies on the region as a whole, not just Arlington.

This page was last revised on: February 6, 2007.