Bacon's Rebellion

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NoVa’s Transportation Money Geyser: Sidewalks, Signs and Bike Lanes

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by

James A. Bacon
in

As the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority prepares to approve a slew of taxes and fees expected to yield $300 million a year, the first new projects in the pipeline are coming into view. According to the Fairfax County Times, a $102 million list of projects for Fairfax County include:

  • $10 million for pedestrian upgrades to the Route 1 corridor
  • $6.1 million for upgraded signs at Virginia’s 20 Metrorail stations
  • $2.5 million for gutter, sidewalk and bike lane improvements at Chain Bridge Road and Eaton Place
  • $29 million for the Fair Lakes interchange with the Fairfax County Parkway.

Pedestrian upgrades? Metrorail signage? Bike lanes? Wow. It’s nice to know that something other than mega road projects are getting funding. What I’d like to see in addition to the list of projects, though, is some kind of return on investment analysis. Inquiring minds want to know.

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4 responses to “NoVa’s Transportation Money Geyser: Sidewalks, Signs and Bike Lanes”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    $29 million for the Fair Lakes interchange with the Fairfax County Parkway.

    This is an excellent idea that will fix a rush-hour backlog that is usually at least 1/2 a mile

    NMM

  2. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    In addition to the Regional taxes and fees.. I assume folks have seen this:

    “The Prince William County Board of Supervisors plans to impose the impact fees on 50,000 houses that have been approved for construction but not yet built. The fees would average $38,000 per each of the 50,000 houses.”

    http://www.examiner.com/a-801223~Prince_William_seeks_to_impose_impact_fees_on_planned_houses.html

    is my math wrong or is that like 1.9 Billion?

  3. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    It’s a lot of money. Given the local situation, it may not be outrageous. But, I think the real cost of a home is between $100,000 and $250,000 dollars. All the rest of local prices is artificial.

    At a hundred thousand dollars, the profer is more than a third, $250,000 it is less than a sixth. and at local prices it is vanishingly small.

    Unless you are the guy looking for a $100,000 place. Talk about regressive taxation.

    —————————–

    They say time is money.

    But there is one difference. You cannot save time, you can only spend it as well as you can as it passes.

    You can save money, but only for a time. Just like time, you eventually want to spend it well, or else it is wasted. If you do not have the opportunity to spend it well, then you want to spend it anyway, or else it is truly wasted.

  4. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    Te route 1 corridor is likely to be entirely torn down and rebuilt.

    Why spend $10 million on pedestrian upgrades there?

    A lot of people eactully do walk in Alexandria and Georgetown. Those places could absorb $10 million in a heartbeat.

    Where is the money better spent? Or is it just a matter of burning a hole?

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