The Jefferson Journal
…a commentary from
The Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
Virginia’s Transportation Plan – A Good Start
By Michael Thompson
(3/6/2007) The Virginia General Assembly has finally passed a significant transportation plan aimed at relieving the congestion that strangles Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads commuters and offers help to other parts of the state.
Governor Kaine has to decide whether to sign it, tweak it through relatively minor adjustments acceptable by those who voted for the bill, or to dramatically change the bill which could jeopardize the entire thing.
If these additional funds are spent as part of a long-term plan to relieve congestion in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and other growing areas of our state then this will have been a good use of these new monies.
Counties need to take more responsibility for the road systems that are impacted by development. Virginia is one of only a few states that do not give counties the responsibility of the roads inside county lines. This will need to change if traffic congestion is to become part of the decision making process when new commercial or residential developments are proposed. This new transportation bill moves in that direction.
And the reforms required of VDOT in this bill are long overdue. The House and the Senate were in full agreement: better management, more competition, results oriented analyses, cost effectiveness are all part of what VDOT must now do.
One obvious area where the Governor could improve the bill is in maintenance of our roads. Fully one-quarter of our roads in Virginia are in need of repair. There isn’t enough money to repair these roads if we stick to the current in-house maintenance process. Virginia can save hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years by bidding out the maintenance of all our 8000 miles of primary roads and we should consider doing the same for the 50,000 miles of secondary roads.
The new monies that will soon flow into the transportation pot should be, in part, a catalyst for a long-term effort to bring more private money to the transportation solution in Virginia. Billions upon billions of dollars are being invested by private firms in roads throughout this country and Virginia should become a leader in this effort.
A key to the success of this new transportation bill will be the localities approving the various tax and fee increases that they have been allowed to use. One change the Governor might make would be to allow the counties and cities in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads a menu of new fees and taxes and let these localities determine the mix they want that best fit their
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needs and concerns. If Fairfax County wants to raise the tax on car rentals and lower the commercial real estate tax, then the state shouldn’t stand in the way. Another change could be that each county or city in Northern Virginia be allowed to raise its own money and spend it within its borders. If, for instance, Prince William feels it is doing quite well with what they are spending today on transportation through bonds and wants to avoid the new taxes and fees in this bill, then let them proceed without harming Fairfax County should it want to impose the additional fees.
The real “proof in the pudding” at the end of the day will be how well and state and localities spend these new funds.
The Reason Foundation published a fascinating study in August last year that detailed what was needed in Virginia over the next 23 years to improve our current transportation situation. This in-depth study should become the basis for a major transportation plan for our state over the next two and a half decades. More can be added if desired and if funds become available, but let’s have a long-range credible plan so that everyone knows what will be in place for our transportation mobility needs in the year 2030. This study clearly shows that our mobility needs in 2030 can be met with a lot fewer dollars than many experts are telling us today. This study is reasonable and refreshing. Our elected leaders should adopt it and move forward to implement it.
According to this study, Northern Virginia needs to spend about $10 billion over this period of time and the rest of Virginia about $3 billion in today’s dollars. These dollars are mostly available with this new transportation bill just passed by the General Assembly if the current transportation bureaucracy would move in the direction outlined in this Reason Foundation analysis. And all these monies don’t have to come from the government – the private sector would likely pay for a substantial piece of this effort.
The new transportation bill is better than doing nothing and it can start the process of developing a transportation network for the future. It will be up to those in charge to make sure that these new monies are spent in a way that truly improves our transportation mix and helps our commuters and our economy in the years ahead.
Michael Thompson is President of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, a non-partisan “solutions tank” in Virginia. These ideas are his and do not necessary reflect the opinions of the Institute or its Board of Directors. You can contact him at .