Dear Dr. Gridlock:
I think all of the elected officials in Northern Virginia should be required to commute along the most heavily traveled corridors in their jurisdictions at least once a week -- and they should drive themselves. Maybe then they would have more interest in coming up with solutions to the crowding and overbuilding.
I look forward to retiring somewhere way south of here in two years, if for no other reason than to get away from the traffic.
Ed Merkle
Manassas
You might take a look at Northumberland County in Virginia's Northern Neck (southeast of Fredericksburg). I'm told there is only one traffic light in the whole county.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance is concerned that Routes 234 and 15 are becoming an outer beltway, and that a western bypass, farther out, is needed.
I thought you might be interested in their views. If so, visit the group's Web site at www.nvta.org, or call 703-883-1830.
More and More Metro
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
Virginia should push not only to extend Metrorail to Dulles (although I think a monorail system would be cheaper and more efficient) but also to continue the Orange Line to Manassas and then link Manassas to Dulles by rail.
Similar considerations should be made for areas such as Sterling and even as far south as Fredericksburg.
More roads will not solve our growing congestion. Giving people more travel options will, as long as those options are easy and convenient to use.
Marcus Walther
Washington, Va.
