Dear Dr. Gridlock:
As I have done with others associated with The Washington Post in the past, I would like to extend an invitation to visit Nissan Pavilion on a non-show evening to experience the issues about which you write.
My point is not to show off our world-class entertainment venue, but to bring a dose of reality to your suggestions that our concerts are the sole cause of the traffic issues along the Interstate 66 corridor.
If you decide to make the trip, you will find congestion no different from what you have described on nights that the pavilion has an event, and you will find backups similar to those experienced on other major arteries, including Interstate 95, the Beltway and Interstate 270.
We could use our time together so that you may be better informed on how the pavilion averages 25 shows a year (not 100, as misrepresented in your response of Sept. 30), and how only 13 of those events in 2004 occurred on weekdays.
I could explain to you how Nissan Pavilion satisfied substantial requirements that were "proffered" upon development in 1995 in what was then an industrial community.
In addition, I could detail how the pavilion bore the cost to build the Exit 43B offramp and worked vigorously to ensure the approval of the 1998 transportation bond referendum that, at the time, was earmarked to help western Prince William County catch up with its residential development.
I do agree that there are still significant improvements to be made in the Gainesville area, many of which have already been approved and funded.
The widening of I-66 to the Route 234 bypass and the development of an east-west connector should provide significant positive impacts on the current situation.
As the exponential development beyond the Fairfax County line continues, residents must take part in the public hearing process and be engaged with their Board of County Supervisors to make certain that their interests are served.
Please let me know if you would like to extend your current commute beyond Fairfax so that you may experience the issues firsthand.
Your continuous misrepresentation of facts when describing the pavilion's history, along with the lack of any insightful solutions on the issue, is the true "nuisance" for those serious about fixing the problems.
Bruce Edwards
Executive Director
Nissan Pavilion
If I implied in any way that Nissan Pavilion was the "sole cause" of traffic congestion in the I-66 corridor, I apologize. Most of us know that corridor is already terribly crowded during weeknight rush hours. The Nissan Pavilion traffic, as many readers have pointed out, only makes it worse.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors, exhibiting its disdain for commuters in the western county, authorized 100 events a year at Nissan Pavilion. That there are now just 25, and "only" 13 during weeknight rush hours, is a blessing.
I'm researching who paid for Exit 43B. It would be most unusual for private enterprise to pay for an exit on an interstate highway, but I tip my hat to you for expressing the thought.
