Letters To the Editor

Transportation Crisis Awaits General Assembly

June 23 is a critical date for Northern Virginia's hope of moving again in our lifetimes. That is the first day of the General Assembly special session to address the Transportation Crisis -- the traffic gridlock residents and businesses face daily. Allowing a 44 percent reduction in statewide spending for roads and 10 percent in transit over the next six years without meaningful funding could justify a sign on our transportation system that reads "impending foreclosure."

State legislators, who allowed improvements in a $102 million bond for NoVa to be postponed because they have not enacted a legally sustainable financial mechanism, could be known as those who "just don't care." Many are distracted by soaring gas/food prices, threats of foreclosure/economic ruin and illegal immigration. These serious matters show that life does not give us single problems. Something is truly wrong, though, if we have come to accept three-hour commutes and congestion as a way of life.

We should urge our representatives not to return home until they enact viable, equitable, long-term solutions. They sought and were elected to do a job. If they do not, Republicans and Democrats, we can find others who will.

All legislators must understand that their constituents' "lifeblood" is interwoven with ours, regardless of whether they hail from the southwest, valley, tidewater or central regions of Virginia. Our economy supplements education, health care and other public needs for much of the state, yet some legislators have engaged in provincialism about transportation funding. Roads do not stop at county lines. Buses should not stop at city boundaries. Commuter and light rail must take more of us to work. We need heavy rail moving more goods, not trucks jamming our interstates.

We need to change land use patterns, but right now the state needs to catch up on funding.

At a time of high gas prices and hot weather, when we might benefit most from transit, there are no funds to pay for it. We need roads built, but all the state essentially has is maintenance money. Whatever the General Assembly does, short of a miracle, won't get us moving, mend our aged roads and bridges, and enable us to be less car-dependent, tomorrow or next year. The lead time is years, even for approved projects. Furthermore, delay will result in some projects missing federal funding cycles.

Ask those legislators, who think monies exist, to identify specifically where $700 million needed for the region annually, or even the minimum amount of $300 million, is located in the budget and what other items will not be funded. Pointing vaguely, generally alleging waste or mythical budget surpluses or saying an audit is necessary does not build a road, buy a bus or move a train. A "no new taxes" mantra actually raises our ultimate taxes because deferred maintenance and construction always cost more, much more. If the system is not fixed, someday we will rival a third-world country.

If new revenue sources are needed, tell your legislators to agree on a reasonable and constitutional framework so that monies raised can be spent on transportation, not just refunded later.

Every day, Virginians cannot work or are late or businesses cannot distribute their goods and services due to lack of transportation or traffic; we are taxed more than the General Assembly could ever hit us. Loss of time with our families cannot be recouped in the minutes before spouses go to bed, to rise early to commute again. Most of us can't ride bicycles to work without risking hospital time. It is too far for many of us to walk. Those with children have limited moments together when not on the road. Can't family values can be developed better with more time outside of a moving car? And we can no longer be sure that police, ambulances or firefighters will not be stopped by traffic in an emergency.

Call your legislators now. Demand that they pass a workable plan. Simply submitting bills, coming home and saying that they tried is unacceptable when our quality of life is diminishing. Let them know that the time is now and you want real solutions to today's transportation problems and innovative transit solutions that will keep us moving into the future. Tell them that you don't want General Assembly gridlock.

Sharon Pandak

Pandak serves on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and is a former Prince William county attorney