I-395

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More on Southwest at Reagan National — Southwest Airlines’ deal to acquire AirTran Airways will likely result in Southwest taking over AirTran’s slots at Reagan National Airport. But Greater Greater Washington’s Rob Pitingolo argues that the long-awaited arrival of Southwest at DCA — should the deal go through — won’t have much of effect on fare prices, as some might hope.

Arlington’s Highways Clogged During Evening Commute — Dr. Gridlock reports that the Arlington stretches of I-395 and I-66 were each backed up 3-4 miles during last night’s commute.

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News

Arlington Delegation Responds to HOT Lanes Letter

By ARLnow.com

In subdued, measured language, the letter states support for “properly designed and managed HOT lanes,” but urges the state to “come to the table and negotiate in good faith.” The letter cites “legitimate environmental impact concerns” and “technical issues that must be resolved if the project is to achieve its goal of moving people through the corridor efficiently” as justification for the county’s resistance to the project.

Noticeably absent from the letter is any defense of the lawsuit’s “outrageous claims of conspiracy and racism” that the original letter — sent by Republican House Speaker Bill Howell and Democratic Senate President Pro-Tempore Chuck Colgan — railed against.

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News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Library Sets Summer Reading Record — A record 5,305 Arlington students read 24,782 books over the summer as part of the Arlington Public Library’s “Summer of Reading.” More from the Library Blog.

Moran to Hold “Women’s Issues Conference” — Newscaster Maureen Bunyan will join Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) at a conference on women’s issues next Saturday. The conference will feature workshops like “How Health Insurance Reform Will Affect You” and “Car Care 101.” It’s being held at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Rd) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sept. 25. Details here.

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Traffic

Could BRAC Cause Traffic Jams in Arlington?

By ARLnow.com

Arlington BRAC coordinator Andrea Morris tells WAMU that she expects that many workers who have been relocated to Alexandria will have to make trips back and forth from the Pentagon. Those trips will increase traffic on I-395 and, as I-395 becomes backed up, overflow traffic may spill onto Arlington’s residential streets, Morris suggests.

It seems that one solution to the problem — if it is, in fact, a problem — could be to increase capacity on I-395. What do you think?

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News

Shirlington Village Without Power

By ARLnow.com

Stores and restaurants closed early in Shirlington Village, which lost power during this afternoon’s severe thunderstorms and hasn’t seen the lights come back yet. Small branches and leaves littered the tree-lined main drag of Campbell Avenue.

At least one bar valiantly stayed open, however. Bistro Bistro was serving bar patrons by candlelight and flashlight, while groups of people casually sat drinking beers on the outdoor patio.

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News

After Bankrolling Lawsuit, Taxpayers May Be Billed For HOT Lane Construction

By ARLnow.com

In an ironic twist, Arlington taxpayers, who have already paid nearly three quarters of a million dollars to fight the state and federal plan to build high occupancy toll lanes on I-395, may end up partially footing the bill for the eventual construction of the lanes.

Uriah Kiser of InsideNoVA.com reports that state transportation officials are considering a plan that would use taxpayer dollars to supplement private funding for the construction of HOT lanes. Previously, officials had said that the lanes would be wholly funded by a private company, in exchange for a long-term lease on the lanes.

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News

Biz Leaders Ask Arlington to Drop HOT Lanes Suit

By Uriah Kiser

Twenty professionals, including Arlington Chamber of Commerce president Richard V. Doud, Jr., signed a memo urging county board chairman Jay Fisette to embrace the toll lanes project.

“The primary obstacle to advancing this innovative, multi-modal improvement is the Arlington County Board’s lawsuit that precludes the project from securing any private or public sector funding,” the letter stated.

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News

Arlington Participating in HOV Awareness Day

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Police Department is coordinating with Virginia State Police, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police and other regional law enforcement agencies for the first “Capitol Region HOV Awareness Day” on May 5.

Police will conduct “saturation patrols” targeting HOV violators on local interstates during the morning and evening rush hours.

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Traffic

McDonnell Pushes For HOT Lanes Despite Arlington Suit

By Uriah Kiser

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell said his administration has been working to breathe life into the plan to add High Occupancy Toll lanes to the highway after it was delayed last year, following a lawsuit from Arlington County officials, according to the Washington Examiner.

The suit, which last week won a federal judge’s approval to move forward, claims that during the waning days of the Bush administration state transportation officials were improperly granted a “categorical exclusion” allowing the toll lanes to be built without conducting required environmental impact studies.

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