House leader defends $1.5 billion for transportation

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Have you had it, waiting hours and hours to cross the Bay Bridge, year after year? I am selling the back route that will get you within 30 cars of the toll booth. I am selling this to only 25 people. The cost is $2,000.00. Email MrBAYBRIDGE at Pinus1@aol.com. Last Saturday, July 25, 2009, The man at the toll booth told me the traffic was backed yp to Bowie. He was not factoring the additional traffic flow of 97; where 50 and 97 merge at Annapolis. You can bypass this mess. No more with the children saying I need to go, or I am hungry, or are we there yet, or when will we be there? All this and the destruction of your engine, wasted gas, and the loss of a day at the beach due to the back-up. This 2K is a modest amount, a one time fee, that will allow you to hit the beach in record time. It will pay for itself in gas savings, and food. I should be asking $5,000.00 and open it to 100 people, but this well kept secret of mine for 50 years should be limited.

Prince William County GET A GRIP! The Rt. 234 Commuter Lot expansion project has been going on for several years with no visible progress or results. You've got our tax dollars, please give us what we NEED! We don't need your officers bilking us for more money by ticketing us at a commuter lot that you've long since known was in dire need of expansion! I like the community, I hate the commute and if you can't care for this tax payers needs, I personally AM OUTTA THERE ASAP. Five years of a fruitless wait is too much!

Where does this stand? According to PW County police on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 cars will begin to be towed (at owners expense) for blocking entrances and other vehicles. Well it can not be helped when you have an over abundance of vehicles and not enough parking spaces for them. Someone higher up needs to be out there for the public to see and talk to....maybe talking is not an option since they hide their head in the sand most times. What are the commuters to do? We can drive and create more fuel in the air - blowing our safety net away. I know you do not care about this but it is a problem and the problem needs to be solved. So DO something! Please. A very unsatisfied commuter.

Imagine, all that money spent on WAR, was instead spent on our countries infrastructure & school. All major cities are facing aging water system, inadequate roads & transportation systems, these should be priority over waging war half way accross the world.

$40 Billion could be better spent on creating an extensive subway system for San Francisco - more useful to more people, locals and vistors alike. How many times will the average Californian actually ride use the high speed train? Maybe once a year? Probably less.

How about just one road in memory of all those killed by violence, Maryland is now becoming the # 2 state behind West Virginia state of Robert Byrd for far to many memorials. Politicians do not need memorials, they give us one by their votes and spending records.

kaine has a plain for new roads people already owe more on there houses than they are worth with his plain if they sell it they will pay and bigger tax thats great hit a already struggling houseing markett with more tax,second he wants to raise car registering 10 bucks thats great to add high fees to there cars when they are already struggling to buy the high gas,3rd add one cent to the sales tax thats great to now that prices of everything in the store has went up in price, because of the high fuel prices states are already makeing more in taxes at the store because of higher prices and now they want to add a xtra penny ,worst gov this state has ever had he picks the main things people are already struggling with and wants to jack the price even higher,i think this plain needs to go the same way those off the wall driver fees went.

if they need better roads do regional taxs the people that live and work there drive them everyday if they need fixing let there tax money fix them and stop trying to money grab the rest of the people of va.

how about useing taxes that the people in richmond and hampton pay to keep up there roads, they are the ones that live there and drive them the most i live in va and and do not drive on there roads at all why should the whole state of va pay to fix hamptons and richmonds roads theres alot more to va then just hampton and richmond but every time they come up with a new road bill plan you notice those are the only two places they hollar about,as long as those two places have good roads the hell with the rest of va huh gov the rest of va can just give up there money and dry up as long as those two places have good roads, just some more of the ripp off bills he has pushed before like those garbage abuser traffic fees,everyone of us in va mattered when you was running for office but once there the only places that matterd was hampton and richmond huh,want to fix something try fixing the job markett that will put more money into va,then mabe roads will be improved.

people are already loseing there homes and the houseing markett is in the dirt they know the houseing market is takeing a beating and now gov kaine is wanting to raise the price of taxes if u sell your house get real the way it is now people owe more on there house then its worth if u sell it your already going to take a loss if u sell do people want to take a bigger loss when they sell because of a higher tax i think they need to stop trying to raise taxes on houses and gas they have already been taxed to death and in a very bad crunch kaine needs to stop trying to tax everything to death compleately not doing a thing for people of va.

kaine needs to quit yelling new taxes every time he turns around and work with the tons of tax money people of va are already paying,how about useing some of the money we pay for county stickers here in va to help pay for roads,other states dont have to buy county stickers,how about telling the people of va were all that county sticker money is spent, that every driver in va has to buy at twenty bucks a pop that is a bunch of money and if say its spent on schools try again regular traffic fines and lottery money are suppose to go towards schools,so tell us here in va were our county sticker money is being wasted,trying to squeeze us out of a ride every time we turn around from sky high gas to higher tagg fees to county stickers to state sticker fees to insurence,how do they think the few people that has still got a job is going to get to it,kaines answer to everything is more taxs worst gov this state has ever had.

looks like kaine and the rest havent learned yet they still trying to screw va people who are broke already mabe 170 thousand people need to go to washington march and protest there crap this time instead of doing a online petition once again not everyone in this state lives in richmond and hampton if they have a problem with bottle necks mabe they should stop over building and over crowding in one area, heres a soultion to there problem move to another part of va thats not so bottle necked kaine and the rest need to stop trying to ripp all of va off to fund roads in there area just so they dont have to wait in traffic a xtra hour to get home.(oh by the way with the comments paula miller made in this news story mabe the people need to flex there muscles come election time again and flex her out of a job.

It's utterly ridiculous that the DC government even mentions the idea of tearing down the Whitehurst Freeway when we have a looming problem like this just around the corner. We need more Whitehurst Freeways throughout our city and region. The conversion of 16th Street into an expressway that links with I295 is essential to this region. So to is connecting Rte. 50 with I66, and this is only the beginning of what we need as a solution. Most major cities have freeways that run through them. Boston has the Big Dig, Los Angles has I110, Baltimore has I83, and Philadelphia has I76 and I95. Why can't this region's public officials fulfill their obligation to the public to provide sound infrastructure rather than just an overpriced, underutilized baseball stadium, which ADDS excess traffic to the region I might add.

Platform screen doors, like those at SFO Airtain will be the answer. In addition to all the airport installations, similar PSD is used in London Jubilee Line, Hong Kong West Rail, Singapore Metro, and is currently considered for NY Transit. It is money, but it is well worth it!

What are these bicycle facilities that were installed between August 2006 and 2007?!?

It's about time the Halethorpe MARC station got its long-overdue improvement. A fellow MARC rider posted an Arbutus Times article that touted a 'New Walking Bridge' at Halethorpe BACK IN 2003! That article is still there today (Dec 2007). Well, I'm glad that the Maryland Dept of Transp finally said to AMTRAK 'Enough delays, let's get this done!' It is especially treacherous right now for Halethorpe riders to return to their cars--one slip on the narrow bridge sidewalk and BAM! you're in the roadway and hit by a whizzing car! I have genuine sympathy for the older MARC riders who have to walk up & down those stairs every day. PLEASE PLEASE let the Halethorpe MARC station improvement a reality--as quickly as possible before there's a serious injury or fatality.

Makes one wonder what the legislators in this state are thinking about. If memory serves, a consolidated effort to to attach a fee to motorcycle registratins acheived it's goal to fund the MSF course. Our illustrious legislators then cut that funding saying " we can't ear mark funds for this prupose". If not mistaken, they turned around the following year or two after that and ear marked funds generated by another registration increaseover and above the previous increase as monies earmarked for the life flight helicopters. It must be ok to earmark tax/registration increases for body removal but not for rider education!

Hello! great idea of color of this siyte!

Hi all! Well done, this site is really great. Just wanted to say hello, keep up the good work! G'night

Since I ran out of space lines and words,I wante to conclude saying that if the department of highway safety can pass laws in the state of Virginia to create higher speeding tickets in the state of Virginia,without getting the approval of the citizens of Virginia,we need to crack down back on them and legalize radar dectors throughout the entire state of Virginia and regional areas of Virginia,to pass this law into effect.I say it should happen.

The problem is, it is not difficult to get points in VA. It is pure emtrapment. Let's say that the going traffic is going at 55 and you need to pass a big truck. As soon as gain speed to pass it, who do you see? A hidden cruiser with a radar gun. They don't care about the aggressive drivers, it is all about money and now with the new laws, more than ever. I am moving to MD and give them my tax money. Commonwealth my......ss

This gas tax story appears to be from january. Slow news day????

I have been a Virginia resident for almost 11 years, and all I have ever heard is how they are going to fix Rt. 81 to make it safer, but it has NEVER happened. We are taxed plenty in this state, but they STILL can't seem to fix our roads? It has NEVER been about public/driver safety, it has ALWAYS been about money for the state, but we have never seen results of the extreme fines they have been charging us for years. If they were concerned with public safety, they would REMOVE THE DRUNKS FROM THE ROAD, not fine them. The trouble they put honest Virginians through over insurance issues is just appallling, making you be on SR-22 for THREE YEARS over a simple, quick lapse of insurance? They're pocketing ALOT of money that we have never, and probably never will see the benefits of. They should be ashamed of themselves, because quite frankly, they're crooks....

This should also help home sales in Va. Why do we keep making it so expensive to live here? I'm sure glad that illegal aliens don't have to obey another law! Let's help them screw us somemore! Does the rest of the U.S. realize how messed up Va. is? I really doubt it.

This is another way the government is screwing with the middle class ...its bad enough with high gas prices, now they're going to charge us $1000 for going 5 mph over the speed limit. If they are going to start hurting the wallets of teenagers and college students who make $10 and hour and barely make $3000 over a summer...why dont they go after speeders who are driving rich SUV looking cars and jaguars/meercedes, BMW, etc. at least they'd know they were stopping someone who can afford it and not some poor kid who was just going 5-10 mph over the limit to work at his/her $8.00 an hour job and basically will screw with their ability to save money at all. This is another way to screw with the middle class and I think congress should step in and stop this. Rich people wont care, they will just keep driving the way they always drive because they can afford the fines. It will hurt middle and lower class the most, and teenagers/college students who dont make much money. Its not fair to pen

This will only happen a few times then people will get wise to it and carry guns. Just like a few years ago when cops were cracking down on speeders, it lasted a few months then the cops started dying. Soon after the number of tickets dropped, a cop isn't going to ticket you if he knows he may die in the process. Obviously someone in VA is to ignorant to learn from his/her past mistakes.

I read recently, that the state of Virginia recently passed a bill, which would add a surcharge for traffic citations from ($750-$3000) with the max being $3000.00 for twenty miles over the speed limit. Now, this is in addition to the regular fine a person would have to pay. They are doing this, to raise money for the road ways....In addition, i think it would deter some of these clowns from speeding on the road ways.. Just think, get caught speeding, and you not only get a fine, which can be something like $400-$500 dollars, but get hit a with a surcharge that can range from ($750-3000) dollars.......... Great Idea, if you ask me.

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) can be an effective complement to the transportation network in Northern Virginia. The costs, service and impact can be far superior to many other options. It was the subject of three recent local Technology Mobility seminars which can be viewed at www.washingtonairports.com. We need to be innovative in DC and not just keep doing the same thing hoping for different results. PRT is being developed in England, Sweden and Korea. The US is falling behind on transportation innovation.

The proposed closing of Old Mt. Rd. should not be permitted. I hope enough people can contact their representatives in Annapolis to put pressure on the MD Tranps. Auth. to quash this. The closure would cause hardship on motorists, and the Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Company. Plus, MDTA wants to relocate the newly rebuilt park & ride--what a waste of tax dollars!

i hope this wrecks albo's career.

I pray Del. David Albo is the first. This needs to get removed THIS session and Del. David Albo needs to get removed the next election.

Now might be the time to make that proposed trolley the start of a real streetcar (light rail) system to service not only the waterfront and King Street Metro/Amtrak, but the rest of the city as well.

The proposed "Alexander Trolley" is not a trolley but instead another bus, with a trolley facade. Trolleys can be identified by either a single pole (the trolley pole) making contact with an overhead electrical wire and running on steel rails (trolley) ot dual poles/wire and running on rubber tires (trolley bus). Please do not contine to confuse people by publishing incorrect information.

Are they still actually going to build this $3 billion barrel of pork? I thought MD had a budget deficit to contend with...$3 billion in additional debt - OK. Perhaps I can get a new job at one of the toll booths.

very good informations - by Holger Gischlar

Regarding the previous comment. My Prius gets 50 man mpg, all of the time, not just when commuting in HOV lanes (a small fraction of my driving) and even 4 of them produce far fewer pollutants than the 20 year old clunker. And for the record the legal PURPOSE of the HOV lanes is to reduce pollution. Reducing the number of cars is a way but not the only way, hence the clean fuel exemption. BTW, not everyones schedule is conducive to carpooling. Finally, HOV lanes are not that congested and if you get the REAL cheaters out you will find them musc less so.

Unfortunately, the "politically correct" extension is poorly thought out. If a 20 year old clunker that gets 14 MPG uses the HOV Lanes, with 4 people in it, that's 56 'man-miles' per gallon and three other vehicles NOT congesting traffic. A Hybrid that gets 51 MGP for a single (anti-social?) passenger is less efficient and fails to meet the intended reduction in the number of vehicles on the roads - the purpose of the Federally funded portion of the HOV lanes in the first place. BTW - I regularly try to pick up 'slugs' at both ends, even outside of HOV times. I feel that is more 'socially responsible' and beneficial to the environment than driving a car that, whatever the technology that allows maximizing mileage, is still a gasoline powered vehicle... and using it as an excuse to cheat. The speed that is stored as electricity when slowing down or going downhill is originally created by a gasoline engine. Still only 51 (+/-) MPG on gasoline, not required to be plugged in

I think that its a great idea to be able to ride the bus free when the weather outside is unhealthy. Not only is it more healthy to us, its more healthy to our environment as a whole. Great choice!! People take complete advantage of this to prevent anymore damage to our environment e.j. greenhouse gases.....etc.

$30.00 for assistance to get across the bridge is absurd and highway robbery. I've been across that very scary bridge once and hope I never have to cross it again. It's not like there are other options. Why couldn't they build something more usuer friendly and less like a hair raising amusement park ride. How dare you allow such a charge.

I think this is a great idea, being a resident for over 48 yrs I have watched folks come into the city and bleed this city dry of income and commute back to MD, VA, NY etc. Our city need more affordable housing and jobs for our residents.

Oh no. I saw that PRT system. It's a major waste of time and money. Sorry. Everyone gets his/her own personal train car. Loading is slower. Energy use is less efficient. Maintenance is higher. Setup costs are higher. It's just a bad dream come true.

What??? Are they serious? ROTFL!!!

So the Board of Supervisors is still not listening, even ignoring a legal entity. You gotta wonder whats going on.

Smyth and Connolly have a history of using secrecy and exclusion to keep their constituents in the dark. They are only concerned with density for their largest campaign contributors. But some Democrats want their party back and are tired of having (D) stand for Developer under under Connolly and Smyth, who was only his second choice for the empty suit seat in Providence. Providence needs its own Supervisor, not a Connolly/Developer puppet.

A much better solution would be put a rail station adjacent to Tysons at ground level and connect it to a several locations within Tysons with a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) circulator system. An example of such a system can be seen at www.vectusprt.com, now being constructed in Uppsala, Sweden.

I think this is a great decision. PS: If Prince William County (PWC) would like to get some extra tax dollars. Make the Stafford and Fredricksburg people pay to use PWC commuter lots. If no PWC sticker you pay a fee. PWC households pay the extra taxes and many non-PWC commuters get the benefits plus take up all the parking spaces and clog up our slug lines.