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Head of commerce on Va.’s growing business concerns
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Related Topics: Fairfax
Fairfax (Map, News) - Bill Lecos
President and CEO, Fairfax
County Chamber of Commerce
There has been a lot of talk about Northern Virginia’s traffic problems possibly threatening the region’s status an economic powerhouse. Are these concerns valid?
I think they are valid. They are complex; it’s not simple. But clearly transportation contributes to a number of factors that in the aggregate threaten our economic vitality. First and foremost, the congestion on our highways has a negative impact on our quality of life. Secondly, our congestion drives, literally, people further and further away from their places of work to find housing that’s affordable. The affordability of work force housing has a significant effect on the recruitment and retention of employees. And lastly, another very important element to our quality of life here is our environmental stewardship, and the congestion of our system and the limited options we have to the single-occupant vehicle have fostered the sprawl that threatens our environmental assets.
What are the most pressing legislative issues facing businesses in Fairfax County today?
One of the major challenges next year on the federal level will be FAA reauthorization. It is critical to Northern Virginia that the federal government fund the next-generation air-traffic control system, which will allow for the continued growth of our airports, which are important economic generators for the entire region. At the state level: funding, funding, funding. The state must meet its obligations to fund their commitments to transportation, public education and higher “ed” for northern Virginia. And on the local level, how we manage growth within Fairfax County, particularly in focusing around increased transit-oriented development, will be critical.
Will the loss of the Metrorail tunnel through Tysons Corner adversely impact commercial redevelopment in the area?
I think it’s disappointing. I think the tunnel … would have been preferable, but it’s not preferable to no system, and the funding realities ... made the tough decision to have a mixed tunnel and elevated system necessary. At the end of the day, though, the redevelopment of Tysons Corner, critical to the county’s future, will process in a manner that will reshape the county, provide an urban center consistent with our expectations of excellence and help manage the further growth to the region.
