Dear Friend,
I want to bring your attention to two important opportunities today and tomorrow to learn about, and provide input on, important transportation projects in the 33rd District.
As you know, improving transportation in our area has been a priority for me, even before I first ran for office in 2013. I not only advocate for good projects that are needed, but also point out wasteful projects that should not be funded. Two long-overdue projects, one on each end of the 33rd District, are at key decision points, and we need you to support improvements! See below for more information!
US Route 15 North of Leesburg
Loudoun County encourages residents to participate in an online survey about safety and operational improvements proposed for Route 15 between Montresor Road and the Point of Rocks Bridge. The survey closes tonight, and presents three options for consideration:
- No Build – Keep the road as is.
- Option A – Keep Route 15 as two lanes but add a median and adequate shoulders between Montresor Road and St. Clair Lane; the segment north of St. Clair Lane would remain two lanes undivided but would add shoulders to that portion of the road.
- Option B – Widen Route 15 to four lanes with a median between Montresor Road and the southern portion of the Village of Lucketts, and improve the roadway section between Lucketts and St. Clair Lane to provide safety improvements described in Option A.
Both options A and B propose a bypass around the Village of Lucketts. The survey also asks if there is a preference for the bypass to be located on the east or west side of Lucketts.
Click here to respond to the very brief survey.
The survey is a follow up to an open house hosted by Loudoun County’s Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure on September 26, 2018. The survey will be closing tonight.
More information about the Route 15 Safety and Operations study, including links to the survey and the proposed improvement concepts, may be found at www.loudoun.gov/route15, and I also have a dedicated Rt. 15 page on my website here.
Interstate 81
At the other end of the 33rd District is I-81, also long overdue for improvements. Thanks to legislation we passed in the General Assembly this year, VDOT has been studying the needs and funding options for this entire corridor over the last several months, and is about to finalize their recommendations. As of today, the proposed widening between exits 313 and 317 in Winchester is not recommended for funding in the first round of projects!
There will be a final public input meeting tomorrow in Winchester:
Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018 at 5 p.m.
Shenandoah University
Brandt Student Center
1460 University Drive
Winchester, VA 22601
You can also submit public comments by email to VA81CorridorPlan@OIPI.Virginia.gov, by mail to 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia 23219, or by phone at 804-786-2971. You can also submit public comments, view information about the study, and view meeting materials, by visiting http://www.VA81Corridor.org.
I also have an I-81 information page on my website here. Among the funding options being considered are various methods of tolls, as well as increased taxes on fuel, hotels, commercial and industrial properties, and sales taxes. I would like to know your thoughts on these funding mechanisms. I've posted a short survey you can access here.
Please share this time-sensitive information with others via email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
In a related note, I'm working on organizing a "Western Louduon Transportation Forum" next month to present the numerous improvements planned for Rt. 7, Rt. 9 and other roads in Western Loudoun. We have a lot of great projects coming in the next several years. I will share more information soon!
As always, feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns; we are here to serve you! You can reach us at info@voteLaRock.us, 540-751-8364, Facebook, and Twitter
