Photo detail

Photo detail

After much discussion, the Board approved Comments on I-495 NEXT Draft National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Assessment and Draft Design Plans (Dranesville and Providence Districts) with an amendment by Supervisor John W. Foust, Dranesville District. His amendment was to delete the sentence: “The project provides significantly greater benefit if Maryland completes their system of managed lanes, particularly increasing the capacity of the American Legion Bridge,” and insert the sentence: “As VDOT’s own studies indicate the project provides significant benefits only if Maryland completes their system of managed lanes, particularly completing the capacity of the American Legion Bridge. In the interim the project will cause inequitable and therefore unacceptable delays to non-express lane traffic.” Chairman McKay said, ”My only objection with (Foust’s) language…(is it) would clearly be not moving forward with the project, unless Maryland has successfully executed a comprehensive agreement for their own express lanes. I’m leery of giving control over to another state.” Vice Chair Gross said , “I am very concerned that if this amendment would pass that the folks in Richmond would stop reading the letter after the first paragraph. They would interpret this language to say, oh they don’t want the project.”