Few faces, fewer answers appear at Stafford HOT lanes meeting

By Marty van Duyne
For PotomacLocal.com

North Stafford, Va.  — Only a handful of people trickled into the Virginia Department of Transportation HOT Lanes Environmental Assessment Citizen Information Meeting on Tuesday evening.

VDOT hosted the event to allow citizens to view documents, maps, drawings, and reports that comprise the EA for the Interstate 95 HOT Lanes corridor.

The opportunity session was listed on the VDOT web site and public notices have been published in area newspapers.

But there were only 11 visitors during the first two hours. And included in that number were three journalists, a county planning official, and three county supervisors.

Project Studies Section Head and Project Manager for the EIS Christopher Collins said, “I only received two e-mail comments prior to the meeting. One was strongly for the project and one was strongly against.”

He indicated that VDOT is currently taking a wider approach to all projects and they include alternate modes of transportation in their studies.

VDOT had representatives that support every aspect of the project available to discuss citizen’s concerns.

A land acquisition team was on site. And according to Virginia MegaProjects Right of Way and Utilities Program Manager Bryan J. O’Sullivan almost all property that needs to be acquired is basically uninhabited wooded acreage.

MegaProjects Design Manager Michael T. Snare discussed overall transportation concerns with Patsy Campbell.

The North Stafford resident slugs to her job in the Arlington area but takes a bus home each day.

Campbell told the VDOT official that HOT Lanes are not necessarily the solution to the problem.

She has lived in Stafford since the time when HOV lanes ended in Woodbridge and believes alternate options to HOT Lanes need to be explored to reduce the number of cars on the road.

“What incentives are being offered to van pools and bus companies so they can cut their costs?” asked Campbell.

But her query might just as well have been rhetorical because neither Snare nor other VDOT officials could provide a response to her question.

The elected officials in attendance were Garrisonville District Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark Dudenhefer, Aquia District Board of Supervisors Vice-Chairman Paul Milde, and Rock Hill District Supervisor Cord Sterling.

The 3-hour session at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School in Garrisonville was the first of two public opportunities VDOT is hosting in the area this week.  A second session will be held at the Spotsylvania County School Administration Building at 8020 River Stone Dr., Fredericksburg 22551 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct 14.

Comment sheets were available for citizens to fill out and deposit at the meeting. Questions or concerns can also be sent via e-mail to [email protected] or in writing to Environmental Division, VDOT, 1401 E. Broad St., Richmond, Va. 23219.

Comments must be postmarked, e-mailed, or hand delivered to VDOT through Nov. 15 to be included in the meeting record.

Project information from the meeting will be available for review at the VDOT Fredericksburg District Office, 87 Deacon Rd., Fredericksburg, Va. 22405.

Marty van Duyne is a freelance writer and media consultant who lives in Stafford County.