In the 1960s, Virginia said they didn t want a bridge, so Montgomery County took it off our Master Plans. Thirty years of land use decisions have been made based on no bridge. Homes have been built without such a crossing in mind. Agricultural land has been intentionally set aside. We have purposely balanced open space and development to make Montgomery County an especially attractive place to live and work.
Congestion is clearly a problem in Montgomery County, as it is throughout D.C. and Virginia.
The County Council is keenly aware of these problems. The County Council has initiated a Transportation Policy Report that is looking at transportation and land use planning together. At the same time we are moving ahead on a series of road, intersection, and transit improvements that can make a difference now not 10 or 20 years from now. This bridge and this highway have less to do with the very real needs of Montgomery County commuters than with truck traffic from Dulles Airport. In fact, the most vehement lobbyists for the bridge have been members of the private, special-interests Washington Airports Task Force seeking to increase air cargo shipments to Dulles airport.