Nobody has suggested halting the work because of the projected cost increase. Elected officials at the state and local levels are duly concerned, however, that the project could eat up money needed for other transportation projects in traffic-plagued Northern Virginia. Virginia s fast-growing urban corridor could rapidly be approaching gridlock. People might not be able to efficiently get around no matter how much money is poured into asphalt. Mass transit must become a larger part of the solution.
People can debate that position.
That s fine. The democratic process works best when a problem is analyzed and debated by citizens as well as experts and elected officials. A debate over transportation policy will not be of any use, however, unless everyone is given the best available information about options and costs. VDOT s failure to divulge that information does not instill confidence. Skepticism is warranted.