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The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority held an public annual hearing on January 12, 2023.\u00a0 Active Prince William’s co-chairs delivered the statements reproduced below.<\/em><\/p>\n Statement by Allen Muchnick, City of Manassas Resident<\/strong><\/p>\n 2022 was a busy year for the Authority.\u00a0 While the processes for updating TransAction and the Six-Year Program were badly flawed, I appreciate that the outcomes were better than many had feared.<\/p>\n I urge the Authority to devote 2023 to reevaluate its approach to transportation project development in our region, to better align its processes and outcomes with its Core Values of Equity, Sustainability, and Safety<\/strong> and its goal of developing \u201can integrated multimodal transportation system that enhances quality of life, strengthens the economy, and builds resilience<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n A transportation program that\u2014in our outer suburbs–is heavily focused on expanding fast, multilane arterials is neither equitable nor sustainable and only worsens safety and access for vulnerable road users and non-motorists.<\/strong>\u00a0 NVTA funding\u2014which is devoid of any motor vehicle user fees\u2014has not effectively addressed our region\u2019s growing traffic violence<\/strong><\/a> problem.<\/p>\n The Authority should establish a task force this year to reevaluate its fundamental policies and procedures, starting with its statutory emphasis on reducing traffic congestion<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0 The recent TransAction planning process found that–even if our region could obtain $75 billion to complete every listed project over the next 23 years\u2014traffic congestion overall would be essentially unchanged.\u00a0 The Authority should evaluate more cost-effective, equitable, sustainable, and safer approaches to regional transportation planning and investment and then recommend changes to its current statutory mandate to the Virginia General Assembly.<\/strong><\/p>\n A simpler, yet much-needed, NVTA reform would require advertised public hearings before a relevant governing body endorses any project for NVTA-related funding, including from the CMAQ and RSTP programs.<\/strong>\u00a0 Currently, such funding requests are often developed behind closed doors and simply placed on the governing body\u2019s consent agenda<\/a>.\u00a0 Requiring advertised public hearings before governing body endorsement could alter the mix of the submitted projects and\/or expand or modify their scope in light of the early public input.<\/p>\n
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