Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Virginia

Arlington Strikes Walking Gold in a River of Highways and Pentagon Sprawl

By Tanya Snyder | Oct 9, 2013 | 7 Comments

Urbanists have long told tales of the success story of Arlington, Virginia. Named a gold-level walk-friendly community by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, this Washington, DC suburb made the smart decision in the 70s to develop along the metrorail line. Because of that, Arlington workers drive alone at a rate 25 percent lower than […]

Virginia’s Transpo Future: Charge Drivers Less to Build More Roads

By Tanya Snyder | Feb 26, 2013 | No Comments

Congratulations are owed to Bob McDonnell. He’s scored a victory on his transportation funding plan, cementing his legacy (though infuriating conservatives, including his hand-picked successor). His achievement is being called the first bipartisan initiative to pass in Virginia in decades. And what does this great deed accomplish? Secure revenue to fuel a new era of […]

Bob McDonnell: Everyone Should Pay For Virginia’s Roads (Except Drivers)

By Angie Schmitt and Tanya Snyder | Jan 9, 2013 | 5 Comments

In transportation circles, there’s an endless debate about how to fund infrastructure. Raise the gas tax? Index it to inflation? Institute a vehicle-miles-traveled fee? Many jurisdictions have turned to property taxes, bonds, and sales taxes as a supplement. But Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is blowing the whole thing wide open with a half-baked scheme for the […]

Study: Shorter Blocks May Be the Key to Cutting Traffic in Small Cities

By Tanya Snyder | Jan 7, 2013 | 4 Comments

It’s well-established that density and mixed-use development reduce driving. Right? But strategies like those don’t work the same way everywhere, according to new research published in the Journal of Transport and Land Use. While in major cities, denser development is linked to lower rates of driving, researchers found that in smaller cities it might not […]

Mixed Bag for Closely-Watched Local Transit Races

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 7, 2012 | No Comments

Last night delivered some good results — and some disappointment — for transit-related ballot initiatives around the country. The biggest disappointments came from Los Angeles, Memphis, and Houston. A measure to continue the half-cent sales tax for transit in Los Angeles County until 2069 was narrowly defeated, falling less than two percent short of the […]

Value Capture, the Dulles Rail Extension, and the Future of Transit Funding

By Jay Corbalis | Aug 20, 2012 | 8 Comments

The failure of Atlanta’s transportation ballot measure late last month led to speculation among many analysts about what the vote meant for other regions across the country looking for ways to fund infrastructure projects. But though the Atlanta vote captured the lion’s share of media attention, another vote cast in July could hold as much […]

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