The Phrase "We Need to Fix Transportation" Makes Me Gag

Every few months, we hear people who should know better mouth the phrase "we need to fix transportation." That makes me gag.

I'm not arguing that NoVA's transportation network is anything but a disaster. I won't argue that there's nothing we could do to make any improvements. I won't even argue that VDOT doesn't need more funds.

I do submit, however, that "we need to fix transportation" is meaningless gibberish that should be translated "if we could raise taxes and build more roads, we could increase real estate development." Wasn't that what the failed 2002 sales tax referenda were all about?

We need to flush this phrase and substitute some meaningful and measurable statements about what tangible benefits spending $X millions, $Y tens of millions, or $Z hundreds of millions will produce for specific projects. Even saying "we'll add a lane to Route 7 in each direction between the Dulles Toll Road and the Fairfax County Parkway" doesn't tell the taxpayer what she or he will receive.

We do need to know what specific improvements would be made, but also what level of improvement, if any, in traffic conditions would result from the investment. For example, if spending $75 million improves busy hour LOS from F to C, that might well be a good investment of tax dollars. On the other hand, if spending the same $75 million makes no measurable improvement in LOS -- F stays F -- because the wider road would enable more development, which, in turn, would generate more traffic, maybe we'd be better off by keeping the $75 million for other projects and simply declining to grant permission to build the extra houses, etc. (Remember that local governments in Virginia have much more authority over land use decisions than they like us to know.)

We need more and more honest disclosure about transportation projects, including statements about what they would and would not produce in terms of measurable results.