Issue Position: Read Creigh's Transportation Plan
Issue Position
Creigh's comprehensive economic plan will get Virginia's economy back on track through bold, responsible proposals including a statewide transportation plan, that preserve Virginia's low-tax environment and keep our distinction as America's "best state for business" and the best place to raise a child.
Creigh's Statewide Transportation Plan will:
* Bring high-speed rail to Virginia
* Expand traditional freight and passenger rail
* Extend metro service to Dulles airport
* Maximize economic opportunities linked to the Port of Virginia
* Build light rail and Bus rapid transit
* Expand capacity of Hampton Roads Connectors
* Reduce rush-hour traffic through telecommuting and flextime tax credits
* Promote smarter land use planning
* Strengthen oversight of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
* Invest in the Port of Virginia and work with military contractors and the Navy
* Expand road and rail projects in Southwest and Southside
* Ease congestion on the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
Click here to read the full economic plan and below for more details on Creigh's transportation plan.
Create Jobs Through a Statewide Transportation Plan:
A modern transportation infrastructure is the key to the Commonwealth's future economic growth. Earlier this year, the state of Washington passed a $7.5 billion transportation package that will create 49,000 jobs. Even a more modest package in Virginia would put tens of thousands of people back to work building new roads and upgrading existing infrastructure. Solving our transportation challenges will open up the avenues of commerce, allow businesses to move goods more efficiently, and help commuters spend more time on the job and less time stuck in traffic.
To get a billion dollar transportation proposal through the legislature, it will take a governor who can bring people together from all parts of the Commonwealth. As he has demonstrated throughout his career, Creigh is not afraid to work across the aisle to get things done.
During his first year in office, Creigh will make it his top priority to find a workable, creative, transportation solution that restores trust in the system and meets three basic criteria:
The plan must be long-term in scope, with long-range multi-modal solutions that move people and goods more efficiently;
The plan must be statewide in conception, so that every part of the Commonwealth has a stake in the outcome; and
The plan must be creative in nature, incorporating innovative solutions like bus rapid transit and incentives for telecommuters.
While the details of the plan must be developed in collaboration with members of the General Assembly and local stakeholders, there are several components that must be a part of any comprehensive transportation strategy. Creigh will:
Bring High-Speed Rail to Virginia. High-speed rail is one of those rare technologies that could change the way we live and work. With a high-speed train exceeding speeds of 200 miles per hour, a worker could live in Blacksburg and commute to work in Fairfax. This would change the way we do business in Virginia and bring countless benefits to communities across the Commonwealth. High-speed trains move people quickly and efficiently, while saving millions in energy costs.
The federal government has set aside $8 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for high-speed rail investments. Fortunately, Virginia is well positioned to pursue these funds: the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, which runs from Washington, D.C. through Virginia to Charlotte, North Carolina, was one of the U.S. Department of Transportation's five originally proposed high-speed passenger rail corridors back in 1992.
Secure federal funding for high-speed rail projects in Virginia. Creigh will work with our partners in North Carolina and the District of Columbia to secure funding for high-speed rail construction.
Build a high-speed rail spur connecting Norfolk to Petersburg. The additional track from Petersburg to Norfolk is a tremendous for the people of Hampton Roads, and Creigh will fight for it.
Expand Traditional Freight and Passenger Rail Service. While high-speed rail often steals the spotlight when it comes to new rail investments, we should not forget about traditional freight and passenger rail. There are several rail projects across the Commonwealth that would reduce traffic on major roads and improve the flow of goods from one part of the state to another.
Improve safety on I-81. The I-81 Crescent Corridor project will improve safety on I-81 and take as much as a million truckloads of freight off highways every year. Creigh will continue to support this and other efforts that divert freight to rail along the I-81 corridor.
Expand freight and passenger rail throughout Virginia. This year Governor Kaine announced expanded passenger rail service for the routes from Lynchburg and Richmond to Washington, D.C., which are expected to remove 1.4 million cars from the highways, save more than 8.3 million gallons of fuel and eliminate 66,000 tons of carbon emissions each year. Creigh will continue to invest in freight and passenger rail projects to build on these efforts.
Extend Metro Service To Dulles Airport. The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project will be a crucial link between parts of Northern Virginia that rely almost exclusively on auto transit. Thanks to a $900 million investment by the federal government, builders have finally broken ground on phase one of the project.
Make sure the Tysons Corner extension is completed on time and that the phase two extension continues as planned to Loudoun County and Dulles.
Connect Transportation Planning With Smart Land Use Decisions. Responsible land use planning is the best way to get the most out of our infrastructure investments and lay the groundwork for sustainable economic development. Smart planning saves taxpayers money, reduces traffic congestion, helps protect the environment, and strengthens communities. Governor Kaine has made great strides in this area by promoting Urban Development Areas (UDAs) that concentrate growth around existing communities located near mass transit options and by setting subdivision street standards.
Prioritize growth in corridors that already have the necessary transportation and municipal infrastructure.
Improve the coordination of land use planning across state departments. Governor Kaine made significant progress on this front when he created a Sub Cabinet on Community Investment.
Strengthen Independent Oversight of VDOT. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) is responsible for overseeing the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and helping to set its long-term policy agenda. This is a key function, given that VDOT has the huge task of operating and maintaining the third largest state-maintained highway system in the country and building new roads. Creigh will reexamine the roles of these two independent but interconnected bodies to improve planning and eliminate inefficiencies.
Work with all stakeholders to review CTB's mission and long-term goals.
Give CTB watchdog staff to oversee VDOT and recommend areas for improvement and savings.
Promote Telecommuting and Other Innovative Programs that Take Cars Off the Road. Rush hour traffic is both irritating and costly. Traffic in urban areas alone costs the Commonwealth over $3 billion per year. Virginia already has several programs designed to reduce congestion during peak hours, such as HOV lanes, telecommuting, flextime agreements, and ridesharing. Creigh will encourage commuters to take advantage of these innovative solutions and set clear goals for results.
Creigh will offer businesses a $1,200 tax credit per teleworking employee and a $500 tax credit for each employee working under a flextime agreement. One study estimates that telecommuting options, when combined with flexible work schedules, can reduce rush hour traffic 20 to 50 percent.
Set a goal of reducing rush hour traffic by 5 percent each year, or by 20 percent overall, by the end of Creigh's term.
Maximize Economic Opportunities Linked to the Port of Virginia. The Port of Virginia is one of the Commonwealth's greatest economic assets. Though it consistently ranks among the busiest ports on the East Coast, Virginia has neglected to provide sufficient public funding to maintain the port's competitiveness with neighbors like Charleston and Savannah, which recently overtook Virginia as the second largest container port in the region. Savannah boosted container traffic by 20.6 percent after making upgrades to its port. The opening of the third lock of the Panama Canal, scheduled for completion in 2014, is expected to produce over $6 billion in revenues by 2025. Virginia simply cannot afford to miss out on this outstanding economic opportunity.
Make necessary upgrades to the Port of Virginia's Norfolk International Terminal, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, and Newport News Marine Terminal.
Work with the Navy and defense contractors to maximize economic opportunities associated with Naval Station Norfolkthe world's largest Naval Stationand the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Invest in the Heartland Corridor road and rail network. Virginia's Heartland Corridor road and rail network connects the Port of Virginia to points west as far as Chicago. A distribution network of state highways provides crucial connections to economically-distressed areas of Southwest and Southside. Virginia is in the process of making much-needed upgrades to the Heartland Corridor network, including expanding Route 58 to four lanes.
Complete Construction of the Coalfields Expressway. The Coalfields Expressway (U.S. Route 121) is a proposed four-lane highway stretching 51 miles from Pound in Wise County through Dickenson and Buchanan counties to the West Virginia line. The new road will link Interstates 64 and 77 in West Virginia with Routes 23 and 460 in Virginia, connecting Southwest to points throughout the region. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of Governor Kaine, Congressman Boucher, State Senator Puckett and Delegates Phillips and Bowling, among others, the entire region is likely to see a significant boost in commerce and tourism.
Provide additional Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund grants as needed to complete construction of the Coalfields Expressway in southwestern Virginia.
Build Light Rail and Bus Rapid Transit. Throughout his career in the legislature, Creigh has been a leader in mass transit projects and investments. He believes that two new technologies deserve special attention: light rail and bus rapid transit. Light rail technology presents a unique solution for urban environments. Electric light rail trains are faster and larger than trams, and are readily adaptable to existing transportation networks and rights-of-way. The city of Norfolk is currently building a light rail system called The Tide, with the possibility of expanding service to Virginia Beach and to Norfolk Naval Base.
Bus rapid transit is another promising option for Virginia, cheaper than traditional rail and faster than a regular bus line. The City of Los Angeles has had great success with its bus rapid transit system, recently increasing ridership by 40 percent.
Work with localities to expand light rail service throughout the Hampton Roads region. Creigh will also direct his Secretary of Transportation to identify other areas of the state that could benefit from light rail projects.
Support additional grant funds for mass transit in the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
Expand Capacity of Hampton Roads Connectors. Traffic in Hampton Roads serves as a serious barrier to economic development.
Provide relief from congestion by investing in greater capacity of the bridges and tunnels that connect Hampton Roads. This can be done in multiple ways including expanding tunnel capacity or building a third crossing. Recent delays caused by flooding in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel underscore the need for new solutions. Creigh will support the final decision of the people of Hampton Roads on whatever path they choose to pursue.
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