In the First District, transportation is a constant problem which affects those who are trying to get to work, school, and any number of destinations. Whether you're in Dumfries or Stafford trying to make it to work in Washington or in the Hampton Roads area trying to get to the beach, we face constant gridlock. For over 20 years and to this day, I commute just like the rest of you. Over the years I've been in a carpool, a vanpool, and have taken the train.
Each of us arrives at our destination in a different way, and that's why this month I'm conducting a transportation listening tour. Earlier this week I went to the slug line off Route 610 and picked up a couple of passengers to hit the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-95 to get to Washington. If you aren't familiar with slugging, commuter line up in commuter parking lots across the region and drivers pick up enough folks to meet the requirement to use the HOV lanes. It's a mutually beneficial program that allows commuters to get to work faster and keep cars off the road.
The passengers I picked up were heading to the Pentagon. However many people still have to commute beyond their slugging destination, and it's not always easy for those without flexible schedules or those who work odd hours. The passengers also expressed a desire that if possible, they'd like to utilize other options such as telecommuting so they don't have to be up as early or be on the road at all.
There is no single solution when it comes to alleviating traffic and getting folks to where they need to be in a faster and more efficient manner. I'm going to continue to keep my ear to the ground and work on viable solutions to this issue. If you use the Fredericksburg VRE station, I'll be there this coming Wednesday to hear about your commuting stories. I look forward to seeing you.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
