I-66, a case study

65632778PDFTech ReportInterstate highwaysHighwaysVirginiaVirginia. Dept. of TransportationPage, John.Deasy, Ed.US Transportation CollectionThe Arlington-Fairfax County section of 1-66 is similar to manyurban highway projects, yet in many ways this project represents amilestone in urban transportation planning. 1-66, not unlike manyothers, required non-technical political groups to make difficult,technically complex decisions. These decisions took place over along period of time, 1959-1979, during which the information base, aswell as public attitudes reflected by local governmental poiicies\u2022shifted. The decision process encompassed a large number of politicaljurisdictions from the federal level to the community civic associations,as well as a wide range of special interest groups varying insize from federal departm, ents to environmental action groups. Finally,the poliical process when faced with a very controversial decision\u2022tried to hide behind its trusted friends; delay, debate and study.In spite of all of this, the project and its history areThe final 1-66 facility, marked by litigation, build and no-builddecisions and intense adversarial debate, would not be recognizedby the 1959 highway planner. Some of the many individuals and groupswhich opposed the project claimed that they did not have an impact onthe final result. Granted, these groups did not stop the project;however, the final design was altered dramatically by their opposition.1-66 was conceived and born during the 1950's highway eracharacterized by domestic preoccupation with congestion, the decayof the central city and flight to Zhe suburbs, it survived the late1960's and 1970's rebirth of transit age including citizen involvement,concern for the environment and the ener\u2022 crisis. The projectsurvived by adapting and changing its role from a Los Angeles freewayto a multi-modal, \u2022traffic managed facility