When Everyone is in charge, no one is in charge

Virginia, when it comes to transportation, has a lot of leadership. Maybe too much leadership with no one in charge. Daryl Issa, a Congressman from California seems to be leading the use of clean fuel vehicles.

Les Hoel of University of Virginia seems to be leading the research.

Tom Fahrney of VDOT seems to be leading the roads.

Kenny Klinge of CTB seems to be leading on policy.

Each Supervisor is leading their own little fiefdom.

But where is the common target? The common target as seen by a commuter?

Has anyone drawn a bullseye that ALL the transportation players can shoot at?

I propose as a bullseye the free flow of ALL lanes of Shirley Hihgway.

What does that mean, free flow? It means 1,500 to 1,800 vehicles per lane per hour maximum at any time.

How do you get 2,400 to 3,000 people per lane per hour in only 1,500 to 1,800 vehicles per lane per hour? You do the math and tell me.

The hard part is getting passengers. What does it take to get passengers? As a slug can you recruit one new slug passenger per week? Don't count on someone else, recruit now. It is easier than you think.

As a slug, you may not be part of the water cooler discussion of how bad traffic was this morning. Say no more than "Slug lines moved quickly and I napped on the way in." Refer any questions to slug-lines.com.

dickboyd@aol.com