SENATE OF VIRGINIA 4. CHAPMAN PETERSEN January 21, 2016 Secretary Aubrey Layne Patrick Henry Building, 3" Floor 1111 Bast Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 Re: 1-66 Improvements Inside the Beltway Dear Secretary Layne: “Thank you for taking the time to meet with Northern Virginia legislators regarding the 1-66 corridor and related issues. As you know, many of us who represent Northern Virginia have strong reservations about creating a toll facility (even during peak hours) on what is an existing highway, ie, 166 inside the Beltway (“I-66 ITB”). That outcome is a break from our public policy that tolls should only be used to pay for construction of new highways or transit options. From your briefing, we understand tat simply widening 1-66 ITB with two additional travel lanes from Mile 67 (West Falls Church) to Mile 71 (Ballston) would be $122 million. To put that in perspective, the widening of Stringfellow Road in Fairfax County —a purely local project although a weleome one ~ cost $60 million to complete. The regional impact of “the four mile widening” on I-66 ITB is far greater, Indeed, there is probably not a more critical stretch of pavement in Virginia in terms of alleviating regional congestion. Implementing the “four mile widening” would provide immediate relief by easing the bottleneck which exists where the Dulles Toll Road joins 66 ITB near West Falls Church metro station. It would also demonstrate to our constituents and other drivers that VDOT is, actually trying to improve their travel experience, not just soaking them for increased toll dollars. In summary, we strongly suggest that VDOT modify its plans for 1-66 ITB to require the construction of “the four mile widening” before it establishes toll Ianes inside the Beltway. The easiest way to do that is to enact legislation in 2016 which requires VDOT to widen the highway before it enacts tolls and limits the toll revenue to building and maintaining these new lanes. Deferring the “four mile widening” (or making it conditional to other events) would essentially punt the issue and leave northern Virginians with a toll road where a free facility once existed. ‘That is not acceptable. ‘Thank you again for your cooperation on this key issue. Eonifer T. Wexion natoyeremy McPike