Board patches up transportation funding

By Kali Schumitz

Although a Virginia Supreme Court ruling eliminated the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's ability to collect taxes and fees for transportation earlier this year, one local portion of last year's state transportation bill remains intact.

In July, Fairfax County will begin charging an additional real estate tax of 12 cents per $100 of assessed value on commercial and industrial properties to fund transportation. The new tax is estimated to bring in about $52 million per year.

Using this revenue and economic development bonds, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to fund $206.3 million in transportation projects over the next three years, attempting to preserve some of the local projects that were set to get NVTA money, although almost none are funded at the original level.

The list includes:

• $38.9 million in improvements to Springfield-area roads to accommodate base realignment

• $8 million to widen Route 7 in the western end of the county

• $7.8 million to widen Route 29 between Centreville and Fairfax

• $69.5 million in transit improvements

• $8 million for the interchange at Fairfax County Parkway and Fair Lakes Parkway

• $5.25 million for pedestrian and bicycle facilities

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