Kaine to tackle growth

Enlightening story from the Washington Post this morning.

In his first policy address to the General Assembly, the new governor will urge passage of a law that gives local governments the right to halt housing construction if roads are not adequate.

Kaine also will acknowledge the need for more money to build wider highways, buy more buses and trains and erect bridges. But he will not suggest an increase in gas or sales taxes or offer specific legislation that details how he thinks the state should raise the new funds …

“I am proposing initiatives that better link land use and transportation decisions so that uncoordinated development doesn’t overwhelm our roads and infrastructure,” Kaine says …

One would require developers to submit a standardized traffic impact statement whenever they request a rezoning. That would give the Virginia Department of Transportation and localities the ability to monitor the cumulative impact of development across the state.

A second proposal would strengthen the state’s office of intermodalism, which is responsible for ensuring that people and goods can make connections between ports, airports, roads and rail lines. The office would get more resources and more accountability, the adviser said.

Kaine also will promise to convene a bipartisan commission to set measurable goals for spending on transportation “so that we invest in the most critical projects first, ensure that the traveling public gets the most for their money, and holds elected leadership — you and I — accountable for the performance of our transportation network.”

More bureaucracy, more hoops and no clear roadmap (pun intended) of how to pay for these goals. The ends may be worthy and commendable, but the methods do not seem to promote efficiency and efficacy. It will be interesting to see how these initiatives impact our region. The full article is here as well.