To the Editor:
I've lived in the Route 1 corridor for 33 years. It is in desperate need of revitalization and has been neglected by the Board of Supervisors for decades while they favored development in the western areas of Fairfax County. We all know that metro rail is the game changer that will spur new growth and economic development needed to both revitalize this corridor and to increase the revenues to pay for thus far unfunded infrastructure needs for modern storm water systems, stream restoration, sidewalks, bike trails, parks, and a host of community assets known to communities elsewhere in Fairfax County but lacking in many of the neighborhoods adjoining Route 1.
It is outrageous that this area of the county continues to be treated like the unwanted step child by the Board of Supervisors, county agencies and departments. This older developed part of the county has antiquated and failing infrastructure that has rendered our watersheds the most degraded in all of Fairfax County. Fairfax leaders seemingly direct to the Route 1 corridor a poverty culture mentality that perpetuates the highest concentration of people in need of social services and assistance. The Route 1 commercial areas continues to evolve into a mish mash of poverty-based retail and predatory businesses that thrive on the misfortunes of economically challenged citizens.
Nearby, across the river, the National Harbor development along with the now under construction casino will draw thousands of visitors daily through this area and other nearby locations. Alexandria city has begun planning ways by which they can increase accommodations and attractions to expand commerce from this projected influx of visitors to the area. Fairfax County has done absolutely nothing in this regard unless you consider permitting an abundance of car title and quick cash loan businesses on Route 1 to meet the need for fast money to the casino gamblers a plan. This kind of abject neglect is testimony to the ever-present negative attitude towards this section of the county originating from Fairfax County officials. All of the surveys and voices from the citizens in this area overwhelmingly support metro rail extension yet the plan presented does not respond to what the citizens want but rather the plan that the county officials want representing their persistent negative attitude regarding the Route 1 corridor.
The citizens have had three scripted presentations over the past 9 months where the people doing the proposed plan have heard consistently the call for extending metro and the outcome is a recommendation that puts metro dead last in their timeline with no guarantee that it will ever come. The citizens will hear from Fairfax County that they were given a voice in the process and now the officials that know what is best will make the final decisions on these recommendations.
The plan recommendations as I view them suggests to local citizens that Fairfax County officials have had a heavy hand in this process steering the way to the outcomes they desire and then adding insult by cynically telling citizens thanks for your input and engagement. This is not representative democracy but rather an economically prejudiced ineptocracy in what is supposed to be one of the wealthiest and best managed counties of the nation. They were voted into office and given agency and department appointments to find workable solutions to problems and issues for all citizens and areas of the county. Their mandate is not to only support select areas of Fairfax County they deem worthy of their love and financial largess but rather to engage all areas of the county in a fair, meaningful, respectful and constructive way. It is high time that Fairfax County show the citizens along the Route 1 corridor some of that same love and money they so willingly bestow elsewhere in the county. As it stands for right now, the key priorities essential to revitalization, a better environment, economic growth, improved infrastructure and improved communities on Route 1 gets kicked down the road yet again.
Martin Tillett
Mount Vernon