|
|
| News & Events |
Wells + Associates periodically highlights announcements, press releases, and articles.
On This Page:
|
Local Traffic Engineers Participate in National Bike to Work Day
MAY 12, 2009; MCLEAN, VA. While most people presume traffic engineers only think about cars, that’s only one of many aspects of the profession. Wells + Associates, a nationally recognized traffic engineering and transportation planning firm based in McLean, is taking an active role in reducing traffic congestion by  promoting and participating in National Bike to Work Day (BTWD) on Friday, May 15. The firm is a sponsor of the BTWD Alexandria pit stop located at Market Square at Alexandria City Hall (301 King Street). Representatives will be on hand to give out free water bottles and information from 6:30 to 8:30 am. BTWD is sponsored locally by the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (www.waba.org), which expects thousands of people to participate in this major event.
"The DC metro area is ranked one of the top five most congested cities in the nation," said Wells + Associates President Marty Wells. "If we want to find solutions to our traffic congestion problem, we need to explore a wide range of transportation alte rnatives, including walking or biking to work. Each of us can contribute to congestion relief by biking to work."
Wells + Associates is well known for its work in cities across the nation and Metropolitan Washington. The company has prepared nearly 200 traffic, transit, pedestrian, bike, and parking studies within a half mile of Metrorail transit stations.
To build awareness and excitement for BTWD, Wells + Associates representatives will also participate in an event at Tysons Corner Center on Thursday, May 14, from 11 am to 1 pm. Sponsored by AccessTysons, the event will feature bike tune ups, giveaways, and information for biking in the Tysons area.
Wells + Associates (www.mjwells.com) is a nationally recognized firm based in McLean. The company prepares traffic, parking, transit, pedestrian, and bicycle studies for development projects throughout the area and encourages its employees to use alternate means of transportation to reduce traffic congestion and commuting costs.
# # #
Note to editors: Wells + Associates President Marty Wells is available for media interviews by contacting Maria Lashinger at the numbers above. |
| TOP |
Chapter 527 - New VDOT Traffic Impact Guideline and Regulations
The Virginia General Assembly unanimously approved legislation (Senate Bill 699, Chapter 527 of the 2006 Acts of Assembly) to enhance the coordination of land use and transportation planning. To that end, Governor Kaine recently announced a formalized role for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in reviewing the traffic impact of local land use proposals (http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/chapter527/527release.pdf). The Governor’s plans included the adoption of a new set of Traffic Impact Study Guidelines, administered by VDOT, which will be implemented in a phased approach statewide starting July 1, 2007. These guidelines and regulations will affect comprehensive plans, amendments to comprehensive plans, rezoning proposals, subdivision plats, site plans, and other plans of development. We anticipate these new standards will significantly affect the design, building, and development industries throughout the state and within incorporated towns and cities.
Wells + Associates, Inc. (W+A) (www.mjwells.com) attended virtually all of the information sessions recently conducted by VDOT in the Salem, Richmond, and Northern Virginia Districts. The information disseminated at these various meetings was consistent. VDOT emphasized the transparency, regionalism, and uniformity of information regarding the traffic impacts of proposed land use decisions to local decision makers and citizens. VDOT submission requirements, timelines and the review process were discussed at length.
The basic elements of the new guidelines generally follow those outlined in the Land Development Manual. However, the new regulations are much more stringent and require the submission of detailed traffic data and analyses related to existing and proposed transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities. It may also require a discussion and analysis of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures, if proposed. Some of these areas are not currently required in the preparation of a standard traffic impact study. Additionally, an initial application fee of up to $1,000 will be imposed by VDOT for the review of the study and additional fees for subsequent submissions.
The new standards will further provide public agencies with the ability to limit or deny land use applications or seek expanded proffered commitments. The application of these standards to land use applications will likely result in the need for additional infrastructure improvements in order to satisfy level of service criteria for vehicle, pedestrian, transit, and bike facilities.
W+A has prepared many of these types of studies locally and nationally and is familiar with the complexity of the analysis assumptions, procedures, methodologies, and techniques required.
In summary, the newly adopted Chapter 527 legislation will add significant time and costs to the preparation of a traffic impact study, and will likely require additional infrastructure improvements to meet the new criteria and get project approval.
The new regulations can be reviewed at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/chapter527. |
| TOP |
Wells + Associates is now an Employee-Owned Company
On April 11, 2007, Martin J. Wells, President, and Terence J. Miller sold their stock in Wells + Associates to the Wells + Associates Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Messrs. Wells and Miller will continue to serve as President and Vice President, respectively, of Wells + Associates, Inc. Mr. Wells, Mr. Miller, and John Carmen, former President and CEO of Rodgers Consulting, Germantown, Maryland, will serve on the Board of Directors of the new company.
"Terry and I are thrilled with the successful transfer of ownership to our valuable employees. This will ensure that our company continues to grow and excel for many years to come. This is a real Win-Win situation", said Mr. Wells.
Merri Ash, Vice President, First Bankers Trust Services, Inc., represented Wells + Associates employees in this transaction. "The ESOP enables employees to share in the growth and prosperity of the company and provide for a secure retirement," said Ms. Ash. |
| TOP |
|
