PUBLIC "-//Arlington Public Library::Center for Local History//TEXT (US::ViAr::ViAr00379::A Guide to the Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) Records, 1958-2001)//EN" "ViAr00379.xml" A Guide to the Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) Records, 1958-2001 RG 379 Heather Crocetto Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History © 2003 Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word, created by Gregory Pierce, 2 October 2020 Description is in English A Guide to the Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) Records, 1958-2001 A Collection in Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History RG 379

Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History 2003 Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Descriptive Summary Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) Records, 1958-2001 RG 379 18 boxes. English Arlington Coalition on Transportation Administrative Information Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT) Records, Collection # RG 379, Arlington Public Library, Center for Local History

Acquisition Information

Gift of James Govan in 2000.

Historical Information

Although not completed until 1982, Interstate 66 (I-66) was part of the 1941 Arlington County Master Plan. The construction plans for I-66 moved forward following President Eisenhower's signing of the 1956 National Defense and Interstate Highway Act. The Act committed the federal government to paying for 90% of highway construction costs. The Virginia Department of Highways (VDH) proposed I-66 to run west from Washington D.C. to the Shenandoah Valley. On September 27, 1958, the Arlington County Board held a public hearing to gather information from citizens about I-66. Many in the audience were opposed to I-66. VDH held its own public hearing in October and heard much of the same opposition. The Arlington County Board, after reading the report from the Citizens Advisory Committee, who they appointed to investigate the I-66 plans, decided they did not have the power to halt construction of I-66 and could only hope to have some say in the route chosen to run through Arlington. On November 8, 1958, the Arlington County Board approved the construction of I-66.

Although approved in 1958, VDH was not in a position to build I-66 and anticipated completion by 1969 or 1970. Delays included difficulties in METRO funding and legal challenges including the National Park Service's opposition to the Three Sisters Bridge. The bridge was to serve as a link from I-66 to the District of Columbia. The National Park Service believed the bridge would endanger the nature preserve on Theodore Roosevelt Island. These delays slowed the project down so that the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act had an impact. This act required applicants to develop Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) before receiving federal funds.

The western part of I-66 was completed in 1970. VDH put the remaining construction of I-66 on a fast track hoping to complete it by 1973 or 1974. The State of Virginia held another public hearing. The hearing on September 29, 1970, was contentious and many citizens did not feel that VDH fairly addressed their concerns. These citizens met in October to form the Arlington Coalition on Transportation (ACT), led by James and Emilia Govan. ACT filed a lawsuit to stop construction until an EIS had been completed as required in the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act. The U.S. District Court granted the injunction.

At the time of the injunction opposition had begun to galvanize against I-66. In 1974 the Environmental Protection Agency issued an analysis of the EIS calling the I-66 plans environmentally unsatisfactory. The Transportation Planning Board of the Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG) removed the plan for the completion of I-66 from the regional highway plan.

The Virginia Highway Commission, however, remained committed and voted to complete the eight-lane highway. Following this vote the plan was sent to Transportation Secretary William Coleman and the Federal Highway Administration. In 1975, after holding his own public meeting to gather information, Coleman issued a report that did not approve the completion of I-66. He cited new environmental legislation and local opposition as reasons for his rejection.

The Virginia Highway Commission continued to work for I-66 and in March 1976 submitted a new proposal for a four-lane highway with no heavy truck traffic and an HOV restriction during rush hour. Although Arlington remained opposed, many jurisdictions in the area started to move towards approval. In July 1976, COG restored I-66 to the regional road map. In 1976, Secretary Coleman approved of the revised plan. In 1977, the US District Court that had originally issued the construction injunction dissolved it and construction began in August. The section of I-66 that went through Arlington opened in December 1982.

Scope and Content

RG 379, Arlington Coalition on Transportation Papers, covers the time period from 1958 through 2001, but the bulk dates are 1970 through 1977. The collection is nine linear feet. This collection consists of the work done by ACT as they fought against the construction of I-66 and the accompanying road projects such as I-266. The material includes ACT administrative materials, correspondence, scripts for testimonies at public hearings, reports on technical aspects such as noise control, newsletters, and newspaper articles. There are also photographs of the I-66 right-of-way, and maps and blueprints of the proposed path of the highway and of buildings affected by its construction. Series 10, File 51, has ten colored sketches depicting ACT proposals for the I-66 right-of-way. These sketches are ink on board, and are done by local resident Rudy Wendelin, who was the original illustrator of Smokey the Bear. There are an additional four black and white sketches in Series 12, File 9.

Arrangement

The first nine series of RG 379 are arranged by year as donated. Within the series the folders are arranged by type of material and within the folders the material is arranged chronologically. Series 10, Subject Files, consists of folders that were labeled by the donor and covered more than one year or did not have dates. All folder titles in this series were created by the donor. Series 11, Reports, consists of reports produced by ACT or received by ACT.

There are several photographs throughout this collection, mostly of I-66 right-of-way shots (images of land before I-66 was built). There are also scattered oversized materials that have been rehoused. Any folder that contains photographs has an asterisk (*) after the folder title. Folders with oversized materials have a double asterisk [**] to denote where material was removed and separation sheets added. One photograph in Series 10, File 45 is oversized.

Adjunct Descriptive Data Related Material

Other collections dealing with the construction of I-66 are RG 43, Interstate 66, and RG 380, Potter I-66 Materials.

Index Terms Subjects: Interstate 66 (Va. and Washington, D.C.) Arlington Coalition on Transportation Arlington (Va.) Arlington County (Va.) Contents List 1970 Correspondence and Memorandum, October - December 1970 1 DC Freeways, 1970 1 Documents Including Petition, 1970 1 Document Including Correspondence 1970 1 Fact Sheets, 1970 1 Flyers, 1970 1 Ideas to Fight I-66 and Preparation for Public Hearings, 1970 1 Members List: Arlington County Board, Arlington County Civic Federation, 1970 1 Minutes, Arlington County Planning Commission, September 8, September 21, 1970 1 Newspaper Articles, October - December 1970 1 Petitions (blank), 1970 1 Press Releases, September - December 1970 1 Resolution, Arlington County Board, February 26, 1970 1 Statements and Testimony at Hearings, September - October 1970 1 Statements at Hearings, November - December 1970 1 Statement, Photographs, and Documents re: Right-of-Way, Bright Springman*, 1970 1 Citizen-written Statements Submitted to VDOT Following December Hearing, 1970 2 1971 Agendas, January, February, and September: Arlington County Board, State Highway Commission, 1971 2 Congressional Record, 1971 2 Construction and Maintenance, 1971 2 Correspondence, January - April 1971 2 Correspondence, May - December 1971 2 Court Decision on I-266, Three Sisters Bridge, 1971 2 Environmental Impact Statement Draft Section 4(f), November 9, 1971 2 Environmental Impact Statement Notebook, 1971 2 Flyers, 1971 2 Housing, November 1971 2 Leadership Conference "Together," Yorktown High School Student Council Association, March 1971 2 Metro, 1971 2 Newspaper Articles, August 1971 (not inclusive) 2 Press Releases, December 1971 (not inclusive) 2 Research Efforts by ACT 1971 3 Resolutions Arlington County Board, January - September 1971 (not inclusive) 3 Statements, Citizens-Counter and EIS Highway I-66 Arlington and Fairfax, 1971 3 Statements and Testimony at Hearings*, 1971 3 Traffic, 1971 3 1972 Agenda ACT Technical Advisory Committee, 1972 3 Conferences, 1972 3 Correspondence, 1972 3 Flyers, 1972 3 Documents Related to Selecting HNTB (Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff consulting firm) for the I-66 Study, 1972 3 Newsletter from Congressman Joel T. Broyhill, 1972 3 Newspaper Articles, January - August 1972 3 Newspaper Articles, September - December 1972 3 Press Releases, April - December 1972 (not inclusive) 3 Resolution, Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, 1972 3 Statements: Remarks and Hearing Meetings, 1972 3 Workshops, "Community Participation" (1), 1972 3 Workshops, "Community Participation" (2), 1972 4 1973 Agendas, Public Hearings/Community Workshops, June, August, and December 1973 4 Arlington County Board, 1973 4 Comments on the EIS Draft, December 30, 1973 4 Congressional Record, 1973 4 Correspondence*, 1973 4 Exhibit at American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1973 4 Federal Register, November 16, 1973 4 Flyers, 1973 4 Issue: Air and Noise, 1973 4 Minutes, ACT Technical Advisory Committee, 1973 4 News Conference, WTOP Radio, December 23, 1973 4 Newspaper Articles, 1973 4 Press Releases, March, November - December 1973 4 I-695 and I-66 Connects Under the Lincoln Memorial*, 1973 4 Resolutions, 1973 4 Statements and Testimony at Hearings, January - December 13, 1973 4 Statements and Testimony at Hearings, December 17-31, 1973 5 Survey, 1973 5 Transit Alternate Recommendations from County Manager's Office, 1973 5 Workshops, 1973 5 1974 Correspondence, January - November 1974 5 Federal Register, March, September 1974 5 Final Recommendations of HNTB, 1974 5 History and Chronology, 1974 5 I-66 Front Royal to Gainesville**, 1974 5 Meetings - Northern Virginia Planning District Commission January 31, Arlington County Board January 12, HRB Committee, 1974 5 Minutes of Transportation Planning Board Meetings, December 1973 - May 1974 5 Minutes of September Council of Governments I-66 Meeting 1974 5 Newspaper Articles, 1974 5 Notes on HTNB Final Recommendations on I-66 1974 5 Press Releases, February - September 1974 5 Resolutions, 1974 5 1975 ACT Briefing Paper 1975 5 ACT Comments, Response to Coleman Hearing Requests: Congestion to TR Bridge if I-66 Built, Access to Dulles Airport Without I-66, Transit Option Really Will Be Used? 1975 5 ACT Comments: FHWA Summary Evaluation and Recommendation, Final EIS, April 30, 1975 5 ACT Comments: McLean Proposal for Restricted Use of I-66, May 12, 1975 5 ACT Comments: Use of I-66 Corridor, November 1975 6 Agenda, Public Hearings and Statement by James Govan, June 21, 1975 6 Alternate Transportation Proposals for I-66 and Dulles, September 8, 1975 6 Arlington County Board Session, April 22, 1975 6 Coleman Decision, 1975 6 Coleman Public Hearing, June 21, 1975 6 Correspondence, 1975 6 Deneker Memo to Marshall/Holland re: I-66 Right-of-Way, October 27, 1975 6 Deneker Memo to Marshall/Holland/Purdy on METRO Capacity, October 30, 1975 6 Fact Sheet, U. S. Department of Transportation, 1975 6 Federal Register, February, April, June 1975 6 FHWA Summary, Evaluation, Final Recommendation on EIS, 1975 6 Flyer, 1975 6 Newspaper Articles, 1975 6 NVTC I-66 Busway, October 31, 1975 6 Post-Decision Crisis: Godwin Request to Coleman for Reconsideration, September 16, 1975 6 Press Releases, 1975 6 Statements to Secretary Coleman, 1975 6 Statement at Public Hearing, June 21, 1975 6 1976 ACT Comments of October 15 on Four-Lane EIS and Follow-Up Letter to Coleman, November 4, 1976 6 ACT Comments on I-66 Carpool and Busway and Four-Lane Restricted Access, 1976 6 ACT Comments: I-66 "Compromise Proposals," January 12, 1976 6 ACT Letters to Members, January - September 1976 6 ACT Newsletter to DC Citizens RE: Transportation Planning Board (TPB) Session, July 30, 1976 6 ACT News Release re: Shirley Highway Inflated Estimates, October 2, 1976 6 Agenda for Public Hearings, July, October 1976 6 Agency and Public Official Comments re: Final Four-Lane EIS (Coleman Hearing, October 2, 1976) 6 Arlington County Board Hearing on Four-Lane I-66, 1976 6 Arlington County Board Response and Inquiries (Public Officials), July 1976 7 Coleman Hearing on Four-Lane I-66, October 2, 1976 7 Coleman Hearing Notice, Speakers, and Agenda, 1976 7 Coleman Press Release on Four-Lane I-66, 1976 7 Comments of National Capital Interstate Air Quality Planning Committee on Four-Lane EIS, July 9, 1976 7 I-66 Four-Lane Proposal Comments by Robert Sansom 1976 7 Correspondence and Memorandum 1976 7 EPA Letter of Godwin re: National Ambient Air Quality Standards, July 1, 1976 7 Federal Register, September 29, 1976 7 Four-Lane Environmental Evaluation, March 1976 7 Hulme Memo on I-66 ROW and ACT Comments, January 9, 1976 7 Mary Marshall "Report from Richmond," 1976 7 Meeting Committee of 100, May 12, 1976 7 Newspaper Articles, 1976 7 Press Releases, 1976 7 Resolutions, 1976 7 Statements and Remarks, October 2, 1976 7 Statements and Remarks, October 13 - November 1976 7 Transportation Planning Board, Miscellaneous Materials, July 30, 1976 7 VDH July 10 Design Hearing Illegal Act News Release, June 18, 1976 7 VDH Public Hearing on Four-Lane EIS, July 10-11, 1976 7 1977 ACT Brochure, 1977 7 ACT Letter to Environmental Groups, March 10, 1977 7 ACT Walk-Along-the-Right-of-Way, July 31, 1977 7 Coleman Decision on Four-Lane I-66, January 5, 1977 7 Comments - Mayor Walter Washington and Councilman Jerry Moore, 1977 7 Correspondence, September, 1977 7 Correspondence, ACT to Members, January - October 1977 7 Correspondence, Dalton, 1977 7 Correspondence, Martha Penino, Letter of Solicitation on Fairfax Board of Supervisors Stationary, 1977 7 JHK Associates Traffic Management Plan for I-66, 1977 7 K-Line Alternatives Comments, November 9, 1977 8 Minutes, ACT Executive Committee and Genearl Membership, January, February; Committee of 100 on the Federal City, March 1977 8 Newspaper Articles, 1977 8 Press Releases, January - March 1977 8 Statements and Remarks, 1977 8 1978 Congressinoal Record, House, June 9, 1978 8 Correspondence, ACT Letters to Members, February - March 1978 8 Correspondence, February - October 1978 8 Newspaper Articles, October - November 1978 8 Subject Files ACT and Mr. Simonds VDOT Environmental Contractor, January 1971 - January 1972 8 ACT Newsletters, 1970-1976 8 ACT Member Appearances, 1971-1973 8 ACT Brochure 8 ACT Directory of Organization Contacts A-K 8 ACT Directory of Organization Contacts L-Y 8 ACT Materials 8 Brochures, Virginia Department of Highway 8 Bumper Stickers, Pro I-66 8 Bumper Stickers Against I-66 8 Buttons Against I-66 8 Candidates Questionnaires, 1972-1977 8 Citizen Participation, 1971-1974 , n.d. 8 Citizen Participation, 1972-1973 8 Council of Governments (COG), ACT I-66 Statements, Research COG Action, 1970-1971 8 COG Review Comments on I-66 EIS Draft, 1973-1974 8 Code of Virginia (various pages), n.d. 8 Correspondence, n.d. 8 Council on Environmental Quality Comments on EIS Draft, 1973-1974 8 Development Research Associates, n.d. 8 Docuements, Various, 1958-1969, 1985 9 Environmental Impact Statement Portion from Notebooks [1] 9 Environmental Impact Statement Portion from Notebooks [2] 9 Environmental Impact Statement Portion from Notebooks [3] 9 Environmental Planning and Design (EPD) and HNTB, n.d. 9 EIS, Miscellaneous Portions 9 EIS, Other Agency Comments and Correspondence, 1971-1972 9 Fact Sheets, n.d. 9 Fiscal Year Funds, 1972-1973 9 Fort Strong, 1972-1973 9 History, n.d. 9 I-26, 1970-1971 9 Issue - Metro, 1971-1973 9 Issue - Noise, 1970-1971 10 Issue - Noise "Proposal to Ease Noise Impact of I-66," 1970-1971 10 Magazine Articles, 1972-1975, 2001 ** 10 Newsletters, Various Organizations, 1970-1977 10 Newsletters, "The I-66 Question," October 1972 - November 1973 10 Newspaper Articles, 1968, 1970-1971 10 Newspaper Articles, n.d. 10 Opinions About I-66, Various Organizations, 1970-1971 , n.d. 10 Other Highway Groups - Texas, Wisconsin, 1975-1977 ** 10 Other Organizations Involved in I-66, n.d. 10 Petitions (photocopied), n.d. 10 Photographs, I-66 Right-of-Way, n.d.* 10 Press Releases, n.d. 10 Proposed Alternative Uses of I-66 Right-of-Way, n.d. 10 Resolutions 10 Revenue Loss Estimates for Arlington County Due to Land Acquisition for I-66 10 Schools and I-66, 1970-1971 ** 10 Sketches by Rudolph Wendelin, n.d. 10 Spout Run, Three Sisters Bridge, and I-66, 1966-1973 10 Spout Run, n.d. 10 Statements and Comments, n.d. 11 Technical Information re: "Generated Traffic," n.d. 11 Toll Road Proposal I-66, 1974-1975 11 Transportation Planning Board Meeting, Feb & May 11 White House Administration, 1976-1977 11 WTOP editorials, 1970-1972, 1973, 1975 11 Reports Alphabetical Order Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Abandonment of Entire Line in Virginia, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, August 14, 1965; April 25, 1966; July 12, 1966 11 Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Abandonment of Entire Line of Virginia Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, December 30, 1966 11 Summary the Regional Development Guide, 1966-2000 , National Capital Regional Planning Council 11 Proposed Regional Rapid Rail Transit Plan and Program, December 1967; System Planning Technical Report No. 1, December 1967 , Washington Metropolitcan Area Transit Authority 11 Environmental Analysis Findings for Proposed I-66 Highway Through Arlington County, December 4, 1970 (and other reports), Envoronmental Systems Laboratory Study Done for ACT 11 Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital, National Capital Planning Commission, 1967, 1970-1985 11 Wildlife and Plants of the Fairfax County I-66 Right-of-Way and Adjacent Lands by Eric Nasar, 1971 12 Various Reports, 1971 12 Alternatives to I-66, December 1971 (and supporting documents) 12 Citizens' Counter-Statement EIS I-66 ACT, December 1971 12 Proposed Work Program I-66, Transportation Alternates Study HNTB, Virginia Department of Highways, July 1972 12 Report to Congress on Section 109(h) Title 23 United States Code, Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, June 1972; Report on Proposed Bus Acquisition and Operation by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, August 1, 1972 12 Noise Impact Technical Supplement to the I-66 draft EIS Report, Environmental Systems Laboratory, November 12, 1973 12 Engineering Report: I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study Prepared by Virginia Department of Highways and US Dept. of Transportation, November November 1973 12 Comments on I-66 EIS ACT, December 31, 1973 12 Primer on Environmental Impact Statements by Ronald Barbaro and Frank L. Cross Jr., 1973 12 Draft EIS Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority in Cooperation with the US Department of Transportation, February 1973 13 I-595 Location and Design Study Report, Draft EIS Administrative Action for I-595 Arlington County, Virginia Department of Highways, May 1973 13 Selected Findings, Northern Virginia Survey of Attitudes on Transportation Issues and Alternatives and Supporting Documents, Community Workshop #3, March 1973 13 I-66 Transportation Alternates Study, Phase II Goals, Objectives, and Evaluation Criteria, Working Papers No. 1, 2, 3, 1973 13 I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study, Inventory Report for the Virginia Department of Highways by HNTB, January 1973 13 I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study, Phase II Evaluation Criteria, April 1973; I-66 Transportation Alternates Study, Phase III Identification of Alternatives, May 1973 , Virginia Department of Highways 13 I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study, Review Summary, Study Evaluation, and Recommendation, HNTB, February 1974 13 Arlington County Growth Patterns Profile, May 1974 13 I-66 Corridor Supplemental Environmental Evaluation for Six-Lane Rd. Design, November 1974; I-66 Corridor Environmental Evaluation for a Four-Lane Road Design, Virginia Department of Highways 14 Arlington County Growth Patterns, Transit Station Impact Analysis, Growth Patterns Committee, December 1974 14 Various Reports and Supporting Documents, 1974 14 1976 Reports 14 Secretary's Decision on Interstate Highway I-66, Fairfax and Arlington Counties, January 5, 1977 14 I-66 Materials, ACT, January 1977 14 Various ACT comments on I-66, n.d. [1] 14 Various ACT comments on I-66, n.d. [2] 15 VA I-66 Arlington and Fairfax Counties EIS and Section 4(f) Report, FHWA Summary Evaluation and Recommendation with Handwritten Notes, n.d. 15 "An Evaluation of the Impacts Resulting form the Operation of Motor Vehicles on I-66 and I-266 in Arlington, Virginia," by Edward D. Studholme, n.d. 15 Blueprints, Maps, and Documents Blueprints and Maps 16 Base map I-66, I-266 Project Drawing (2) Work-flow Diagram I-66 Corridor Location Study for VDH Blueprint I-66 Rosslyn Blueprint Schools, Hospital and Recreation Area Location Map Arlington Freeway and Parkway Routes I-66 Protest March Route and 1971 Earth Fair, April 18 I-66 and I-266 at Spout Run Park Mapped November 1970 - March 1971 16 Base Map VHD I-66 and I-266 Construction Plan Summary of Comparison of Alternative Systems District of Columbia Interstate System 1971 Design Hearing Information 16 Display Items (1)* 16 Display Items (2)* 16 Display Items (3) 16 Display Items (4)* 16 Photograph of Battleship Missouri 16 Sketches 16 OVERSIZE BOX 1 I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study Preliminary Engineering Report, November 1973 I-66 Corridor Transportation Alternates Study, Draft Environmental/Section 4(f) Statement OVERSIZE BOX 2 Proposed Four Lane Multi-Modal Concept Final Supplemental EIS, Section 4(f), December 1976 (two copies)