On Sept. 18, 2009, three Green Party members–John Reeder, Josh Ruebner and Audrey Clements, filed a lawsuit against the widening of I-66 highway in Arlington in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. The suit seeks a court order to halt the Va. Department of Transportation from beginning construction of a third west-bound lane on I-66 that would go for about 2 miles in Arlington from Fairfax Drive to Sycamore Street (East Falls Church).

The Greens contend that adding a third lane to I-66 in Arlington would violate the Coleman decision from the late 1970s that permitted the original construction of I-66 in Arlington subject to a number of environmental restrictions, including a ban on widening I-66 from two lanes wide in each direction. The suit also contends that VDOT violated federal law by not conducting an environmental assessment of such highway construction.

This case is a pro se case, and Greens are seeking more individual citizens to join the lawsuit. For more information, email John Reeder at info@reeder4arlington.org