It may not have been scenic, but it was intended to make a point. As Jerry Kilgore, Virginia’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, stood above I-66, he sold a plan he hopes will sway enough Northern Virginia voters to pull in his favor come the November 8 election — the addition of two lanes to I-66 from the Beltway into the District.

With Democratic candidate Tim Kaine leading Kilgore in both Northern Virginia and the state at large, many saw the plan as a last minute attempt to appeal to Northern Virginia commuters’ most consistent headache — lines of traffic coming in and out of the District during rush hours. But is the addition of the lanes — one each on either side of the highway — a long overdue means to address the region’s infamous traffic? Or is it at best a half-measure that will put off more serious planning on transportation alternatives until the next election?

Kilgore’s plan may well swing some voters to his side. After all, the addition of lanes to I-66 appeals to a typically American approach to many transportation problems — just make it bigger. In fact, two powerful area Republicans in Congress — Rep. Tom Davis and Rep. Frank Wolf — secured $27.6 million in federal funds this year for the expansion. Kilgore’s proposal faces significant limiting factors, though, notably neighbors skeptical of the additional noise and pollution the expansion could cause and development advocates that fear that those additional lanes would throw off the delicate balance that the region must maintain between transit options, traffic, and the environment. Kaine seems partial to this line of thinking, writing on his campaign website:

Better planning will help us choose the right road and transit projects to support future growth, make better use of existing transportation infrastructure, strengthen existing neighborhoods and protect open spaces.

The issue of transportation is fully up for grabs, with 52 percent of potential voters agreeing with Kilgore’s stance on those issues and 57 percent agreeing with Kaine’s approach. Then again, transportation ranks fifth in the issues of importance to Virginia voters — coming in behind education, the state budget, taxes, and job creation — indicating that it may play a relatively minor role in which way the election goes.

But given the anger drivers feel when faced with long on-road delays, how might Kilgore’s proposal affect the outcome of the election in Northern Virginia? Will frustrated Fairfax County voters overwhelm cautious Arlingtonians and vote Republican, or will Kaine maintain a slim lead by encouraging alternative plans? Do DCist readers want to see I-66 widened for the sake of the flow of traffic, or should regional planners employ more creative schemes blending public transit and car-pooling incentives?