Purpose
The Editorial Guide helps keep TranspoFairfax clear, consistent, accurate, and useful
as the site grows and more contributors participate.
Writing Standards
- Use plain language whenever possible.
- Explain acronyms on first use.
- Keep summaries factual and concise.
- Separate confirmed facts from community observations.
- Link related projects, communities, corridors, and resources.
- Include update dates where possible.
Project Page Structure
- Quick Summary
- Project Type
- Location
- Lead Agencies
- Current Status
- Purpose & Need
- Project Description
- Community Impacts
- Benefits
- Concerns / Issues to Monitor
- Related Projects
- References & Links
- Last Updated
Status Language
| Status | Use When |
|---|
| Planning / Study | A project is being evaluated, scoped, or reviewed. |
| Design / Funded | A project has funding or is moving through engineering and design. |
| Construction | Field work or construction activity is underway. |
| Complete | The project or improvement is finished and operational. |
| Monitoring / Operations | The topic is an ongoing issue, concern, or operations matter. |
| Archived | The page is preserved mainly for historical reference. |
Plain-Language Guidelines
- Prefer “road widening” over “capacity enhancement” unless the technical term is needed.
- Prefer “construction may affect traffic” over “temporary maintenance of traffic impacts.”
- Use short paragraphs.
- Use bullet lists for project elements, benefits, and concerns.
- Define technical terms or link to the glossary.
Source Standards
When possible, information should be supported by:
- Agency project pages
- Public meeting presentations
- Official reports
- Funding documents
- Maps or exhibits
- Committee notes
- Archived public materials
Update Procedures
- Identify the source of the update.
- Revise the project or resource page.
- Update related community, corridor, or category links if needed.
- Add important changes to the Project Change Log.
- Preserve older context when it remains useful.
Naming Conventions
- Use clear, descriptive page titles.
- Use lowercase filenames with hyphens.
- Avoid spaces in filenames.
- Use consistent names across links and headings.
- Prefer recognizable community or corridor names.
Tone
TranspoFairfax should be clear, respectful, civic-minded, and practical. The goal is
to inform and preserve knowledge, not to inflame disagreement or replace official sources.
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