We posted last night Fairfax County Connector will be holding 2 weeks of public opinion sessions on the new realignment and routes associated with the opening of the Silver Line Phase 1. The first session will be this Thursday and focus on McLean and Tysons. In an effort to prepare interested citizens on the proposals we have decided to give a summary, pros, and cons for each new or modified route, starting with the first region on interest, McLean/Tysons.
The 425 and 427 buses are the life blood of transit users living in Tysons Corner right now. Without it, we would need to drive to West Falls Church (a 15 minute drive), park for $4 dollars, and then ride the rail. While this line does provide some circulator functionality within Tysons, its prime purpose is to deliver residents from Westpark Transit to West Falls Church and vice versa (for many Freddie Mac employees atleast). So it might scare some people that this line is proposed to be removed.
Pros – This is the logical choice for Fairfax County. Very few people will want to go to West Falls Church from Westpark Transit with the new silver line options being available. Those who specifically want to reach West Falls Church or from Wests Falls Church to Tysons will still be able to via other bus routes created specifically as a local connector system. The removal of this system allows funds to be allocated elsewhere.
Cons – There really are none for this proposal, it’s a no brainer.
The SLC1 is the first of four new Tysons focused circulators that will help residents close to the Silver Line, but further than 1/2 mile, access the rail system. The SLC1 is focused on eastern Tysons and McLean, specifically the region along Anderson Road, Magarity, and Great Falls Street and in part will reduce the demand on the WMATA 23A, which currently routes McLean residents to Ballston’s Orange Line service.
Pros – The new bus route will help reduce the need for Fairfax’s portion of Route 23A. This along with other routes may be able to remove the WMATA 23A all together. Funds from the removal of this route (a portion of the 47 million dollar subsidy to WMATA bus service) could be allocated to improving hours and headways on Fairfax Connector routes instead. The short length of the route also reduces the impact of traffic on schedule as well as reducing dead space (no rider gaps) that can occur on longer routes.
Cons – This route is well designed but does not provide weekend service. Many of the residents along Magarity will rely on this service, including on weekends. Many of these home owners also are part of the new 7 cent Transportation tax district in Tysons and deserve higher consideration for duration and headways in service. In other words, this route deserves at least an additional bus allocated during weekday hours, and some form of weekend service.
The new Dunn Loring to McLean service is routed via Great Falls Road, passes West Falls Church, and ends at the Dunn Loring Metro Station. Much of the system runs through low density regions of McLean on Great Falls Road which has substantial traffic during rush hours. The service is indicated for rush hour only, and no weekend service.
Pros – The line does serve many residents along Great Falls Road and provides many who live closer to West Falls Church a good access route to metro rail.
Cons – What is the best way to put this… this route makes no sense. Who is it serving? It connects the silver line to orange line, yes that is true, but there are several lines proposed that already run between West Falls Church and the silver line as well as a half dozen systems running between Dunn Loring and the Silver Line. Routing people through traffic congestion portions of McLean during rush hour on a 40-minute wandering trip is no way to provide quick transfers between the orange and silver line. Heck, I’d rather ride the rail to East Falls Church and double back.
Removing all of the route overlap between this and the SLC1 would help reduce the length of the route, provide service to unserved southern McLean. At a minimum the portion between West Falls Church and Dunn Loring should be removed as it runs parallel with the superior transportation option of the Orange Line. This is wasteful spending that could go towards other more appropriate routes.
This new route is proposed to run between Tysons and McLean along much of the same route as the 23A WMATA bus route and includes the Langley shopping center and surrounding McLean office parks. The system will run 7 day limited service. Most notably odd of the hours of service is the lack of service after 4pm on weekdays.
Pros – This line is a great choice. Just like the SLC1 it helps remove the need for the far more costly 23A system and almost completely parallels the 15K/L. It is a fairly short distance of service which makes the route efficient, less dependent on traffic conditions, and effective in providing service to offices, retail, groceries, and residential uses. This route should be used to get back a significant amount of money from the WMATA bus subsidy and that money used to make this system or others more robust in hours of service.
Cons – The beginning of service at 9am and end of service at 4pm on weekdays is not very logical. Route 123 between McLean and Tysons is very congested during rush hour, this service could help reduce much of that congestion. The route itself is perfect and makes absolute sense, but pinching pennies on the duration of service provides a service that ultimately most McLean residents will not be able to use because of when, not where, it serves.
This system runs service between the McLean Silver line station to Langley, a huge federal government rush hour draw in this community. Currently only one bus serves Langley, that being the WMATA 23C service which is intermixed with the 23A. Like other routes mentioned in this post, this route can remove (now completely) the need for the 23A and 23C service. Additionally, it helps provide another bus option along side of the 720 to serve thousands of residents and office users along Chain Bridge Road. The route runs Rush Hour only, which makes great sense considering there is no need for transit service between McLean and Langley outside of these hours.
Pros – This route is a great design. It has appropriate duration of service, really great headways of 20 minutes, and adds to service along the 720 route. The removal of the 23A and C bus service via this route and others will help save Fairfax approximately $1 million in annual subsidies (the equivalent of two full service Fairfax Connector routes).
Cons – None that I can think of unless the 23A and C are not also removed when this becomes operational.