Public meetings can be a powder keg at times. You never know what the issue de jour will be. However the process is necessary, though painful to watch at times, in order to hammer out areas of a plan that will be unpopular and opposed at the time of implementation. Last night’s meeting on proposed Fairfax Connector bus service modifications certainly had its grab your popcorn moments, but it also served an important service of figuring out what tweaks are necessary prior to shifting service in 2014.
The biggest concern of many of the meeting attendees was service along portions of northern McLean which have small roads, often to small for school buses to traverse without hitting parked vehicles. We talked to FCDOT staff after the conversation and it was noted that some are interested in expanding the Fairfax Connector bus fleet to include smaller and more efficient buses for these types of routes (which was one of the things we hoped they would consider prior to the meeting). It is not yet being approved by decision makers who reject the idea as short sighted and less flexible.
We disagree, if anything having a diverse fleet is more flexible. Yes, perhaps in the future the demand on these routes may exceed the size of the buses. At that time you can shift this resource from the current “frontier zone” of less density to the new zone of need. There will always be areas of the county which don’t quite need full sized bus service, and we should embrace that and lower our operation cost to provide service by creating a more versatile fleet.
We discussed with FCDOT staff the lack of service coming to Westpark Drive and Northern Tysons, especially the need for weekend service and late night service. FCDOT staff noted that the hours of service right now are really in infant stages and absolutely flexible. They assured me they will re-look at the hours and see if there can be atleast one full service weekend and late night bus for Tysons circulator.Although much of the meeting was consumed by discussion of the Northern McLean bus service, many of the residents of central McLean along Chain Bridge Road were very excited to see plans for connecting residents to Tysons and to the Silver line. Some noted problems with hours of service, but in general the sentiment was positive towards a future where the community will be better connected with its surroundings.
Overall the meeting had a definite older atmosphere, something that was noted as only a handful of 20 or 30 somethings attended. We as a generation need to provide more input if we want the kind of services we complain are lacking. If you want late night service to Jammin Java, you need to make your voice heard. If you want to be able to go to DC on the weekend without a car, you need to show up and be accounted for. Voting is the least effective form of democracy when you really think about it. Yes you get a 50,000′ overview of what kind of policies will take shape when you support a candidate but you can’t effect real change unless you become part of the conversation.
If you want to have input, there are still 6 more opportunities to voice your opinion.
- Monday, Feb. 4: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Vienna Service Discussion)
Westbriar Elementary School
1741 Pine Valley Drive, Vienna - Tuesday, Feb. 5: 10 a.m.
Ask Fairfax! online discussion
Questions can be submitted online starting Jan. 31 - Tuesday, Feb. 5: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Merrifield-Tysons Service Discussion)
Luther Jackson Middle School
3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 401 and 402; Metrobus 1C - Wednesday, Feb. 6: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Herndon Service Discussion)
Town Council Center
765 Lynn Street, Herndon
Transit: Fairfax Connector RIBS 5
- Thursday, Feb. 7: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Reston Service Discussion)
Reston Community Center at Lake Anne
JoAnn Rose Library
1609A Washington Plaza, Reston
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 552, 574, RIBS 1 and RIBS 3
- Monday, Feb. 11: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Reston Service Discussion)
Lake Anne Elementary School
11510 North Shore Drive, Reston
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 552, RIBS 1 and RIBS 3