In February we noted that some of the bus routes for Tysons Circulator, which is meant to make the area more livable, were clearly prioritized for commuter benefit and not for the 17,000 residents who call Tysons home. It was obvious from the reduction of bus service in Northern Tysons, a densely populated part of town, in lieu of more buses to the mall and down Route 7, that the County was not getting serious with the elements that make a town transit oriented while at the same time demanding more taxes be paid by those same residents.
I contacted Chairwoman Sharon Bulova to question why weekend service and night time service would actually be less frequent and with smaller duration of service for much of Tysons while at the same time the County agreed to providing a very costly express bus service to Reston so that a few residents can avoid using the far more efficient to operate Silver Line. This express bus service from Reston to the Pentagon saves only a few minutes for riders, but costs the county approximately the same amount as all of the requested modifications we suggested in February. We might also note that Reston does not have a special tax on transportation within town limits, unlike Tysons.
Below is Chairwoman Bulova’s response.
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Thank you for writing to detail your concerns and comments about the
proposed Fairfax Connector service which will accompany the Metro Silver
Line when it opens later this year.
The proposed and revised routes were published and presented so that the
community could provide comments and suggestions before service starts.
Since residents are potential customers and are well-acquainted with
their neighborhoods, this feedback is a critical part of providing a
service that meets demand and can function within the environment it is
intended to serve.
As you noted in your Twitter comments, a number of changes were made
from the original proposals presented earlier this year as a result of
the first round of public comments. I have taken the liberty of
forwarding your comments to the Director of the Transit Services
Division of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation for
consideration as they continue to refine the routes.
I do appreciate your suggestions about late-night service and agree that
there has to be a strong transit system to serve Tysons throughout the
day. It is my understanding that the proposed circulator system will
run until 11:30 PM.
I also want to assure you that the transit system will evolve along with
the developments it serves. Similar to the process we are discussing
now, the County will monitor and, if needed, adjust the bus routes and
service times to make sure they keep pace with changing demands. The
Tysons Re-development has resulted in an unprecedented level of
collaboration between the Department of Transportation and the
Department of Planning and Zoning, so the county is well-positioned to
anticipate and plan service adjustments.
Thanks again for sharing your opinions.
Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
If you are interested in showing support for a better bus service, including weekend and late night service for Tysons and Vienna, please show up to the Tysons or Vienna meetings.
- Monday, April 15: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Reston Service Discussion)
Reston Community Center Hunters Woods
2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 551, RIBS 1, RIBS 2 and RIBS 3 - Wednesday, April 17: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Herndon Service Discussion)
Herndon Town Council Chambers
765 Lynn Street, Herndon
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 950 and RIBS 5 - Thursday, April 18: 2 p.m.
Ask Fairfax! online discussion - Thursday, April 18: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Reston Service Discussion)
Reston Community Center Lake Anne
JoAnn Rose Library
1609A Washington Plaza, Reston
Transit: Fairfax Connector routes 552, 574, RIBS 1 and RIBS 3 - Monday, April 22: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Vienna Service Discussion)
Westbriar Elementary School
1741 Pine Valley Drive, Vienna - Tuesday, April 23: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(McLean Service Discussion)
McLean High School
1633 Davidson Road, McLean - Wednesday, April 24: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
(Tysons Service Discussion)
Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library
7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church
Transit: Metrobus 28A and 28T