New survey findings show that the majority of respondents, at least 31%, favored extending Metro south of Springfield.
One of the options being discussed in the feasibility study is the possibility of extending the Metro's Yellow Line from Huntington station Alexandria south along Route 1 to Woodbridge, Potomac Mills, and Quantico.
- The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has revealed the findings of a survey conducted to find ways to improve transportation in our region.
- The survey was conducted between April 19 to May 18 and asked 1,352 residents from Prince William and the southern portion of Fairfax counties what methods would improve transit.
DRPT sought to understand local and regional use of public transit in both the pre-and and post-pandemic eras. Public transportation serving Prince William County saw very low ridership due to pandemic restrictions, which had a detrimental effect on the revenue streams of public transit organizations such as Omniride and the Virginia Railway Express.
- The survey also sought to understand commuter's travel behaviors and how different transit alternatives could best serve the needs of residents within the corridor.
It also looked at the feasibility of extending Metro's Blue Line, extending it south from its terminus at Franconia-Springfield station to Quantico. While a Yellow-line extension would serve more neighborhoods in Fairfax County and serve Fort Belvoir, it's likely to be more costly.
A Blue-line extension could run along the dedicated right of way along Interstate 95, resembling the Orange line which was built on Interstate 66 between West Falls Chruch and Arlington.
The second most popular choice among 25 percent of respondents was an expansion of services by VRE. While VRE has had limited its service to weekday mornings and afternoons, it's getting ready for a massive expansion.
- In December 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam announced a $3.7 billion landmark deal to expand passenger rail and VRE.
- It came with funding to replace the Long Bridge, which links Arlington and Washington, D.C. and has long been the east coast's most notorious rail bottlenecks, causing travel delays commuters on VRE and Amtrak.
- Passenger trains must wait for freight trains to pass before proceeding across the bridge.
- The new infrastructure will be built, including a third, dedicated set of railroad tracks between Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C. for passenger trains.
With an estimated completion date of about 10 years, VRE service would increase by 70%, with new trains added on weeknights and weekends so that late-night revelers could stay later in the city, and weekend sightseers could trade their cars for the train.
- At the time, former Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Chairman Marty Nohe said VRE would become something more akin to New York City's Long Island Railroad, which serves the suburbs beyond the reach of the city's subway system.
Survey respondents said they would use expanded transit options to commute to work, leisure, and shopping.
- While many in the same survey said that they expected to keep working from home post-pandemic, the ability to travel to Fort Belvoir, Quantico, and Woodbridge within the corridor and areas such as Washington D.C. outside the corridor were appealing for those reasons.
Where would new stations along an extended Metro line be built? While Triangle has been considered, there were also concerns of lack of ridership, potential costs, and economic development potential that made DRPT uneasy.
- They're also considering simply extending a line to just Woodbridge or Quantico.
Another potential option explored in the survey was Rapid Bus Transit, which would run the same route as an extended Metro line. DRPT 's findings suggested that this method would be more cost-efficient and has the potential for more ridership and for more economic development among areas where stations could be set up, such as Fort Belvoir, Southbridge, North Woodbridge, Potomac Mills, and Triangle
- Such a line could travel down the U.S. Route 1, which has been widened from four to six lanes in multiple locations in Prince William County in the past 10 years.
- These expansions have made it easier to implement BRT service in the corridor, said, officials.
While no cost figures were presented in the survey report, they are expected to be presented in the DRPT's final report expected on December 1.
- A nearly 12-mile extension of the Metro Silver line began in 2014 from Ashburn in Loudoun County to Washington-Dulles International Airport. The project was reported by Governing Magazine in a 2012 story to have cost Metro $6.8 billion, making it the largest expansion project by route mileage since Metro's opening in 1976.
- A rail extension to Quantico or Woodbridge is likely to cost at least double.
Of course, all of this talk of expanding transit options comes as Virginia, beginning in the mid-2000s, has already sunk billions into High Occupancy Toll lanes on all of its major highways in Northern Virginia.
- The lanes allow drivers to pay a toll for a faster, more reliable trip and allows those in vehicles three or more to ride free.
DRPT will host another public meeting in September to continue to update their progress of the study.
