Building on Reston's Transit Tradition: Enhancing Bus Service with the Arrival of Metrorail, RCA Reston 2020 Committee, February 27, 2013

7/29/2019 Building on Reston's Transit Tradition: Enhancing Bus Service with the Arrival of Metrorail, RCA Reston 2020 Committee, February 27, 2013

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Building on Restons Transit Tradition:

Enhancing Bus Service with the Arrival

of Metrorail


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RCA Reston 2020 Committee


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BUILDING ON RESTONS TRANSIT TRADITION:

ENHANCING BUS SERVICE WITH THE ARRIVALOF METRORAIL

PREPARED BY:


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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Maximize public transit service to Wiehle Station. Encourage use of public transit

by making Reston bus service more frequent, reliable and easy to use, with fast,

direct routes to Metrorail. Reduce or eliminate fares for shorter trips if possible, as

discussed for Tysons.

Feeder Bus Service

2. Increase frequency of Fairfax Connector bus service on all existing rush-hour feeder

routes to Wiehle Station (Routes 551-554, 557, 585), and reduce headways on

these routes to 15 minutes as currently proposed. Further reduce headways

to 10 minutes (the same as proposed for the new Tysons circulators), if possible.

Reston Town Center-Sunset Hills Road -Wiehle Station Circulator Service

3. Select the Sunrise Valley-Sunset Hills Circulator (Route 959) route that provides

direct all-day, every-day, two-way service between Reston Town Center and Wiehle

Station on Sunset Hills Road (Option 2). Eliminate the proposed extension of

Route 959 to Hunter Mill road during peak periods, but continue and extend

existing Routes 951 and 952 to provide rush-hour circulator service on underserved

portions of Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road.

4. Establish 15-minute rush-hour and mid-day headways for new Route 959 service

between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station via Sunset Hills Road to restore

service on this east-west route to pre-2009 levels (former Route 505).

5. Reduce current premium express fares on Route 981 to match the standard base

bus fares in Reston. (If the fare is reduced, Route 981 would provide additional

cost-competitive service for passengers traveling between Reston Town Center and

Wiehle Station. Route 981 uses the Dulles Toll Road, and therefore would not

provide additional service along Sunset Hills Road).


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same roads (rather than routing the westbound bus to Herndon-Monroe as now

shown in Option 2) to provide similar service in the opposite direction in theevening.

7. Reduce combined headways for all buses providing service between Reston Town

Center and Wiehle Station (Routes 959, reduced fare 981, rerouted 924/926 and

extended RIBS 4, as discussed below) during peak periods to 6 minutes if possible,

the same as current service from other major transit locations in the area (Reston

South and Herndon-Monroe) to Metrorail (West Falls Church).

8. Clearly identify the destinations of all buses traveling between Reston Town Center

and Wiehle Station, and use similar destination signage and the same bus stops for

easy passenger identification and orderly boarding.

Express Bus Service To The Pentagon And Crystal City Metrorail Stations

9. Continue Route 951 and 952 express bus service to the Pentagon and Crystal City

Metrorail stations, but at reduced service levels set based upon demand and with

fares that offset operations and maintenance costs.

Extended Peak Service Hours

10. Extend high-frequency peak weekday service on all Reston Connector feeder and

circulator routes above beyond current rush-hour periods, preferably extending

at least an hour or two into late-morning and early-evening periods.

New Mid-Day Routes

11. Add new mid-day routes and two-way service from Reston residential areas, village

centers and satellite parking areas to Wiehle Station. New routes could combine

segments of current feeder routes, as mentioned at the Connectors February 21,2013 presentation.

Expand and Equalize RIBS Service

12. Increase off-peak weekday service on RIBS buses to provide additional mid-day and


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13. Extend the RIBS 4 route from Reston Town Center to Wiehle Station as proposed in

the 2009 Transit Development Plan to provide direct service (no transfer necessary)for North Reston riders to Metrorail (like other RIBS routes) and to provide

additional all-day service between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station along

Sunset Hills Road.

14. Expand weekday evening and Saturday hours of service on RIBS 4 and 5 routes to

match those on RIBS 1, 2 and 3 routes.

Service Coordination Between Metrorail and Local Connector Buses

15. Expand the service hours for Reston buses providing all-day service (Routes 950

and 959) to meet the first and last trains at Wiehle Station, including late-night and

early-morning service on weekends.

16. Coordinate bus schedules during off-peak periods and on weekends to matcharrivals and departures of Metrorail trains, to minimize passenger wait time at

Wiehle Station. Install electronic signs at both indoor and outdoor Wiehle Station

bus bays to provide up-to-date information regarding the trains and buses. Acquire

and install GPS devices on Connector buses to provide real-time bus service

information.

Additional Remote Parking and Pick-Up Locations Along Existing Routes

17. Identify areas in Reston with underutilized parking, including public streets, within

walking distance of peak and off-peak Fairfax Connector bus service to Wiehle

Station. Designate and publicize these areas as possible locations to park and catch

public transit to Wiehle Station. Increase bus service from these locations as

necessary to facilitate public transit use during Silver Line Phase 1 service period.

Bus Stop Improvements

18. Improve safety, utility, accessibility and passenger comfort at bus stops by adding

lighting, sidewalks and level loading surfaces, and bus shelters. Each stop should

have signage showing the bus routes served, and current route maps and daily


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Continuous Planning and Review

19. Closely monitor service and ridership after Silver Line Phase 1 service begins, and

adjust routes and schedules as necessary.

20. Prepare contingency plans for bridge or other supplemental/back-up bus service

to other Silver and Blue Line stations in the event that service is interrupted due to

weather or mechanical problems.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: ...........................................................................................................................ii

Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................1

Background....................................................................................................................................................................2

A. Brief History......................................................................................................................................................2

B. Current Bus and Rail Service.............................................................................................................................4

Rush Hour Service .................................................................................................................................................4

Weekdays and Weekends.....................................................................................................................................5

Bus and Metrorail Fares........................................................................................................................................6

C. Fairfax Countys Proposed Changes for Silver Line Phase 1 Bus Service.......................................................6

Tysons Service Changes ........................................................................................................................................6

Reston Service Changes ........................................................................................................................................7

Discussion ....................................................................................................................................................................11

Specific Recommendations for Phase 1 Bus Service ................................................................................................13

A. Feeder Bus Service (Routes 551-554, 557, 585) .............................................................................................13

B. Reston Town Center-Sunset Hills-Wiehle Station Circulator Service (New Route 959) .................................14

C. Express Bus Service To The Pentagon And Crystal City (Routes 595, 597).....................................................15

D. Extended Peak Service Hours .........................................................................................................................17

E. New Mid-Day Routes......................................................................................................................................18

F. Expanded RIBS Bus Service.............................................................................................................................19

G. Service Coordination Between Metrorail and Local Connector Buses ...........................................................21

H. Additional Remote Parking and Pick-Up Locations On Connector Routes.....................................................21

I. Bus Stop Improvements .................................................................................................................................23

J. Continuous Planning and Review ...................................................................................................................23

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................................24

Appendix: Proposed Silver Line Phase 1 Fairfax Connector Bus Service Changes...................................................25


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BUILDING ON RESTONS TRANSIT TRADITION:

ENHANCING BUS SERVICE WITH THE ARRIVAL

OF METRORAILINTRODUCTION

Reston has a local bus system founded by the Reston Community Association

(now Reston Citizens Association) more than 40 years ago. This service, now part of the

countys Fairfax Connector system, suffered major cut-backs recently due to the loss ofdedicated funds from the Dulles Toll Road. While service on some Reston bus routes has been

repaired, later proposed service cuts avoided and even a few new routes added, other Fairfax

Connector services in Reston never were fully restored.

Silver Line Metrorail service will begin at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station in

December 2013. This new rail station likely will be the terminus of the Silver Line for at least

five years, until rail service is extended to Dulles Airport and beyond.

As the Reston Metrorail Access Group report recognized in 2008, even before the

service cutbacks began, Reston will need more and better transit service when Metrorail

arrives. Indeed, frequent, reliable, affordable and easy to use public transit to the Wiehle

Station will be critical given access issues around the station.

The Fairfax Connector recently released its proposals for Silver Line Phase 1 busservice in the Dulles Corridor for public comment. These proposals would end all existing

Connector bus service from Reston to the West Falls Church, Pentagon and Crystal City Metro

stations, and instead terminate local commuter bus routes at the Wiehle Station, the new

transfer point to Metrorail. Service on feeder routes to Wiehle Station would double during


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This report examines the Countys recommendations in the context of Restons rich

history of transit use and its transit needs as Metrorail arrives in Reston at year-end. It makesa series of recommendations based on its research findings generally calling for more robust

transit to meet the needs of Restons residents and fulfill the promise of Metrorail use.

BACKGROUND

A. BRIEF HISTORY

For many years, Reston enjoyed robust bus service, both locally and to the West Falls

Church Metro station. The first successful commuter bus service was founded by the Reston

Community Association (now Reston Citizens Association) in 1968.1

Service now is provided by

the Fairfax Connector.

Reston service increased over the years, including a significant expansion of mid-day

service between Reston Town Center and West Falls Church Metro in 2003. During morning

and evening rush-hours, Route 505 buses departed from Town Center every 30 minutes, but

the frequency of service was increased to every 15 minutes during mid-day periods.

Recently, however, service on some Reston routes has been reduced or even

eliminated. Indeed, Fairfax Connector service was cut nearly 40% in May 2009 when revenue

from the Dulles Toll Road was lost. Those funds once provided half the cost of commuter

service serving the Reston area.

The 2009 cuts included reductions to weekday service on Routes 505, 553, 557 and 585.

Mid-day service on Route 505 from Town Center to the Reston East park-and-ride (and

ultimately to West Falls Church Metro) was cut in half when mid-day frequency was reducedfrom 15 minutes to 30 minutes.

2North Reston Route 556 was cut entirely.

3

1See Bain, Henry, The Reston Express Bus: A Case History of Citizen Action to Improve Urban Transportation


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Additional cuts were proposed in 2010, including elimination of seven Reston lines

Routes 552, 553, 554, 557, 929, 951 and 952 and elimination of Sunday and late-night service,but additional county funding was found and the proposed cuts were avoided.

In November 2010, parking was reduced at the Reston West park-and-ride lot as

construction began on the Wiehle Station and garage approximately 200 of 820 parking

spaces were closed. The Fairfax Connector doubled the number of trips between the Reston

South park-and-ride lot and West Falls Church. By early 2011, Fairfax Connector buses to and

from West Falls Church were serving the Reston South lot every 6-8 minutes during the

morning and evening peak periods.

Finally, when the Reston East lot was permanently closed in 2011, a new temporary

park-and-ride lot was opened at the corner of Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway near

Reston Town Center, and express rush-hour service from the Sunset Hills lot to West Falls

Church (Route 555) was added.4

Parking also was designated at Baron Cameron Park, served by

Route 554. However, frequent mid-day service on the Route 505 never was restored. Mid-day

service from Reston Town Center to West Falls Church on Sunset Hills Road remains on a

reduced schedule with 30-minute headways.

Fairfax Connector frequently has raised Connector bus fares. In fact, base fares for

Connector buses have more than doubled in the past ten years. Connector fares increased

from fifty cents to seventy-five cents in 2003, and increased again to $1.00 in 2004. Fares weresteady for several years, but increased to $1.25 if paying by SmarTrip card in January 2009 (base

fares increased to $1.35 if paying by cash). Base fares were raised twice in 2010 first to $1.35,

then to $1.50 and raised again in 2012 to $1.60 (if paid with a SmarTrip card, all cash fares

were higher).5

In anticipation of Silver Line rail service to the Dulles Corridor, an advisory citizens

group, known as the Reston Metrorail Access Group (RMAG), was appointed by Fairfax County

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Catherine Hudgins in 2006 to evaluate the current transportation

system and projected needs at Restons two future Metrorail stations. The groups efforts


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culminated in an extensive report to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation in

April 2008. The countys Transit Development Plan, issued in December 2009, adopted many ofRMAGs recommendations.

6

B. CURRENT BUS AND RAIL SERVICE

RUSH HOUR SERVICE

Today, several Connector routes transport rush-hour commuters from Restons

residential neighborhoods to West Falls Church metro. These six feeder routes (551, 552, 553,

554, 557, and 585) pick up and discharge passengers on local streets but run express segments

between Reston Parkway or Wiehle Avenue and West Falls Church on the Dulles Toll and Access

Roads.7

They provide more than 60 trips during each morning and evening rush.8

Other rush hour routes connect the Reston North, Reston South and the new Sunset

Hills park-and-ride lots with Metrorail and close-in Arlington, Virginia. This includes express

rush-hour service to West Falls Church, the Pentagon and Crystal City Metro stations.

The Sunset Hills express route (Route 555) alone makes 18 trips each morning and evening

rush. The Pentagon and Crystal City buses (Routes 595 and 597) connect with the Blue and

Yellow lines in Arlington. These two routes, which charge a premium express fare, make

11 trips each morning and 12 trips each evening.9

Reverse rush hour commuter service also is provided from West Falls Church toSouth Reston and businesses along Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road.

Reverse Route 551 makes five trips each morning and evening, and Routes 951 and 952 make

more than 17 reverse commute trips during each weekday rush period.

6The RMAG report is available at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/sam_study.htm. The Transit Development Plan

is available at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/tdp.htm.7

Route 585 (from Reston South park-and-ride to West Falls Church) often is described as an express bus, but according

to the Connector it does make stops to pick up and discharge passengers along Reston Parkway before entering the Dulles Toll

Road at Reston Parkway.

8All these Reston buses, with the exception of Route 585, previously served the Reston East park-and-ride lot, site of

the future Wiehle Station parking garage Since the closure of the Reston East lot they go directly to the Dulles Toll Road


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WEEKDAYS AND WEEKENDS

In addition to this weekday rush-hour service, Route 505 provides all-day service

between Reston Town Center and West Falls Church on both weekdays and weekends.

Route 505 buses currently operate between 4:30 a.m. and midnight on weekdays, and make

37 round-trips on weekdays. As noted, mid-day Route 505 buses run every thirty minutes, less

frequently than just a few years ago. Hours and frequency are slightly reduced on Saturday and

Sundays.

In addition, Route 950 provides all-day weekday and weekend service from Reston

Town Center to the Herndon-Monroe garage, and then continues to West Falls Church Metro.

On weekdays, Route 950 buses run every 15 minutes at rush hour and every 30 minutes during

mid-day and evening periods. This service between Herndon-Monroe and West Falls Church is

in addition to other Herndon routes that serve that corridor. Indeed, Route 980, the Herndon-

Monroe Express, already provides service every six minutes at peak.

Route 950 service is greatly reduced on weekends, with buses running every 25-

30 minutes. Due to the unusual routing, these buses take longer to reach West Falls Church

than Route 505 buses, but run slightly longer hours thus providing an early-morning and late-

night alternative for Reston riders.10

Finally, five local Reston Internal Bus Service (RIBS) routes connect Restons

neighborhoods and the five village centers with Reston Town Center, where riders may transfer

to Route 505 buses seven days a week. These RIBS buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays,

and every hour on weekends. Three of the RIBS routes (RIBS 1, 2 and 3) currently serve the

Wiehle Avenue area, but the two other RIBS routes (RIBS 4 and 5) do not. Weekday and

weekend service on the RIBS 4 and 5 routes begins later and ends earlier than the other RIBS

routes.

As the foregoing discussion indicates, direct all-day service between the Reston Town

10Ridership information from 2008-2009, before the Sunset Hills lot opened and Route 555 rush hour express service

from the lot to West Falls Church Metro was started, indicated that Route 950 was the most heavily used route from Town


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Center Transit Station and the Wiehle Avenue area on Sunset Hills Road currently is limited to a

single route, Route 505. It takes approximately ten minutes for buses to travel the distance ofapproximately a mile and a half.

While RIBS 1, 2 and 3 serve both Reston Town Center and the Wiehle Avenue area,

those buses take long, circuitous routes, and the travel time to Wiehle is much longer (up to 24-

28 minutes on RIBS 1 and 3, respectively, and up to 43 minutes on RIBS 2).

BUS AND METRORAIL FARESRegular Connector bus fares now are $1.60 with a SmarTrip card and $1.80 paying cash

regardless of distance. Riders transferring from rail to bus at West Falls Church receive a $0.50

discount when using a SmarTrip card.

Fares for Route 595 and 597 express buses to the Pentagon and Crystal City are $7.50

each way. There is no discount for riders transferring from Metrorail to the 595 and 597

buses.11

Metrorail fares from West Falls Church to other points are based on distance, and are

lower during non-peak periods. Rail fares currently are capped at $5.35 per trip.

C. FAIRFAX COUNTYS PROPOSED CHANGES FOR SILVER LINE

PHASE 1 BUS SERVICE

When Silver Line Phase 1 service opens in December, transportation in the Tysons-

Reston-Herndon corridor will change dramatically. Five new Metro stations will open in Fairfax

County four in Tysons and one at Wiehle Avenue in Reston. These openings will double the

number of Metro stations in the county from five to ten. Bus service along the Silver Line

corridor will also change significantly as WMATA and Fairfax Connector routes are modified to

connect to the new Metro stations.12

TYSONS SERVICE CHANGES

In the Tysons area, two Fairfax Connector routes serving Tysons will be eliminated


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720, 721 and 722). These routes will bring commuters to the four new Tysons metro stations.

In addition, Tysons will receive four new local circulator routes (SLC1 through SLC4), to

provide high-frequency service around the new Tysons Metro stations. These routes will serve

the Tysons stations every 10 minutes during peak periods and every 20-30 minutes during off-

peak periods. One route also will operate on weekends. While all other Phase 1 service

changes will be financed by shifting Connector resources the proposed changes are described

as revenue neutral the four Tysons circulator buses will be financed by new county funds.

The Tysons Circulator routes are the only proposed Connector service improvements in the

corridor which will be financed in this manner.

RESTON SERVICE CHANGES

Routes in Reston also will change. Unlike Tysons, however, Reston will lose more routes

than it gains. In fact, at least four Connector routes in Reston will be eliminated (Routes 505,

555, 595 and 597, and possibly Routes 951, 952), and only one new Reston route will becreated, the new Sunset Hills Circulator (Route 959). Many other Reston bus routes will be

modified, with changes to routes, frequency and cost to commuters.13

FEEDER BUSES TO WIEHLE STATION

Once the Silver Line opens to Wiehle Station, the current Fairfax Connector bus routes

on the Dulles Toll and Access Roads would parallel the Silver Line tracks. This will result in some

redundancy and the county planners want to encourage ridership on the train.

Under the countys current proposal for Phase 1 bus service, all twelve Fairfax

Connector routes that connect Reston to the West Falls Church Metro using the Toll Road

would be rerouted to the Wiehle Station, where they would terminate. Thus, all Reston

commuters to East Falls Church and beyond would be required to transfer to Silver Line trains

at Wiehle Station.

14

This change alone would eliminate more than 660 weekday and weekendtrips between the Wiehle Avenue station area and West Falls Church, thus leading to


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substantial cost savings for the county.15

Under the current proposals, the two express bus routes that now bypass West Falls

Church and go directly to the Pentagon and Crystal City Metro stations (Routes 595, 597) also

would be eliminated. Thus, commuters to those destinations would have to use the Silver line,

and then transfer to Blue Line trains at the Rosslyn Station. The wait between trains is

projected to be up to ten minutes, but the December 2012 Silver Line Operating Plan suggests

that Blue Line Trains would serve Rosslyn station every 12 minutes. Users also might need to

use local buses between the Crystal City Metro station and their ultimate local destinations.

Dropping these two express routes would eliminate 23 trips between the Wiehle Avenue

station area and these close-in Arlington locations.

RESTON TOWN CENTER-SUNSET HILLS-WIEHLE STATION SERVICE

In addition to these feeder and express routes, other Reston bus routes and services

would be modified or curtailed. Significantly, the Sunset Hills park-and-ride lot will close, andConnector Routes 505 and 555 to West Falls Church Metro would end. These express and local

Connector services would be replaced by the new Route 959 to Wiehle Station. At least some

reverse commute rush-hour service provided by Routes 951 and 952 could be eliminated,

at least under one scenario.

The county has proposed two options for service on the new Route 959. The first option

(Option 1), initially proposed in the countys 2009 Transit Development Plan and posted on theConnectors Silver Line Phase 1 service web site in January 2013, is a large loop from

Centerville Road to Hunter Mill Road utilizing Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road.

The direction of service is not specified but, according to Connector staff, likely is clockwise to

maximize right turns at intersections. The route map suggests that buses would only approach

Wiehle Station from Sunset Hills. Under this option, Routes 951 and 952, which currently

provide reverse commuter service from West Falls Church Metro to Sunrise Valley and Sunset

Hills and thus would be duplicative, would be eliminated. The countys current proposal

specifies that the new 959 buses on this route would run every 30 minutes on weekdays and

every 60 minutes on weekends.16


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The second option for Route 959 would be a much shorter route. This alternative

(Option 2) would circulate between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station and provide localshuttle service on Sunset Hills Road on weekdays and weekends. During peak periods, the

route also would be extended east from Wiehle Station to Hunter Mill Road via Sunrise Valley

and Sunset Hills. The countys initial proposal for Silver Line Phase 1 bus service specified that

the new Route 959 buses would run on this shorter route every 30 minutes on weekdays and

every 60 minutes on weekends. During the recent public meetings, however, this proposed

service was increased to every 20 minutes during rush hours and 15 minutes at all other

times.17

During the recent public meeting on the proposed bus changes, Connector staff also

suggested that when combined with service on the Dulles Airport Express (Route 981) buses

would run every 10 minutes between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station. Route 981,

added in June 2012, currently makes 88 single trips (equivalent to 44 round-trips) each

weekday between the airport and the Tysons West Park Transit Station, with stops at theHerndon-Monroe garage and Reston Town Center. Buses run approximately every 25 minutes.

On weekdays, service is provided between 6:00 a.m. and midnight. Reduced service is provided

on weekends: 21 round-trips on Saturdays and 10 round-trips on Sundays.

Route 981 is one of the routes that the county proposes to reroute to the Wiehle

Station, where it would terminate.18

Between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station,

Route 981 would use the Dulles Toll Road. Thus, while it would provide express servicebetween these two points, it would not increase service on Sunset Hills Road. The county also

charges a much higher regional express fare on Route 981 of $5.35 each way. This is more

than triple the current base fare on Connector buses.19

County planning staff is aware of the

be unable to keep on fixed schedules due to congestion on Sunrise Valley Drive and Sunset Hills Road, thus possibly explaining

the scheduling change.

17The PowerPoint presentation from the Connectors public meetings regarding the Silver Line Phase 1 service

changes is available at http://www.slideshare.net/fairfaxcounty/silver-linebusserviceplan. The countys web site now also has

been updated to reflect this change


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disparity, which likely would discourage use of Route 981 buses by local riders, but have not

provided a solution to date.

INCREASED COST FOR COMMUTERS

Requiring commuters to transfer to Metrorail at Wiehle Station will increase costs for

many Reston residents, as riders would pay both the existing Fairfax Connector bus faresplus a

new or higher Metrorail fare.20

For example, the cost to travel by bus and rail from Reston

homes to West Falls Church Metro during rush-hours would increase from $1.60 (Connector

base fare) to at least $3.70 if paid by SmarTrip card ($1.60 Connector base fare plus $2.10

Metrorail minimum fare).21

Similarly, combined bus and rail morning rush-hour fares to Metro Center in

Washington, D.C. would increase from $5.55 to $7.35 one-way. Round-trip fares would

increase from $10.60 to $14.20/day (including the fifty cent discount for transfers from rail

train to bus). This would be a $3.60/day increase, or $18.00/week. While some employers

provide a transit subsidy to workers which could cushion the blow, this would be a significant

increase for employees without that benefit.

Parking at the Wiehle Station garage also will be costly for those who drive and park at

the station rather than use a local bus, estimated to cost between $4.50 and $4.75 per day (the

current rate at other area Metrorail garages and surface lots. This would add approximately

two dollars to the daily cost of using the station.


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DISCUSSIONWhen Wiehle Station opens in December, local Fairfax Connector bus service will

change, directing most local commuter buses to the station area, which is already congested.

Frequent, reliable, affordable and easy to use bus service to the station therefore will be

crucial.

All Fairfax Connector buses that currently go to the West Falls Church, Pentagon and

Crystal City Metro stations will be diverted to the new Wiehle Station. In addition, Herndonbuses that terminate at the Herndon-Monroe parking garage will be extended to Wiehle, and

many Loudoun County Transit buses may stop at the new station.

With the addition of the new Wiehle parking garage, several thousand additional cars

and buses will use the station during morning and evening rush hours. Local streets near the

station are narrow, most just four lanes, and there already are long traffic delays on Wiehle

Avenue during the peak periods. Very few of the highway improvements recommended in

prior studies to improve station access have been built, particularly the Soapstone crossing over

the Dulles Toll Road which has not been designed yet, let alone funded.22

Parking at the new station also may be difficult, even potentially unavailable during

portions of the day. While the new 2,300 space public parking garage might help those who

arrive very early, some observers fear the new garage may fill up early in the morning, thuspreventing late-arrivals (even at morning rush hour) from parking at the station. At a minimum,

entering and exiting the garage may take a very long time due to the limited number of

entrances and exits, and the large number of intersections and traffic signals in the immediate

station area.23

22Possible alignments for the Soapstone crossing currently are undergoing feasibility studies.

Reston Citizens Association recently issued a report discussing station access issues. Wiehle Metro Station Access:

Congestion Ahead (Reston Citizens Association Feb. 4, 2013), available


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Wiehle Station will be the terminus of the Silver Line until the Reston Town Center and

Herndon-Monroe stations are built. Unless construction of those two stations is acceleratedand they open early, as some have suggested, Wiehle Station will be the Silver Line terminus for

at least five years, until 2018. Most of the major necessary infrastructure improvements that

would reduce traffic congestion are unlikely to be completed even within this five-year time

frame. Thus, traffic around the station likely will be very heavy and congested throughout the

entire Phase 1 service period.

Public transit to Wiehle Station therefore will be essential to reduce traffic in the area,encourage use of public transit, and provide station access to those who cannot drive and park

at the station. Fairfax Connector bus service in Reston must be significantly increased during all

times of the day, even beyond the levels now proposed by the county.

The opportunity to commute by bus to the Wiehle Station is as important as actual

ridership. Fairfax Connector must provide frequent regularly-scheduled local bus service to the

station throughout the entire day, but especially during mid-day and weekday evening periods,

so riders can be confident that they can reach the station and complete their trips in a

convenient, timely manner.

This is particularly important for Metrorail riders who must return to Reston during off-

peak periods. For example, parents who need to return home or go to their childs school

unexpectedly might be reluctant to take a rush-hour bus to work if they are not confident therewould be frequent return service during the day if needed. Similarly, riders who must work late

unexpectedly (or who are simply delayed on Metrorail, as sometimes occurs) must be confident

that there will be local transportation when they arrive at Wiehle Station.

In April 2008, before local bus service was dramatically reduced on several routes, the

Reston Metrorail Access Group study recommended substantial changes, including more

and better transit service. Many of these recommendations were incorporated into thecountys 2009 Transit Development Plan. These recommendations generally are sound, and

should be implemented.

Fairfax Countys current proposals for Silver Line Phase 1 bus service incorporate many


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circulator system of four routes serving the areas immediately around the four new Tysons

Metrorail stations. The county also should be congratulated for finding new funding for thesefour routes.

As discussed below, local bus service in Reston must be restored to pre-2009 levels,

as now recommended by the county. In addition, routes, frequency and hours of service should

be expanded beyond these levels to maximize access to Wiehle Station and reduce private

vehicle traffic until additional Silver Line stations open. The countys current proposals are a

step in the right direction, but must be taken further. The county also should reconsider itsproposal to discontinue all bus service along the Toll Road east of Wiehle. At a minimum, the

county should retain at least some express rush-hour bus service from Wiehle to the Pentagon

and Crystal City Metro stations.

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PHASE 1 BUS SERVICE

A. FEEDER BUS SERVICE (ROUTES 551-554, 557, 585)

The county has proposed doubling rush-hour service on six feeder bus routes between

Restons residential neighborhoods, the Reston South park-and-ride lot and Wiehle Station(Routes 551, 552, 553, 554, 557 and 585) by reducing headways from 30 to 15 minutes.

This increase in frequency is essential for successful Silver Line Phase 1 service, and must be

implemented.

If possible, the frequency of service on these rush-hour routes should be further

increased. Headways should be reduced to 10 minutes or less to maximize commuter use of

public transit and reduce the number of private vehicles driving to the station during peakperiods.

Reducing headways to 10 minutes would make this service to Wiehle Station similar to

service in the Tysons area, where the new high-frequency circulator buses already are proposed


23/41


B. RESTON TOWN CENTER-SUNSET HILLS-WIEHLE STATION

CIRCULATOR SERVICE (NEW ROUTE 959)

Proposed new Route 959 would replace current Route 505 service between Reston

Town Center and Wiehle Station, and operate on weekdays and weekends. The county has

proposed two different routings, but the countys preferred route appears to be the second

option that runs back-and-forth between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station on Sunset

Hills Road (with service extended east to Hunter Mill Road during peak periods).24

The proposed frequency for this new route (Option 2) would be 20 minutes during rush

hours, and 15 minutes during other times on weekdays and on weekends.

This option, which provides direct two-way all-day shuttle service on Sunset Hills Road,

should be selected. The proposed frequency for this Route 959 service, however,

is inadequate. The proposed 20-minute headway during rush hours is only slightly better than

the 30-minute rush-hour service provided between Town Center and the Wiehle area (RestonEast) on Sunset Hills prior to 2009, and the 15-minute headway during mid-day periods merely

equals the mid-day service on this segment prior to 2009.

Reston Town Center is Restons downtown, and more frequent shuttle service from

Town Center to Wiehle Station is necessary. Ideally, service on this route during rush hours

(limited to areas east of Town Center) should equal the frequency of service from the Reston

South park-and-ride lot (every 6-8 minutes) and from the Herndon-Monroe parking garage

(every 6 minutes) at peak.25

Connector planning staff has suggested that, when combined with service on the Dulles

Airport Express (Route 981) launched in 2012, buses would run between Reston Town Center

and Wiehle Station every 10 minutes. The Dulles Airport Express (Route 981) runs express

between Reston Town Center and Wiehle using the Dulles Toll lanes. While express service

might be preferable for some passengers, at least when Toll Road traffic moves faster than local

roads, it would not provide any service along Sunset Hill Road. The Dulles Airport Express also

charges a premium express fare of $5.35, more than triple the current base fare for Fairfax


24/41


Connector buses, and therefore would be cost prohibitive for most local commuters traveling

this short distance. Thus, the Dulles Airport Express (Route 981) is not a substitute forincreasing frequency on new Route 959. If use of this additional route is necessary to provide

more frequent service, the fare for passengers traveling between Reston Town Center and

Wiehle Station should be the same as base fares in Reston.

Frequency on new Route 959 could be increased by adding buses on the route, or

extending or rerouting other buses to serve Reston Town Center. Until 2009, Route 556 ran

from North Reston to Town Center when it became a Route 505 bus to the Wiehle Reston Eastpark-and-ride lot (and ultimately West Falls Church Metro). The 2009 Transit Development

Plan proposed extending the current RIBS 4 route to Wiehle Station in the same manner, but

this extension was not included in the countys recent proposals. One way to increase service

along Sunset Hills Road would be to implement this recommendation. This would provide

direct service for North Point riders to the Wiehle Station without transferring at Reston Town

Center, and provide parity with the three other RIBS routes which will directly service theMetro station.

26

To the extent that service between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station is provided

by more than one bus route (e.g. Routes 959, 981 and RIBS 4), the buses must be clearly

marked and perhaps even use the same bus stop for boarding so that passengers can easily

identify the next bus to their destination (and can form a single line).

C. EXPRESS BUS SERVICE TO THE PENTAGON AND CRYSTAL CITY

(ROUTES 595, 597)

Currently, Fairfax Connector Routes 595 and 597 provide express rush-service service

between the Reston North park-and-ride lot and the Pentagon and Crystal City Metro stations.

Together, these buses make 23 trips each weekday.

The countys proposal would eliminate both express routes, and require passengers to

use Silver Line rail from Wiehle Station to Rosslyn, and then transfer to a Blue Line train to the

Pentagon and Crystal City stations. Silver Line rail fares are not yet available, but the total rail


25/41


fare likely would be less than the $7.50 fare on Routes 595 and 597, at least initially, because

Metrorail fares currently are capped at $5.75 per trip.

Fairfax Connectors desire to shift local buses to other Connector routes is

understandable, but as the 2009 Transit Development Plan (TDP) recognized these routes are

popular and have a farebox recovery rate that is far above the system average. Elimination

of Routes 595 and 597 would have a serious negative impact upon current riders on these

routes since it would require a rail transfer at Rosslyn Station. In addition, as the TDP, the vast

majority of these transit riders84% or moreare riders by choice, that is, they have a vehicleat home they could use to make the same commute. Thus, many of them are likely to leave

public transit and return to their personal vehicles for their daily commute on Fairfax's clogged

roadways rather than use an inconvenient Metrorail connection.

In anticipation of Silver Line service, the number of Blue Line trains serving Rosslyn will

be cut to reduce congestion in the Rosslyn tunnels. Consequently, Blue Line trains will only run

between Rosslyn and the Pentagon and Crystal City stations every 10-12 minutes during

morning rush hours, significantly less frequently than peak rail service on other lines (typically

every 6-8 minutes). Of course, the wait for an outbound Blue Line train at Rosslyn could be

longer than 10-12 minutes if there are any delays on the shared Silver, Orange and Blue Line

tracks between the Stadium-Armory and Rosslyn stations. In addition, many of these Reston

bus riders will need to make a second transfer at either the Pentagon or Crystal City station to

reach their place of work. Current Route 595 and 597 bus service offers a level of comfort,convenience and reliability that will be lost if riders must use Metrorail instead.

We note that it does not appear that Fairfax Connector staff have explored the option of

reverse direction commuter bus service on the 595/597 from the Pentagon and Crystal City

areas. Indeed, a growing number of people in the Washington area live in or close to the city

and commute outward to jobs on the periphery. In our view, such a bus route could pick up

passengers at these two locations and deliver them to one or two bus stops at Metrorail

stations (where they could connect with Tysons extensive circulator system if needed) and then

at the lines origination point at Wiehle Metrorail station in the morning, reversing that process

in the evening. In short, the lines could provide Restonians express bus service to the

/ l d d f h d


26/41


The possibility of an initial lower fare using Metrorail to the Pentagon and Crystal City

Metro stations could weigh in favor of using rail rather than bus, but of course Metrorail farescan be raised at any time. WMATA also could significantly increase or even eliminate the

current cap on fares for a single rail trip, thus eliminating any potential cost savings for

passengers or even making rail more expensive than the current bus fare on Routes 595

and 597.

Bus service to the Pentagon and Crystal City Metro stations therefore should be

continued during Phase 1 to provide express bus service to these destinations. Other transitsystems serving the Dulles Corridor at least considered retaining express bus service to close-in

Washington, D.C. locations. For example, Loudoun Countys 2010 Countywide Transportation

Plan and 2011 Transit Development Plan both proposed continuing express bus service into

Washington, D.C., even after the opening of Silver Line Phase 2 service (then projected

for FY 2017). Under those plans, Loudoun County Transit buses would run at reduced service

levels, and with fares that offset operations and maintenance costs.27

Like Loudoun County Transit, service on Fairfax Connector Routes 595 and 597 should

be retained, at least on a smaller scale for those commuters who prefer riding a single express

bus over Metrorail with rail transfers and possible delays at Rosslyn. Ridership could be

monitored after the Silver Line opens, and service and fares adjusted as necessary.28

D. EXTENDED PEAK SERVICE HOURSUnder the Fairfax Connectors current Phase 1 service proposals, all service on the

feeder bus routes (except for Route 585) would be limited to current peak hours. Thus,

Metrorail users would have few transit options for travel to and from Wiehle Station after peak

Connector bus service ends in the morning and evening. Even those with cars could have

difficulty using Wiehle Station if public parking is not available in the new Wiehle garage. Rush

hour bus service on these feeder routes therefore should be extended into the mid-day andearly evening hours, at least an hour or two.


27/41


The proposed new Sunset Hills Circulator (new Route 959), which replaces current

Route 505, would continue to connect Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station every15 minutes during mid-day and evening periods (service could be even more frequent with

additional buses, or if other routes are added and synchronized), and the modified Route 950

would provide indirect service from Town Center to Wiehle Station (via the Herndon-Monroe

garage), but most local rush hour feeder service would abruptly end. Under the countys

current proposals, the only public transit option from most residential areas to either Reston

Town Center or Wiehle Station during mid-day periods and early evening periods would be the

local RIBS service. This would be a slow, inconvenient method to reach Metrorail.29

Potential Metrorail riders will need more frequent, reliable options to travel to and from

the Wiehle Station during off-peak periods. This is particularly true for parents and other

caregivers who must return to school or home on short notice during the business day, and for

employees who must work late unexpectedly (or are delayed) and thus need safe, convenient

transit options for returning home after the evening rush hour.

Frequent service on all the Fairfax Connector rush-hour feeder routes in Reston

(Routes 551-554, 557) therefore should be expanded to include the hours immediately

following the morning and afternoon peak periods. At a minimum, these Connector buses

should continue to run more frequently for at least an hour or two beyond current peak

periods. If possible, service throughout the entire mid-day period should be increased on all

Reston feeder and circulator routes.

E. NEW MID-DAY ROUTES

During the Fairfax Connectors February 21, 2013 presentation to several Reston

Association advisory committees, Connector staff mentioned creating new mid-day

routes connecting Reston residential areas, village centers and satellite parking areas to

Wiehle Station. These new routes could combine segments of current feeder routes.This is a great idea, and should be pursued.

Several new routes have been proposed for the Tysons area, including four new

high-frequency local circulator routes to be financed from newly-identified funds, but

RCA R t 2020 C itt


28/41


are unavailable for new Reston routes, additional funding should be sought from the

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

F. EXPANDED RIBS BUS SERVICE

No changes currently are proposed to the existing RIBS bus service in Reston, not even

the extension of the RIBS 4 route previously recommended in the 2008 RMAG report and the

2009 Transit Development Plan. This and several other changes discussed below would

improve RIBS service and, more importantly, provide additional public transit options to theWiehle Station during off-peak hours and on weekends.

The Reston Internal Bus Service (RIBS) is a relatively low-frequency local circulator bus

service for Reston residents and workers, some of whom are dependent upon public

transportation including seniors, persons with disabilities, and lower-income individuals and

families. Many others, including local civic leaders, who simply prefer the convenience and low

cost of public transit over driving also ride RIBS buses. The RIBS buses could provide anotherimportant alternative for reaching the Wiehle Station Metrorail station during Silver Line

Phase 1 service.

RIBS buses connect most of the major Reston commercial, employment and higher-

density residential areas including the five village centers with Reston Town Center, where

RIBS riders can transfer to express and local buses to West Falls Church Metro.

All five RIBS routes start and end at the Reston Town Center Transit Center. The buses

leave Town Center every hour, on the hour, but some RIBS buses with shorter routes leave

Town Center on the half hour too. RIBS buses generally provide less frequent service than

other Reston routes, currently running every 30-60 minutes on weekdays and every 60 minutes

on weekends.

RIBS 1 and 3 serve the same route spanning North and South Reston, but traveling in

opposite directions. RIBS 2 takes a similar circular route, but only in one direction, clockwise.

RIBS 4 and 5 buses travel from Town Center to their respective destinations, North Point Village

Center and central Herndon, and then reverse their respective route using many of the same30



29/41


Three of the five RIBS Routes (RIBS 1, 2 and 3) will provide direct service to Wiehle

Station, but as previously noted they will take long circuitous routes to and from Reston Town

Center to the station. Passengers on RIBS 1 and 3 routes can chose a bus in the travel direction

that provides the shortest trip, but some RIBS 2 trips might take nearly an hour to reach

Metrorail because the buses must travel nearly the entire RIBS 2 route to reach Wiehle Station.

In contrast, RIBS 4 and 5 buses will not serve Wiehle Station at all, thus requiring a

transfer to the Sunset Hills Circulator (proposed Route 959) at the outdoor Reston Town Center

Transit Station. This would be very inconvenient, requiring RIBS 4 and 5 riders to take twobuses to reach Wiehle Station, which could discourage riders bound for Metrorail. The

transfers at Town Center also could be difficult for seniors, disabled passengers and families

with children, and would be uncomfortable for all passengers in bad weather.

At a minimum, additional service should be added on the RIBS 2 route (currently one-

way) to provide service in the opposite direction to speed travel from South Reston to Wiehle

Station (similar to current bi-directional RIBS 1 and 3 routes), as recommended in the

2008 RMAG study.

In addition, the Fairfax Connector should extend the RIBS 4 route from Reston Town

Center to Wiehle Station, as previously proposed in both the 2008 RMAG study and the 2009

Transit Development Plan, to provide direct service (no transfer necessary) for North Reston

riders to Metrorail, like most other RIBS routes. This would also provide additional all-day,

every-day service between Reston Town Center and Wiehle Station along Sunset Hills Road.

Although not recommended in the countys Plan, RIBS 5 also could also be extended to the

station.

The current hours of service for RIBS 4 and 5 are less than those on the three other RIBS

routes.31

The Connector should expand weekday evening and Saturday hours of service on

RIBS 4 and 5 routes to match those on RIBS 1, 2 and 3 routes.

Finally, the Fairfax Connector should Increase off-peak weekday service on all

RIBS buses to provide additional mid-day and evening connections with Wiehle Station.

If possible, RIBS headways also should be reduced to 15-20 minutes.



30/41


G. SERVICE COORDINATION BETWEEN METRORAIL AND LOCAL

CONNECTOR BUSES

Metrorail service extends from early morning to late evenings, currently until

midnight on most nights, but until 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Additional

hours of rail service sometimes are added for holidays and special events in the region.

Fairfax Connector hours of service hours should be extended to meet the first

trains regularly scheduled to arrive and depart at Wiehle Station, and the last trains at

night (or post-midnight hours). For morning service, this should include all routes that

serve Wiehle Station, including all RIBS circulator routes. At night, service on routes that

provide late-night service (primarily Routes 950 and 959) should be extended to meet

the last regularly-scheduled Metrorail train. Before the 2009 cutbacks, these routes ran

very late, reportedly until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. on weekends, so this would not be a big

change. Similarly, nighttime schedules for RIBS routes also should be extended to atleast midnight, and later if possible.

During peak rail service, Metrorail trains will serve Wiehle Station every

6-7 minutes, and wait times for trains will be relatively short. During off-peak rail

service, however, there will be longer headways between trains and longer wait times at

the station. During these off-peak periods and on weekends, bus schedules therefore

should be coordinated to match arrivals and departures of Metrorail trains, to minimize

passenger wait time at Wiehle Station.

Electronic information signs or computer displays should be installed at all

indoor and outdoor Wiehle Station bus bays to provide up-to-date arrival and departure

information regarding the trains and buses. Fairfax Connector should acquire and install

GPS devices on all Connector buses to provide real-time bus service information, and

link this information to the displays. In addition, this information should be readily

accessible to bus passengers both on-line and through Smartphone applications

developed or utilized by the Connector.



31/41


South lot (northeast corner of Reston Parkway and Lawyers Road) provides 412 spaces.

The former Reston East park-and-ride lot (site of the future Wiehle Station and garage)

provided an additional 820 spaces.32

When the Reston East lot closed permanently in 2011 for construction of the Wiehle

Station and garage, a new temporary 600-space Sunset Hills park-and-ride lot was opened (at

the corner of Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway). This satellite lot is heavily used,

largely because the lot offers all-day bus service directly to the West Falls Church Metro station,

there is easy highway access to the lot, and parking spaces always are available, even mid-day.The availability of parking at the Sunset Hills lot is particularly significant because the

Reston North and former Reston East lots often filled to capacity during morning rush hours,

and late-arrivals were turned away. Unfortunately, the Sunset Hills lot will close when the new

Wiehle Station opens in December.

The new Wiehle garage will provide 2,300 new spaces, more than the existing

Sunset Hills lot, but some riders who use the Sunset Hills lot may be unwilling to drive to Wiehle

Station, particularly if they there are significant traffic delays. Drivers also might be unwilling to

pay to park in the Wiehle garage, and both the garage and nearby Reston North lot might fill to

capacity on weekdays due to high demand. Thus, Metrorail riders will need other parking

alternatives.

The best option would be for Fairfax County to negotiate an extension of the Sunset

Hills lot until the property owner is ready to redevelop the site, and to continue to provide bus

service from that lot to Metrorail (now the new Wiehle Station). This could postpone the

disruption from the closure of the lot, and allow a more gradual transition for Metrorail users.

Alternatively, the county should buy or lease additional satellite park-and-ride lots, or

designate existing county-controlled parking areas within short walking distance of peak and

off-peak bus routes and publicize them as potential parking and transit pick-up points.The county has already done this once in Reston, when it publicly identified an existing 50-

space parking lot at Baron Cameron Park as possible commuter parking and encouraged users

to ride Route 554 rush-hour buses, which stop nearby. Adding similar sites elsewhere would

provide additional satellite parking capacity and help reduce traffic around the Wiehle Station



32/41

The countys Transit Development Plan already has identified two possible park-and-ride

locations that could be used for this purpose North Reston near Reston Parkway at Center

Harbor, and North Herndon near Herndon Parkway at Dranesville Road. Both are described as

small sites with 50 spaces or less. Although identified in the 2009 TDP, those two sites were not

developed at that time. The North Reston location, near the North Point Village Center, is

served by Route 554 during peak periods and RIBS 4 buses during off-peak hours. Undoubtedly,

there are many other sites, including county-owned and maintained public streets with

available on-street parking that could be utilized until Phase 2 rail service begins and access to

the Wiehle Station become less of an issue.33

I. BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS

At the six public meetings, there were numerous requests for improvements to

bus stops along Fairfax Connector bus routes to increase safety, utility, accessibility and

passenger comfort. These requests included new or improved permanent lighting to

increase visibility (particularly during winter months), installing or replacing sidewalks,

steps and platforms for better access and easier boarding, and adding permanent bus

shelters. These improvements would increase safety, and probably increase commuter

satisfaction and ridership, and therefore should be implemented to the extent possible.

Each bus stop should have signage showing the bus routes served, and current

route maps and daily schedule information for each route. The Fairfax Connector also

should develop a Smartphone application to provide up-to-date bus schedules and real-

time performance information to passengers waiting at bus stops.

J. CONTINUOUS PLANNING AND REVIEW

The opening of Restons Wiehle Station may create significant, unanticipated changes in

commuting patterns and ridership levels. County officials and Fairfax Connector staff shouldclosely monitor service and ridership after Phase 1 bus service begins, and be prepared to

quickly adjust routes and schedules if necessary.

33



33/41

Rail service disruptions are inevitable, and Connector officials also should prepare

contingency plans for bridge and other supplemental or back-up bus service, both along the

Silver Line and possibly to Orange and Blue Line stations, including West Falls Church, East

Falls Church and Ballston (the first underground station) in the event that Silver Line service is

interrupted due to weather, mechanical or other problems.

CONCLUSION

The arrival of Metrorail will require modifications to Restons bus service. FairfaxConnector should increase feeder bus service to the new Wiehle Station, and increase shuttle

service between Reston Town Center and Wiehle station on Sunset Hills Road beyond the levels

currently proposed. Express rush-hour bus service also should be continued to the Pentagon

and Crystal City Metro stations, at least on a reduced schedule.

In addition, rush-hour service hours should be extended, weekday and weekend service

added to ensure that buses meet the first and last Metrorail trains, bus schedules synchronized

to match less frequent trains during off-peak periods, and new mid-day circulator routes

established to facilitate all-day station access. Local RIBS circulator service also should be

improved, including adding reverse service on RIBS 2 and extending RIBS 4 to Wiehle Station.

These and the other steps described in this report are essential to provide frequent,

reliable, affordable and easy to use public transit to the Wiehle Station and other important

destinations for Restonians. This service will be critical for several years while the station is the

terminus of the Silver Line. These recommendations build on Restons transit tradition, and

should be included in the Connectors Silver Line Phase 1 service changes.



34/41

APPENDIX: PROPOSED SILVER LINE PHASE 1 FAIRFAX CONNECTOR BUS

SERVICE CHANGES


35/41

ProposedSilverLinePhase1

FairfaxConnectorBusServiceChanges

(Feb.26,2013)

CurrentBus

Service

(Jan. 2013)

Proposed

Phase 1

Bus

Service

(as

of

Feb.

25,

2013)

Route1 Description Days/Times

TotalNumber

OfDailyTrips:

Weekday;

Saturday,Sunday

Weekday

Boardings/

Boardings

PerTrip

(2009)2

ServiceChanges:

Additionsand

Deletions Route Description Days/Times

Frequency

(minutes):

Rush,NonRush/

Saturday/Sunday

401 BacklickGallowsRoad

Northbound

All:

(Weekdays

3:25a.m.to

12:35a.m.,

Weekends4:25a.m.to

11:49p.m.)

58;34,34trips 3,657/61 401 BacklickGallowsTysons

Northbound

All:

(Weekdays

4:20a.m.to

midnight;

Saturdays5:30a.m.to

11:00p.m.,

Sundays

6:00a.m.to

10:00p.m.)

15,20/30/30min

402 BacklickGallowsRoad

Southbound

All:

(Weekdays

4:06a.m.to

12:57a.m.,

Weekends

5:30a.m.to

12:50a.m.)

62;35,35trips 77/11 402 BacklickGallowsTysons

Southbound

All:

(Weekdays

4:20a.m.to

midnight;

Saturdays

5:30a.m.to

11:00p.m.,

Sundays

6:00a.m.to

10:00p.m.)

15,20/30/30min

425 TysonsJonesBranchDrive Weekdays Weekdays52trips 806/31 Eliminated

427 TysonsGreensboroDrive Weekdays Weekdays54trips 1,077/40 Eliminated

NewRoute 432 WolfTrapConnector WeekdayRush Rush30min

NewRoute 434 DunnLoringMcLean

(Tworoutingoptions)

WeekdayRush Rush30min

NewRoute 461 ViennaCirculator WeekdayRush Rush30min

462

Vienna

Park

Street

Weekday

Rush

Rush

7trips

462

Dunn

Loring

Tysons

(Tworoutingoptions)

WeekdayRush

Rush

30

min

463 ViennaNavyFederalCredit

Union

WeekdayRush Rush11trips 463 ViennaTysons WeekdayRush Rush30min

480 WolfTrapExpress Seasonal 480 Seasonal Seasonal

NewRoute

(Jan.2013)

495F BurkeCentreVREtoTysons

FullCirculation


36/41

2(Feb.26,2013)

NewRoute

(Jan.2013)

495G BurkeCentreVREtoTysons

GreensboroCirculation

NewRoute

(Jan.2013)

495J

BurkeCentre

VRE

to

Tysons

JonesBranchCirculation

NewRoute

(Jan.2013)

495M BurkeCentreVREtoTysons

McLeanCirculation

504 (Eliminated

2006)

505 Reston TownCenter

RTCtoWFC

All:

(Weekday

4:30a.m.to

11:50p.m.;

Saturday

7:30a.m.

to

12:50a.m.;

Sunday

7:30a.m.to

11:08p.m.

TwoWayService

75trips

(including38

reverserushtrips);

70,62trips

1,370/14 Eliminated

551 Reston SouthSouthLakesDrive WeekdayRush Rush36trips

(including10

reverserushtrips)

704/23 551 Reston SouthSouthLakes WeekdayRush MorningRush:

15min,

EveningRush:

30min(15min

withRIBS2)

552 RestonNorthNorthShoreDrive WeekdayRush Rush17trips 500/26 552 RestonNorthNorthShort

Drive


553 RestonSouthGladeDrive

VikingandPinecrest

WeekdayRush Rush10trips 226/15 553 RestonSouthViking

Pinecrest


554 RestonNorthWiehleAvenue WeekdayRush Rush14trips 424/30 554 RestonNorthWiehle WeekdayRush Rush15min

555 SunsetHillsParkandRide

WestFallsChurch

WeekdayRush Rush37trips Eliminated

556 NorthVillagetoRTC

(buscontinuedas505toWFC)

WeekdayRush Rush20trips 85/4 (Eliminated

2009)

557 RestonSouthSoapstoneDrive WeekdayRush Rush11trips 373/27 557 RestonSouthGlade WeekdayRush Rush15min


37/41

3(Feb.26,2013)

574 TysonsCornerReston All:

(Weekdays

5:10a.m.

to

11:10p.m.,

Saturdays

6:10a.m.to

9:13p.m.;

Sundays

6:10a.m.to

7:13p.m.)

37trips

(including

18reverse

trips);

32,28trips

434//12 574 RestonTownCenterTysons All:

(Weekdays

5a.m.

to

11

p.m.,

Saturdays

6a.m.to11p.m.,

Sundays

6a.m.to8p.m.)

30,60/60/60min

585 RestonSouthParkandRide WeekdayRush Rush33trips 500/21 585 RestonParkwayFranklin

Farms

Weekdays

(5:00a.m.to

7:30p.m.)

Weekdaysonly

15,60min

595

PentagonExpress

Weekday

Rush

Rush

13

326/25

Eliminated

597 CrystalCityExpress WeekdayRush Rush10 230/23 Eliminated

605 FairOaksReston All:

(Weekdays

6:56a.m.to

9:26p.m.;

Saturday

7:10a.m.to

7:08p.m.,

Sunday

8:10a.m.to

6:15p.m.)

TwoWayService

30;26,22trips

621/23 605 FairOaksReston All NoChange

NewRoute 720 ChainBridgeRoadMcLean All:

(Weekdays

offpeakonly

9:00a.m.to

4:00p.m.,

Saturdays

7:00a.m.to

8:00p.m.,

Sundays

8:00a.m.to

8:00p.m.)

,20/40/40min

NewRoute 721 ChainBridgeRoadLangley WeekdayRush Rush20min

NewRoute 722 ChurchillRoad

(Tworoutingoptions)


NewRoute 724 LewinsvilleRoad WeekdayRush Rush20min

922 [HerndonLine] 238/9 Eliminated

(June2009)


38/41

4(Feb.26,2013)

924 HerndonParkway

DranesvilleRoad

WeekdayRush Rush21trips 190/9 924 WestHerndon

(Tworoutingoptions)


926 WorldgateDranesvilleRoad WeekdayRush Rush19trips 137/7 926 CentralHerndon

(Tworoutingoptions)


927 DullesCornerMcNairFarms Weekdays Weekdays30trips 274/9 927 SouthHerndon Weekdays

(5:00a.m.to

9:00p.m.)

Weekdaysonly

15,30min

929 CentrevilleRoad WeekdayRush Rush18trips 191/14 929 CentrevilleRoad WeekdayRush Rush15min

950 HerndonReston All:

(Weekdays

4:10a.m.to

1:05a.m.,

Saturday

5:56a.m.to

1:08a.m.,

Sunday

5:56a.m.to

11:40p.m.)

TwoWayService

116;78,70trips

3,428/45 950 HerndonRestonTown

Center

All:

(Weekdays

(5:00am.to

midnight;

Weekends

6:00a.m.to

midnight)

30,30/30/30min

951 SunriseValleyDrive

REVERSECOMMUTE

WeekdayRush Rush19trips 254/13 951 SunriseValley Option1:

PossibleElimination

Option2:

WeekdayRush

Option2:

Rush15min

952

SunsetHills

Road

REVERSECOMMUTEWeekday

Rush

Rush

18

trips

243/14

952

Sunset

Hills

Option

1:

PossibleElimination

Option2:

WeekdayRush

Option2:

Rush15min


39/41

5(Feb.26,2013)

NewRoute 959 SunriseValleySunsetHills

Circulator

Option1:LargeLoopfrom

CentrevilleRoadtoHunterMill

RoadviaSunriseValleyDrive

andSunsetHillsRoad.

(NoserviceonRoutes951

952)

Option2:ShorterRestonTown

Centerto

Wiehle

Station

via

SunsetHillsRoadroute

(extendingtoHunterHillat

peakperiods)and

continuationofRoutes951

952.

Option1:

All:

(Weekdays

5:00a.m.to

midnight;

Weekends

6:00a.m.to

midnight)

Option2:

All:

(Weekdays

5:00a.m.to

midnight;

Weekends

6:00a.m.to

midnight)

Option1:

30,30/60/60min

Option2:

20,15/15/15min

980 HerndonMonroe WeekdayRush Rush(unknown,but

every6minutesat

peak,estimate

82trips)

2,690/32 980 HerndonMonroe

WiehleRestonEast


981

Tysons

West

Park

to

Dulles

AirportExpressAll:

(Weekdays

5:50a.m.to

11:48p.m.,

Weekends

6:33a.m.to

11:00p.m.)

Two

Way

Service

88;42,21tripsNew

Route

(June2012)981

Dulles

International

Airport

All:

(Weekdays

5:00a.m.to

11:00p.m.;

Weekends

6:00a.m.to

11:00 p.m.)

20,20/20/40

min

RIBS1 LakeAnneHuntersWoodsLine All:

(Weekdays

5:11a.m.to

12:08a.m.,

Saturday

6:10a.m.

to

11:13p.m.,

Sundays

6:05a.m.to

8:10p.m.)

34;31,15trips

roundtrips

708/21 RIBS1 LakeAnneHuntersWoods

Line

All:

(SameDays

andTimes)

NoChange


40/41

6(Feb.26,2013)

RIBS2 SouthLakesDriveHerndon

MonroeLine

All:

(Weekdays

5:11a.m.

to

12:05a.m.,

Saturday

6:10a.m.to

11:10p.m.,

Sunday

6:05a.m.to

8:10p.m.)

34;31,14

roundtrips

968/28 RIBS2 SouthLakesDriveHerndon

MonroeLine

All:

(NoChange)

NoChange

RIBS3 HuntersWoodsLakeAnneLine All:

(Weekdays

5:15a.m.

to12:05

a.m.,

Saturdays

6:10a.m.t0

11:10p.m.,

Sunday

6:10a.m.to

8:10p.m.)

34;31,15

roundtrips

964/28 RIBS3 HuntersWoodsLakeAnne

Line

All:

(NoChange)

NoChange

RIBS4 NorthPointLine All:

Weekday

6:11a.m.to

10:10p.m.,

Saturday

6:00a.m.

to10:05p.m.,

Sunday

6:00a.m.to

8:05p.m.)

35;30,13

roundtrips

566/18 RIBS4 NorthPointLine All:

Weekday

(NoChange)

NoChange

RIBS5 HerndonLine All:

(Weekdays

6:25a.m.to

10:10p.m.,

Saturday

6:30a.m.to

9:35p.m.,

Sunday

6:25a.m.to

7:30p.m.)

24;20,14

roundtrips

(NewRoute

2010)

RIBS5 HerndonLine All:

(NoChange)

NoChange


41/41

7(Feb.26,2013)

NewRoute SLC1 McLeanEastTysons

Circulator

(Tworouting

options)

Weekdays

(5:30a.m.to

11:00p.m.)

Weekdaysonly

10,2030min

NewRoute SLC2 TysonsCentralTysons

Circulator

All

(Weekdays

5:30a.m.to

11:30p.m.,

Saturdays

6:00a.m.to

10:00p.m.,

Sundays

6:00a.m.

to8:00p.m.)

10,2030/

2030/2030min

NewRoute

SLC

3

Greensboro

South

Tysons

CirculatorWeekdays

(5:30a.m.to

11:00p.m.)

Weekdaysonly

10,2030min

NewRoute SLC4 Spring HillNorthTysons

Circulator

Weekdays

(5:30a.m.to

11:30p.m.)

Weekdaysonly

10,2030min

1 Sources:

CurrentNorthFairfaxCountySystemMap(Aug.30,2012),availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/pdf/northcountysystemmap.pdf;Currentbusroutesandschedules,availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes;Proposed

Silver

Line

Bus

Service,

availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes/dullesrail/allroutes.htm. [36routes,includingSLCandRIBS1,2,3];SilverLinePhase1BusServicePlan(RevisedPublicMeetingPresentation),availableathttp://www.slideshare.net/fairfaxcounty/silver

linebusserviceplan?ref=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/news/presentations.htm;

ProposedRestonArearoutesonly,availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes/dullesrail/reston.htm. [15routesincludingRIBS1,2,3];ProposedWiehleRestonEastMetroStationroutesonly,availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes/dullesrail/wiehlerestoneaststation.htm. [19routes,includingRIBS1,2,3];Sixroutesrecommendedforelimination,availableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes/dullesrail/eliminations.htm.2 Source:FairfaxCountyTransitDevelopmentPlan(Dec.2009),Chapter7. Theplanisavailableathttp://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/tdp.htm. TheseridershipfigurespredatetheopeningofthenewSunsetHillsparkand

ridelotandthecreationoftheexpress555routetoWestFallsChurchMetro,whichmayhavedistortedRestonHerndonridership.

Documents

Building on Reston's Transit Tradition: Enhancing Bus Service with the Arrival of Metrorail, RCA Reston 2020 Committee, February 27, 2013