Express bus planned for Leesburg Pike
While the Envision Route 7 project to bring a Bus Rapid Transit system to Leesburg Pike moves forward, an interim effort for an express bus could be implemented by the end of the year.
The plan for the express was announced at an open house on Envision Route 7 hosted by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission in Alexandria on June 9.
The F20 Metrobus route between Tysons and Old Town Alexandria – traveling mostly along Route 7 – has the highest ridership in Virginia.
A new Metrobus route, F2X will augment the F20 route, beginning in December, with faster service and fewer stops, said Vikram Sinha, senior program manager for Envision Route 7 at the NVTC. The goal, he said, is to have a bus arrive every six to seven minutes.
The F2X route is funded by the NVTC Commuter Choice program. It’s seen as a foundational step toward full implementation of the BRT.
“We want to give people better bus service,” Sinha said. “If more people ride buses, there will be fewer people in cars.”
Related story: Route 7 BRT project advances
The NVTC expects to wrap up its mobility study on Envision Route 7 between Seven Corners and the Mark Center by this fall, although several major recommendations still need to be determined, such as whether the BRT should run in the median of Leesburg Pike or on the side of the road, in which case it would replace one of the general travel lanes in each direction.
Planning studies for the Envision Route 7 sections between the Spring Hill and East Falls Church Metro stations have already been completed.
A BRT line has higher capacity, better reliability, more frequent service, and easier boarding than typical bus service.
During peak times, the BRT would run every six minutes, said Mike Garcia, chief of the Planning Section at the Fairfax County Department of Transportation.
The articulated buses would hold 60 passengers, compared to 40 in regular buses, Garcia said. Bus stops along the route will be upgraded. Land acquisition won’t be needed unless new sidewalks are installed. Utility relocation hasn’t been determined yet.
Sixty-four percent of people who responded to a feedback form last fall indicated they are satisfied or very satisfied with bus service along the Route 7 corridor. A majority (58 percent) said they want more frequent bus service.
As a result of public feedback, the project team recommends that the BRT stop at both the Mark Center and Southern Towers.
Transportation officials declined to estimate when the Envision Route 7 project would become operational, only that it is “many years away.”
Planning for the Richmond Highway BRT along Route 1 between the Huntington Metro station and Fort Belvoir, known as “The One,” started in 2018 and isn’t expected to be operational until 2032.
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So 64% said that they are satisfied with the bus service. Then, why is Fairfax County talking about closing lanes on Route 7? Traffic there is already not fun most of the time. Closing a lane each way will certainly make it more miserable. I love the quote, “If more people ride buses, there will be fewer people in cars.” I know that is what all Supervisors hope for. And of course, that is a true statement, but the real truth is that not that many more people are going to ride the buses. So making drivers miserable for a few extra bus riders doesn’t seem lie a good idea. I support the fewer stops for buses as I always loved the buses with fewer stops. But don’t take away our driving lanes.
They are going to make traffic in seven corners and baileys worse while raising our taxes 33% in three years?!
They made Tysons a nightmare by running metro overhead and taking away lanes now they are making a bus lane for the occasional bus while causing crippling traffic for residents.
This is why people are leaving Virginia.
Where are the busses going to ride – the bike lanes take up the only available lane – stupid Democrats -with more stupid ideas.
FC DOT and NV needs to publish the actual data. The NV Transportation commission website says the R7 ridership serves 7500 transit dependent riders each weekday. What is the cost to operate the existing R7 bus service. What is the cost to do the enhancements (bus stops, lane changes, etc) and what is the cost of the new larger buses (being added) plus the additional drivers?
Who and how many participated in the survey, what kind of usage history did those participants have? Politicians are apt to find statistics to serve their speeches for their pet projects. It is strange only 58% said they’d want more frequent bus service. If you asked me when I used to ride the Columbia Pike bus route or when I rode metro rail regularly, if I wanted more frequent service of either, it would have been an emphatic YES. I can’t believe the percentage is so LOW.
I question the public value of some of the improvements that VDOT and FCDOT have put in place. TBH, the bike lanes instead of car lanes on Annandale, Gallows, Hummer and other areas in Mason see very little usage.
Any concept of taking lanes on 7 away from normal traffic and moving them to bus only service, definitely needs hard usage targets. And a backout plan to return those lanes if they are not met. IMO, those bike lanes should be returned to traffic based on their usage.