Federal funds approved to complete planning for Envision Route 7

The $1.7 trillion omnibus funding bill approved by Congress on Dec. 23 includes $2 million to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to complete planning for the Envision Route 7 project.

Envision Route 7 is a planning process for bringing a bus rapid transit system along the Route 7 corridor between the Mark Center in Alexandria and Tysons via Bailey’s Crossroads, Seven Corners, and Falls Church.

According to the NVTC, the BRT will provide as many as 42,000 daily transit trips. It will stop at the East Falls Church and Tysons Metro stations and connect with the future Alexandria West End Transitway.

BRT systems differ from regular bus systems, as they have specialized vehicles, transit signal priority, enhanced bus stops and fare collection systems, and dedicated pathways.

The Envision Route 7 study, now in Phase IV, has been going on since 2013. The first part of Phase IV involves an evaluation of the mobility benefits and impacts of a BRT system between Tysons and Seven Corners, including the development of a traffic micro-simulation model.

Related story: Engineering plan outlines concept for Route 7 bus rapid transit

The NVTC thanked Rep. Gerry Connolly and Rep. Don Beyer on Twitter for including Envision Route 7 in the federal funding bill.

In Beyer’s request for funding the project, he said the $2 million would allow the NVTC to complete the planning and National Environmental Policy Act analysis to prepare for the design and construction of the 14-mile BRT.

A press release issued by Connolly says the Envision Route 7 BRT “will provide a reliable and affordable transportation option for communities along this corridor, provide a green transportation option that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help in the battle against climate change, reduce congestion along a key transportation corridor,” and “connect major employment centers.”

Some of the other initiatives in the omnibus appropriations package include:

• $2 million in education aid for behavioral healthcare students and providers if they work at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board for three years.
• $2.1 million for job training and entrepreneurship skills development for teens and young adults at Fairfax County community centers and teen centers.
• $2.2 million to increase the number and diversity of nursing graduates at Northern Virginia Community College.
• $1.5 million to expand Fairfax County’s Early Childhood Development and Learning Program.