Bus Rapid Transit Framework Sought By Fairfax Supervisors

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A Tuesday vote by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors affirmed the county's commitment to developing a framework for a Bus Rapid Transit project along Route 7.

The Envision Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project is being developed to offer new transit between the Mark Center in Alexandria through Bailey's Crossroads, the City of Falls Church to Tysons. One example of existing dedicated bus lanes is the Metroway in Alexandria and Arlington County along Richmond Highway. Alexandria is also planning a West End Transitway, while Fairfax County is planning a Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit called The One.

Tuesday's board approval involved a memorandum of agreement between Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, the lead agency for the Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project. The agreement provides a commitment to fund the development of a "roadmap" for the Route 7 Bus Rapid Transit project. The plan will identify milestones and actions needed by the localities and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to advance the project.

The project is currently in the mobility study phase. These studies will look at the benefits of Bus Rapid Transit along Route 7 and look at traffic impacts and traffic operational issues. A mobility study is currently underway on the right-of-way on Route 7 in the City of Falls Church, and a future study will look at the right-of-way on Route 7 leading into the City of Alexandria.

While the project is not yet in the design phase, Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity expressed support for bus pull-off areas allowing express bus routes to get through.

"I'm hoping as we move this project forward, if we move this project forward, that we certainly take into account the ability to get people there more quickly and have the option to do express routes so that we can actually get people on these buses and using them," said Herrity.

Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said Herrity's idea "almost seems like a no brainer" and asked about the downsides of express service. Tom Biesiadny, director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, said adding bus pull-off areas or passing areas to let express buses through would require additional right-of-way acquisitions.

"We can certainly look at that as part of the design and discuss it with the board as the design is progressing as to whether or not to include that," said Biesiadny.

Herrity commented that the ability to do express routes was a missed opportunity in the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit planning. The proposed Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit would have nine stations from Fort Belvoir to Huntington.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay disagreed that the Richmond Highway had a missed opportunity for express lanes due to the potential right-of-way acquisition impacts.

"Those of us who have been intimately familiar with for well over a decade, and more importantly, cast the votes to provide the financial support for that $1 billion public improvement project...are acutely aware of what the cost and the environmental impacts of those would have been on the Route 1 corridor," said McKay. "And, frankly, in some cases, business and community displacement that would have occurred in a very narrow stretch of highway to begin with."

To follow updates on the Bus Rapid Transit study, visit the Envision Route 7 web page.