Virginia Railway Express Proposes 4% Fare Increase

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The Virginia Railway Express is calling for a fare increase and has scheduled a series of public hearings on the proposal around Northern Virginia.

The commuter transit service is proposing a 4 percent fare increase and a $2 increase in the Amtrak Step-Up ticket, according to a VRE announcement. If adopted, this change would become effective the first week of July, to coincide with the start of VRE’s fiscal 2016 budget year.

The public hearings are scheduled for:

• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 - Stafford County Government Center Board Chambers, 1300 Courthouse Road, Stafford.
• Noon Thursday, Feb. 19 - Holiday Inn (L’Enfant), Discovery 1 Ballroom, 550 C. Street SW, Washington, D.C.
• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 - Burke Centre Conservancy, “The Commons” Community Center, 5701 Roberts Parkway, Burke.
• Noon Wednesday, Feb. 25 - Crystal City Marriott, Lincoln Room, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington.
• 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 - Manassas City Hall, City Council Chamber, 9027 Center St., Manassas.
• 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 - PRTC Board Room, 2nd Floor, 14700 Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge.
• 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5 - Fredericksburg City Hall, Council Chambers, 715 Princess Anne St., Fredericksburg.

See VRE’s website for additional information regarding these hearings atwww.vre.org/feedback/publichearing.html. Written comments will be accepted through March 6.

To make comments:

• via mail: Attention of Bryan Jungwirth, 1500 King St., Suite 202, Alexandria, Va. 22314
• via email: publiccomment@vre.org
• by fax: (703) 684-1313

The public hearings are being conducted in locations accessible to persons with disabilities. Any individual with a disability who requires special assistance, such as a sign language interpreter, should send an e-mail to publiccomment@vre.org or call Bryan Jungwirth at (703) 684-1001 or TTY (703) 684-0551 at least 10 business days prior to the public hearing to make the necessary arrangements.