Budget
Fairfax County proposes bus route cuts
Fairfax County has proposed cutting bus service for FY 2010 to close a $650M budget gap. The cuts include completely eliminating fifteen routes, decreasing bus frequency on nine routes, cutting off weekend service on one route, and other cuts.
Photo by kodama (home).
Metrorail/VRE feeder routes:
- 303,304,305 - Metrorail feeder service for Island Creek, Saratoga, and Newington Forest, respectively
- 307 - Lorton VRE feeder bus
- 402,403 - Weekday Rush Hour service for the town of Vienna to the local Metro stations (Vienna and Dunn Loring)
556 - Weekday service between Reston Town Center and the West Falls Church Metrosee below
- 952 - Reverse commute route for West Falls Church Metro and the Herndon Park and Ride.
These routes are Metrorail or VRE feeder services, and eliminating them may adversely affect both congestion along the region's highways, as well as Metrorail's ability to attract customers during rush hour, when higher peak fares contribute more to the costs of running the system.
Highway express routes:
- 380 - Franconia/Springfield to Pentagon express bus
- 595,597 - Weekday rush hour service between Reston East Park and Ride and the Pentagon/Crystal City
One of the routes (the 380) duplicates Metrorail service between two points. Two other routes largely duplicate service that's provided by a combination of bus and rail. It's not clear whether eliminating this route will merely shift people between the bus and rail or whether they will start driving.
Local routes:
- 306 - Midday service from GMU to Pentagon
- 556 - Reston local route (continues as 505 to the Metro) - thanks Tom for the correction.
- 922 - Herndon local route (update: This route feeds the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride, which has a frequent bus (every 6 minutes during peak) to the Metro)
- 929 - Herndon/Centerville local route (update: similar to the 922, this one also serves the park and ride which has frequent service to Metro)
The rest of the routes (306, 556, 922, 929) are local connector bus routes that more likely than not primarily serve the transit-dependent. I do not have data to support this assertion, but based it on my knowledge of the area (it's highly car-oriented) and the bus route description (it doesn't serve rail and appears to travel local streets only). The routes serve Metro stations through a park and ride and frequent bus shuttle connection. It's probably not fair to call this service for "transit dependent" riders.
Public hearings to discuss the service cuts will take place on March 30 at 7pm, March 31 at 3 pm and on April 1 at 3 pm. All hearings will be at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax. To speak at the hearing, register here prior to 10 am on the day of the hearing or call 703-324-3151 prior to noon. You can also submit comments in writing here or by calling 703-324-9400.
Fairfax will approve the final budget on April 27, 2009.
 | Michael Perkins blogs here and at Infosnack about Metro operations and fares, performance parking, and any other government and economics information he finds on the Web. He lives with his wife and two children in Arlington, Virginia.    |
Comments
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Thanks Fairfax for completely ignoring that those lines are fuller than a year ago. High gas prices got folks out of their car, and they stayed out. Neither did the price increase scare them away. But I guess nobody really noticed in increase in traffic jams when the South County drivers were on strike. and hey, someone needs to pay for the Silver line.
Mumble, mumble, not to forget to write an asinine, yet polite to the county tonight....
[author is a regular 305 rider]
by Jasper on Mar 24, 2009 4:11 pm
by kreeggo on Mar 24, 2009 6:32 pm
(BTW, your outgoing link doesn't work)
-----------
Mr Griffin,
I am writing in opposition of the elimination of the 305 bus service. I use this service 3-4 days a week, to get from my home in Lorton to my work in downtown DC via Franconia-Springfield. Eliminating this service, and I think this goes for the 304 and 303 that service neighboring areas too, will immediately create more congestion on local roads (Hooes, Silverbrook, Pohick, etc) and the arteries in this areas (7100, 7900, I-95, I-395 and beyond), as (former) riders get in their cars to get to work. This will deteriorate the living and traffic conditions in these heavily congested areas. You will also destroy your investment in the Park and Ride lots along the routes, as well as reduce the usage of slug lines that operate from those lots.
I do not have the space here to go into all advantages of bus service over individual car usage, and I will assume that the Board is aware of them. If not, please check local websites as http://greatergreaterwashington.org/. Transit is not a matter of cost only. It's also matter of infrastructure, environment and living conditions.
I am very surprised that the county is considering eliminating these bus lines because ridership has increased due to the high gas prices last year. The reduction in gas prices, nor the increase of the bus fare have made people stopped from using the bus, proving that the bus is a very good alternative for the car.
If cuts are completely unavoidable, I would like to suggest to find a way to combine the 304 and 305 routes to at least maintain partial service. Or I would suggest a merger between the Fairfax Connector and the Fairfax School buses. New York City and other urban areas have done this already, with great success. It is certainly odd that the County can maintain dozens of school buses riding through my neighborhood, which is next to the South County High School, while it is impossible to keep a commuter bus service running.
You have increased fares, and property taxes, and I have paid without complaining, understanding these are difficult times. However, now I ask you to do your part and keep up the services you were offering, and not pass more of your shortsighted savings onto the bus riders who will have to spend more to get to their work.
Oh, and please give the (remaining) drivers a defensive driving course. 90% of them could use it.
by Jasper on Mar 24, 2009 8:46 pm
by Bianchi on Mar 24, 2009 9:02 pm
by Tom on Mar 25, 2009 9:53 am
by Michael Perkins on Mar 25, 2009 9:59 am
by Michael Perkins on Mar 25, 2009 10:05 am
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