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| The Route 7 corridor. |
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is beginning a study of transit alternatives for the Route 7 corridor between Tysons Corner and Alexandria.
Public engagement is a critical element of the study. The first meeting for the public will be July 25, 7-9 p.m. at the Skyline 7 building, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church (near Target). The study team will give a presentation on current conditions of the Route 7 corridor.
There will be another meeting for the public—Sept. 18, 7-9 p.m. at the same location—to consider preliminary transit alternatives. The public is also invited to submit feedback online.
Options include:
- Express bus—with fewer stops than a regular bus.
- Rapid bus—a bus with limited stops operating in a dedicated lane.
- Rapid transit—similar to a rapid bus but with specialized vehicles and more amenities, such as off-bus fare collection and real-time passenger information.
- Light rail—usually powered by overhead electrical wires, these systems have automatic rail traffic control and stations with passenger amenities.
- Streetcars—usually single vehicles powered by overhead wires and usually operate in mixed traffic, which means they are slower than light rail.
The Route 7 Corridor Transit Alternatives Analysis Study will address such issues as how to make Route 7 more accessible and easier to travel through and whether a high-capacity transit service is needed or improvements to existing bus service will be enough. The study team will consider various alternatives based on such factors as transit and roadway mobility, transit accessibility, safety, regional connectivity, development potential, environmental impacts, capital and operating costs, and potential funding sources.
Phase I of the study is expected to be completed in October. Phase II, involving the analysis of alternatives, will begin in November.