fairfax county countywide transit network study-february 2016 public meeting: proposed high quality...

County of Fairfax, Virginia

Department of Transportation

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FAIRFAX COUNTY COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT

NETWORK STUDY

February 2016Public Meetings

ProposedHigh Quality Transit Network

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This presentation summarizes the draft recommendations for Fairfax County’s proposed High Quality Transit Network (HQTN).

Presentation Context



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Establish the most effective way to serve the County’s future growth by improving public transit usage.

Replace the Enhanced Public Transportation Corridors (EPTC) in the Comprehensive Plan with a High Quality Transit Network (HQTN) and further define modes, right-of-way needs, and station locations.

Study Purpose


County of Fairfax, Virginia Study Process

We are at the final stage of public involvement and review:

• Goals/objectives (July 2012)• Corridor functions (November 2012)• Proposed concept (July 2013)• Recommended High Quality Transit

Network (early 2016)

Our remaining steps are to:• Complete community and stakeholder

engagement• Refine details on alignments, stations,

ridership and costs• Finalize recommendations

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County of Fairfax, Virginia Goals and Objectives

The HQTN is designed to achieve three primary goals, based on the County’s growth policies and developed with commentary from stakeholder and community outreach:




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Land Use ConceptThe proposed HQTN supports the County’s Concept for Future Development in the Comprehensive Plan by focusing on service to and from activity centers both within the County and region-wide.



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High Quality Transit


Defining elements of the HQTN include providing improved travel speeds and reliable travel times, typically on exclusive right-of-way. Commuter rail, Metrorail, LRT, and BRT are all examples of High Quality Transit modes.


The type of premium transit service appropriate for each corridor will reflect the traveler needs and land use context in that corridor.

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Destination corridors, like the Metroway BRT in Alexandria, connect neighborhoods to multiple activity centers, functioning primarily to provide access.

Commuter corridors, like the Virginia Railway Express, primarily serve one major activity center and tend to focus on journey-to-work trips and function primarily to provide mobility.

Transit Corridor Function


Source: Center for Transit Oriented Development


The November 2012 public meeting presented different functional concepts for a High Quality Transit Network. The access focus attracted more total transit riders whereas the mobility focus provided better access to regional jobs. Both had a similar benefit in reducing vehicle travel.

MobilityAccess

Functional Concepts



The public values multiple objectives:• Increase access to destinations• Include both high demand

commuter and destination corridors• Reduce roadway congestion• Increase transit ridership• Take cars off the road• Encourage Transit-Oriented

Development (TOD)• Support Countywide vision for

managed growth• Be affordable• Be understandable/usable• Be connected

Four concepts were reviewed with the public in November 2012. The proposed HQTN concept utilizes the best ideas from each for a context-sensitive fit to individual corridor needs.

Alternative Concepts



Extensive coordination with current studies in past two years:

• Transform 66• Richmond Highway • Envision Route 7• Alexandria transitway

planning• Route 7 west of Tysons

Study Coordination


Coordination efforts as of Summer 2013

County of Fairfax, Virginia Proposed HQTNThe proposed HQTN builds upon the existing and Constrained Long Range Plan (CLRP) transit investments to create an interconnected network of commuter and destination corridors, supported by connecting express bus routes.



Existing HQTN elements serving Fairfax County include Metrorail and VRE with supportive express bus services on high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) or high-occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes.

Proposed HQTN Elements



2015 CLRP transit connections provide the starting point for the proposed HQTN:

• Silver Line extension (Metrorail)

• Richmond Highway (BRT)• Alexandria’s West End and

Duke Street transitways (BRT)

Proposed HQTN Elements (Cont.)



Metrorail Extensions provide capacity to both connect Fairfax County with other jurisdictions for longer-distance trips as region expands over time and to serve the County’s activity centers:

• Metrorail Orange Line• Metrorail Blue Line • Metrorail Yellow Line




Light Rail Transit (LRT) / Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) provide service to support access to and within transit-oriented development along linear corridors:

• Route 28 Corridor LRT/BRT• Route 7 LRT/BRT• Gallows Road LRT/BRT

The choice of LRT or BRT will be finalized during alternatives analysis.




Express Bus services connect activity centers as well as other transit services, including Transit Centers and Park & Rides, and provide greater routing flexibility:



Radial Circumferential

Route 50Route 236Van Dorn Street

Beltway ExpressFairfax County ParkwayRoute 28

Express Bus may operate on HOV/HOT lanes.


The proposed HQTN would result in changes to the Transportation Plan Map, including mode and alignment details in the following corridors:• Blue Line Extension • Yellow Line Extension• Gallows Road LRT/BRT• Richmond Highway BRT• Route 7 LRT/BRT• Route 28 Corridor LRT/BRT

Transportation Plan Changes



Recommends the following in addition to the current CLRP:

• 34 miles & 11 stations Metrorail

• 33 miles & 32 stationsLRT/BRT

• Supported by 143 miles & 26 stations Express Bus

Proposed HQTN


County of Fairfax, Virginia Measures of Effectiveness


Final travel forecasts under review

County of Fairfax, Virginia Measures of Effectiveness• Capital cost per annual

weekday passenger is a measure of cost effectiveness.

• Higher cost projects can bear higher capital costs per passenger due to operating efficiencies

• New Starts approvals indicate current federal/local funding climate

• Recommended HQTN projects compare favorably


Final travel forecasts under review


Supporting policies for the HQTN include:

• Concentrated growth in Activity Centers

• Quality TOD• Multimodal Street

Designs• Feeder Bus Services• Park & Rides• Transit Centers• Circulator Systems

Supporting Policies



• Current CLRP reflects initial priorities

• Development patterns guide next steps for fixed guideway (Route 7, Gallows, Route 28 Corridor)

• Express bus systems will evolve as connections in subsequent Transit Development Plans (TDP)

• Metrorail extensions will require core capacity solutions in order to be found a best investment

Phasing Considerations



• Complete documentation• Publish draft final report• Obtain additional public

comments• Present final report to

Board for endorsement• Initiate process to

incorporate HQTN in Comprehensive Plan

Next Steps


County of Fairfax, Virginia Questions?

Tom Burke (Fairfax County DOT)[email protected]

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/2050transitstudy/

FAIRFAX COUNTY COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT

NETWORK STUDY


mailto:[email protected]





fairfax county countywide transit network study-february 2016 public meeting: proposed high quality...

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