Bill to Study Bringing Metro to Woodbridge & Centreville (Arlington: employment, homebuyer)

[FindingZen]

I agree that a mass transit option is sorely needed between PG/National Harbor and Huntington/Old Town Alexandria. However, I think that bus rapid transit would be a better short-term solution as a Metro extension over the Potomac may be even more expensive than building track over the Occoquan to Woodbridge.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by Tone509

I agree that a mass transit option is sorely needed between PG/National Harbor and Huntington/Old Town Alexandria. However, I think that bus rapid transit would be a better short-term solution as a Metro extension over the Potomac may be even more expensive than building track over the Occoquan to Woodbridge.

A bus is a good short term solution but once PG builds the MGM Casino then a bus system is not going to be adequate. Two things initially that may help the cost of such a connection is that the Wilson Bridge has reserved space to handle a rail to go across it and also the developers of National Harbor have already predetermined in their master plans where they would place the Metro (next to the casino near the I-95 ramp.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by Tone509

I agree that a mass transit option is sorely needed between PG/National Harbor and Huntington/Old Town Alexandria. However, I think that bus rapid transit would be a better short-term solution as a Metro extension over the Potomac may be even more expensive than building track over the Occoquan to Woodbridge.

The Wilson bridge project and 495 section to it allowed for rail structural and spatially. It'd be cheaper than other river crossings (and MGM might be willing to pay for a significant amount of it). Could help reduce some of the pressure on the Blue/orange tunnel by providing an alternate for routes to Navy Yard/and green line also.

[SteelCityRising]

Perhaps I'm not seeing things clearly, but wouldn't expanding a commuter rail line out to a place like Haymarket, as was suggested, just result in urban sprawl shifting even further westward as people could now colonize and develop areas further west and drive to a park/ride lot at a proposed new train station in Haymarket to commute to points east? What then? Do we then extend that rail line even further west to a new sprawlsville so people can then build yet another sprawlsville further west of that one? When will Northern Virginia actually work on solving problems in its CORE first before subsidizing transit for those who choose to live in places like Haymarket for no apparent reason other than "more square footage"? NoVA needs to intensify its density closer to the urban core instead of just spreading people out thinner and thinner progressively further and further out like butter. One of the many reasons I left Reston was due to the sheer idiocy of people who were railing against an increase in density. Would you rather people continue to flood into Northern Virginia and move further and further out into the countryside, ruining open space and clogging the roads of each and every community closer in?

[Middlin]

What would you call Westchester County, Connecticut & NJ? Is all of that suburban sprawl?

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Perhaps I'm not seeing things clearly, but wouldn't expanding a commuter rail line out to a place like Haymarket, as was suggested, just result in urban sprawl shifting even further westward as people could now colonize and develop areas further west and drive to a park/ride lot at a proposed new train station in Haymarket to commute to points east? What then? Do we then extend that rail line even further west to a new sprawlsville so people can then build yet another sprawlsville further west of that one? When will Northern Virginia actually work on solving problems in its CORE first before subsidizing transit for those who choose to live in places like Haymarket for no apparent reason other than "more square footage"? NoVA needs to intensify its density closer to the urban core instead of just spreading people out thinner and thinner progressively further and further out like butter. One of the many reasons I left Reston was due to the sheer idiocy of people who were railing against an increase in density. Would you rather people continue to flood into Northern Virginia and move further and further out into the countryside, ruining open space and clogging the roads of each and every community closer in?

Preaching to the choir man, they wont listen sadly. Then they wonder why the roads are so messed up, add another 20 lanes maybe that will fix it.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

The Wilson bridge project and 495 section to it allowed for rail structural and spatially. It'd be cheaper than other river crossings (and MGM might be willing to pay for a significant amount of it). Could help reduce some of the pressure on the Blue/orange tunnel by providing an alternate for routes to Navy Yard/and green line also.

I wasn't aware of the rail accomodations on the Wilson Bridge per you and pgtvatitans. That is good to know. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a private-public parternship via MGM.

[mos1992]

I think Nova should have its own metro. Why would the whole are (DC and MD) pay for our expanisons. MD should also pay for their expansions as well. Wmata should only connect DC, MD, VA

[Carlingtonian]

Everyone cannot live here.

By extending Metro to these far-flung exurbs, we as a region pay the cost of improving access for people who consciously chose to live far from their jobs. They knew what they were doing when they bought their homes.

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

...while there is almost no crime in Arlington, Vienna, and Bethesda ...

There is plenty of crime in Arlington. In fact, there is more crime near the Metro than the areas far from the Metro (e.g., Woodmont).

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/12/19/cri...allston-metro/

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/04/06/fou...near-ballston/

Buckingham is a few minutes' walk to Ballston Metro:
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/08/22/cri...in-buckingham/

Central Library is also very near Ballston Metro:
[Also from ArlNow] Brother Attacked Outside Library Dies — One of the 26-year-old twins who was stabbed outside Arlington Central Library in June has died. Tim Kern died at a homeless shelter on Saturday. Police do not suspect foul play and say his injuries from the attack did not contribute directly to his death. [Washington Post]

This bike/walking path is very accessible to Ballston and East Falls Church:
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/06/04/new...tack-on-trail/

Even Clarendon is not immune:
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/03/27/cri...-ball-thrower/

Nor is the Metro station across the street from the police station:
http://www.arlnow.com/2012/12/20/cri...olice-station/

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/10/18/cri...ssault-by-mob/

Near the Virginia Square Metro:
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/09/06/pol...d-womans-face/

More Buckingham:
http://www.arlnow.com/2013/08/22/cri...in-buckingham/

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/10/24/cri...in-buckingham/

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by mos1992

I think Nova should have its own metro. Why would the whole are (DC and MD) pay for our expanisons. MD should also pay for their expansions as well. Wmata should only connect DC, MD, VA

If I am not mistaken, it is the Commonwealth of Virginia (along with some help from the Federal government) that is paying for the Silver Line. I don't believe DC and MD are involved. That said, a good number of people commute from one jurisdiction to another so in a sense "everyone" benefits from any improvements made on the Metro.