Transportation leaders from Maryland and Virginia took part in an online public hearing to go over studies that suggest ways to expand bus service with the addition of a new American Legion Bridge along Interstate 495.
NOVA Transit Planning Manager Ciara Williams opened up the forum with laying out three different investment strategies ranging from low, medium to high.
The baseline package includes two main route connections for riding peak service to Bethesda and Gaithersburg in Maryland and Tysons in Virginia.
A medium-range proposal adds an additional route to the minimum investment plan, increased bus frequency and introduction of peak service.
The most ambitious, high-investment proposal would include all-day bus service, additional routes servicing almost a dozen communities, including a new hub at Dulles International Airport.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e working on a planning study like this, you鈥檙e using longer-range models; and you鈥檙e making predictions of future land use and development,鈥� said Jennifer DeBruhl, chief of public transportation for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, or DRPT.
But some questioned why Dulles wasn鈥檛 part of a plan that is most guaranteed to be approved. DeBruhl and others pointed out that they have so far not seen enough demand for such a route.
“If you build it, they will come, right?” one viewer responded.
鈥淚 mean that鈥檚 something that we can definitely talk about,鈥� Williams said.
Recommendations from the two studies were based on three categories concerning productivity, equity and connectivity.
Specific issues revolved around things, such as maximizing ridership at the lowest cost, serving areas with high concentrations of low-income and minority riders, and providing route access to the most jobs and people.
鈥淲e鈥檒l certainly go back and look at it again, but if it doesn鈥檛 make this initial study, this evaluation of transit options doesn鈥檛 end with this study,鈥� DeBruhl said.
The American Legion Bridge replacement is part of a to expand lanes along the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 in Maryland, and to link up Virginia鈥檚 I-495 extension effort.
The for the transit proposals related to the bridge is open online through Feb. 1.
