Metro News Release

For immediate release: February 2, 2004

Metrobus service along U.S. Route 1 to be restructured

Public hearings scheduled for February

Metro officials are interested in restructuring the Metrobus service along U.S. Route 1 in Virginia (regional Routes 9A, E), and today agreed to conduct a public hearing on the proposed changes. Approximately 5,000 bus trips are made along the 10.5-mile U.S. Route 1 Richmond Highway corridor on an average weekday. The proposed changes will improve on-time performance by streamlining routes; offer express service in the corridor to keep buses on time; increase ridership by 500 passengers per weekday; improve pedestrian safety and amenities at 18 designated bus stops; and increase awareness of the corridor’s bus service via a specialized marketing effort. The hearings are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, at the South County Government Center, 8350 Richmond Highway in Alexandria, and at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street in Alexandria. The restructuring would split the existing Metrobus Route 9A into two segments so buses will be more likely to meet schedules. The 9A would offer limited stop service between Fort Belvoir and the King Street Metrorail station and operate every 15 minutes during peak and 30 minutes during off peak hours. The service would be offered from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and would include service at 18 enhanced express stops. Metrobus Route 9B would be implemented to offer local service between the Huntington Metrorail sation and the Pentagon Metrorail station from 5:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Weekday Metrobus Route 11P between Crystal City, Potomac Yard Shopping Center, and Hunting Towers would be redesignated at Route 9C and consolidated to the proposed 9B, E schedule. The restructuring would eliminate Metrobus service between Lorton and Fort Belvoir. However, the existing Fairfax Connector bus routes would be reconfigured to serve as feeders to those neighborhoods. The Connector Route 107 would provide service between Lorton and the Huntington Metrorail station and the Connector Route 105 would circulate between the southern part of Fort Belvoir and the Huntington Metrorail station. There would be no change to Metrobus Route 9E. There have been several transportation improvement studies focused on the U.S. Route 1 Richmond Highway corridor including the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Location Study, Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s Route 1 Corridor Bus Study and Metro’s Regional Bus Study. These proposed changes include recommendations from those studies. For more information about Metrobus service, visit www.metroopensdoors.com.

News release issued on February 2, 2004.