Fairfax Connector will roll out some notable service changes later this month, including the launch of its first-ever direct connection to Montgomery County in Maryland.
The new Express Route 789 between Tysons and Bethesda will begin operating on Sept. 16, providing weekday, rush-hour service to five stops using the Capital Beltway (I-495) and American Legion Bridge.
The designated stops were chosen to “serve major employment centers” and improve ” access to key destinations, including shopping and business hubs, and residential communities across the American Legion Bridge,” the Fairfax County Department of Transportation said in a Tuesday (Sept. 3) press release.
- Tysons West*Park Transit Station (8300 Jones Branch Drive)
- Tysons Metrorail Station
- Westfield Montgomery Mall Transit Center
- Rockville Pike and South Drive (adjoining Medical Center Metrorail Station)
- Montgomery Lane and East Lane (Downtown Bethesda)
According to the posted schedule, northbound service will start at the Tysons West transit station at 6:05 a.m. each day, continuing until 9:25 a.m. and then resuming for the afternoon rush-hour from 3:30-7:33 p.m. Southbound service will run 5:50-9:50 a.m. and 4-7:09 p.m.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation notes that Route 798 buses won’t be able to wait for passengers “due to the location of the stops.”
“Buses will drop off passengers, pick more up and immediately travel to the next stop in order to minimize traffic and service disruptions,” FCDOT said on its website. “Operators will generally keep to the schedule, but customers are advised to arrive a few minutes early.”
Approved in January as part of a first phase of service changes focused on the I-66 and I-495 corridors, the Tysons-Bethesda route was designed to take advantage of the I-495 Express Lanes extension (495 NEXT) that’s currently under construction in McLean.
“The new Express Route 798 bus line will provide the only direct public transit option between Fairfax and Montgomery Counties,” said Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, whose district includes Tysons. “This pilot, initially funded by $2 million in Transurban grants, will help build ridership across this corridor, get more people out of single occupancy vehicles, and provide a vital connection for the increasing workforce that is crossing county and state lines to get to work, especially during the construction of the new Express Lanes.”
The new toll lanes are expected to open to traffic in December 2025, though congestion at the American Legion Bridge will likely continue until Maryland replaces and widens the span. It remains unclear when that will happen, particularly with the Maryland Department of Transportation removing the project from its proposed spending plan.
The Tysons-Bethesda route is one of more than a dozen service changes that Fairfax Connector is implementing this month, FCDOT said in its press release.
Starting on Sept. 14, the public bus system will implement six realigned routes, including a revised Route 494 to Tysons, to serve the new Springfield Community Business Center Commuter Garage that’s set to open for public use that day.
Fairfax Connector will also split Route 558 into two different segments: one serving the North Point Village Center area in northern Reston and the other — now named Route 559 — linking the Wiehle and Reston Town Center Metro stations in southern Reston.
In addition, a new Route 371 from Lorton to Springfield will launch on Sept. 14, providing more frequent service to replace the existing routes 372 and 373.
The changes continue a busy summer for Fairfax Connector, which previously tweaked service in June to support the newly opened Monument Drive Commuter Parking Garage. The system also increased fares for the first time in seven years, starting July 29.
A second phase of proposed changes for the Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna and Tysons (CCVT) and Franconia-Springfield areas is now under review following two public meetings in May. The modifications will be presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for its approval this fall, potentially taking effect in December.
Image via FCDOT
