The Monument Drive Transit Center is a fairly grandiose name for what’s basically a large parking garage and bus stop, but as the facility approaches its one-year anniversary, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation credits the facility for an uptick in bus ridership along I-66.
The $43 million facility launched at 12113 Government Center Parkway near Fairfax Corner last June with 820 free parking spaces, electric vehicle charging stations, a secure bike room and bike racks. It connects to a large roundabout for buses that serve 13 Fairfax Connector routes and two Metrobus routes.
Freddy Serrano, head of communications for FCDOT, said 424 bus trips go through the facility every workday, and approximately 1,400 Connector riders use the facility on an average weekday.
FCDOT told FFXnow that “ridership projections from the planning phase are not readily available” to compare the expected demand for the new bus routes to current facility usage, but it considers 1,400 boardings daily at the site a success.
“When the Monument Drive Commuter Parking Garage and Transit Center was proposed, the primary goal was to enhance multimodal connectivity in the I-66 corridor — linking bus riders, carpoolers, and pedestrians with reliable transit options,” Serrano said. “We can confirm that current usage — approximately 1,400 Fairfax Connector boardings on an average weekday — is a strong indicator that the facility is fulfilling its intended purpose.”
Fairfax Connector introduced several new or altered routes in June 2024 to accommodate the Monument Drive Transit Center as part of a larger update of its services along the I-66 corridor.
The routes connect the Fair Oaks area to approximately 65% of the transit system, including high-demand routes to the Vienna Metrorail station, George Mason University, Tysons and Reston.
“This integration has increased both service frequency and transfer opportunities, making the facility a critical node in our transit network,” Serrano said.
Additional Fairfax Connector route changes took effect this past January after a new commuter garage in Springfield opened in September.
Serrano said that currently 340 vehicles park at the Monument Drive garage on an average weekday, equating to roughly 41% demand.
The Virginia Department of Transportation also announced plans last month to convert some of the nearby streets into shared-use path to promote bicycle connectivity to the site.
Serrano said as more commuters return to in-person work — extensive regional layoffs notwithstanding — FCDOT expects to see ongoing ridership growth at the site.
