County officials are currently seeking feedback on proposed changes to Fairfax Connector bus service early next year.
Through Nov. 12, residents can weigh in on the proposal, which would only affect six different routes.
Fairfax Connector
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As county and regional leaders gathered yesterday (Wednesday) to mark the 40th anniversary of the Fairfax Connector bus service, nearly everyone wanted to get a photo taken with John Ashford.
Ashford was one of the original drivers when the local bus system began operations in September 1985, and he remains behind the wheel today.
Drivers who block bus traffic across Northern Virginia could someday receive fines based on video evidence from cameras mounted on Metrobuses, Fairfax Connector buses and those of other transit systems.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) board of directors discussed the possibility of advocating for the General Assembly to lift the state’s existing prohibition on using cameras to enforce bus-only lanes at its meeting last Thursday (July 17).
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Updated — An 18-year-old man from Lorton has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding for allegedly assaulting a Fairfax Connector bus driver earlier this month.
The Fairfax County Police Department announced on July 21 that Javantai Johnson was identified as the man behind the assault based on a community tip. He was arrested on Saturday, July 19 in Stone Ridge with help from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and is now in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
Northern Virginia political leaders at the local and state levels seem to have a firm dollar figure associated with the proposal to improve Metro service across the region. There remains a question, however, regarding whether they’ll be able to come up with the funding.
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is preparing to adopt a resolution on July 17 acknowledging that Virginia will need to commit an additional $153 million in fiscal year 2027 to implement operational upgrades and keep the transit system on track.
D.C.-area leaders continue to find common ground elusive when it comes to increased collaboration between the region’s bus systems.
While the possibility of merging all local bus systems has already been taken off the table, the DMV Moves task force is still searching for the sweet spot where systems could work better among themselves and with Metrobus.
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.
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Fairfax County’s plan to finance a nearly billion-dollar bus rapid transit (BRT) network along Richmond Highway is about to get another boost.
In June, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is expected to support an additional $10 million in funding for the project. It would be the second installment in a $20 million promise to help the county finance the new bus system.
Finding better ways for bus networks across Northern Virginia to better collaborate seems to be a priority for local representatives on the DMV Moves task force.
However, the possibility of consolidating the disparate systems into one appeared to be a non-starter, especially for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.
By the end of this month, local residents should have a better idea of options on the table, as regional leaders attempt to find dedicated funding streams for transit service in the D.C. area.
“We do expect information to be shared” at the next meeting of the DMV Moves task force, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) Executive Director Kate Mattice told the commission’s board at a meeting last Thursday (March 6).