I-66 Multimodal Study Final Report - Virginia Department of ...

Mobility Optionsanticipated to have only minimal impact on congestion on I-66. VA 123 is on the border ofthe study area, and the provision of additional capacity on this facility is not anticipated tohave a substantial impact on I-66 congestion.Orange Line Extension to Centerville – The effects of this Metrorail extension have beenanalyzed by MWCOG staff. This analysis indicated that the extension would have aminimal impact on Metrorail ridership and volumes on study area roadways inside theBeltway and would therefore not relieve congestion in the study corridor.BRT on I-66 – The I-66 Transit/ Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Studyinvestigated a number of potential transit options for the I-66 corridor. This studydetermined that express bus/Priority Bus 1 is the preferred transit option that attracts themost ridership. Therefore the Priority Bus element was carried forward instead of BRT.Streetcar from Rosslyn to Georgetown – This service would replicate existing bus service,and is not expected to attract significantly higher ridership than the bus service. Without asubstantial increase in ridership, this element is therefore expected to have minimal impacton I-66 congestion or the Orange Line.Light rail on U.S. 50 – This element was not carried forward into the testing phase for anumber of reasons. In lieu of testing a full-blown light rail system along U.S. 50, themobility options included testing enhanced Priority Bus along U.S. 50 to determinewhether the land use and travel markets exist to support high capacity transit in thiscorridor. The Priority Bus was assumed to run on a shoulder lane reserved for busesduring the peak periods, to minimize friction with general traffic and provide a faster traveltime for transit.VRE extension of Manassas Line – Similar to the extension of Metrorail, most of the effectsof this project would be outside the study area. This element would therefore have minimalimpact on congestion on I-66.VRE on I-66 inside the Beltway – There are currently no plans by VRE or any other agencyto implement commuter rail service on I-66 inside the Beltway. Since no planning has beendone, it would be difficult to accurately test this element within the scope of this study. Inaddition, an initial review of the corridor indicates that steep grades and sharp curveswould make construction of this element cost prohibitive.West Falls Church to Tysons Corner bus service – Bus services linking these two areas areincluded in the Baseline scenario. Additional or increased service between West FallsChurch and Tysons Corner were not carried forward into testing because they duplicate theSilver Line service and are unlikely to attract additional transit riders in the corridor. Noimpact on I-66 congestion would be likely.1 Priority Bus service includes BRT or elements of BRT that improve the quality and dependability oftransit service, including frequent service, substantial stations, improved reliability, advancedtechnology and information systems, direct access to stations, modern vehicles, and distinct branding.2-6 I-66 Multimodal Study