Dulles Corridor Rail Association Media Advisory

RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES STRONGLY SUPPORT RAIL TRANSIT IN THE DULLES CORRIDOR

Residents and employees in the Dulles Corridor strongly support rail transit according to a recent survey undertaken by the Dulles Corridor Rail Association with support from the Dulles Area Transportation Association.

"This survey indicates that higher income and more highly educated residents and employees are willing to switch out of their cars into transit if it is a quality transit service" said Delegate Kenneth R. Plum, DCRA Chairman. "Commuters are frustrated by increasingly congested roadways and lengthening commutes. This is a quality of life issue. Some of the major reasons respondents gave for taking transit are that you can read, sleep, or even work on transit, taking transit is less stressful, and driving times are unpredictable."

During the past year, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Federal Transit Administration began work on preliminary engineering and the preparation of a draft environmental impact statement for the project. The first phase of the project, enhanced bus service was implemented in July of 1999 when express bus service in the corridor was doubled with the opening of the 1,700-space Herndon-Monroe parking garage. Phase II, which consists of expanded bus service, will be implemented in 2001. Phase III, bus rapid transit (BRT), buses operating on their own right of way, served by Metro-like rail stations will be implemented in 2003-2005. In Phase IV, rail transit will be extended to Tysons Corner by 2006 and out the rest of the corridor to Washington Dulles International Airport and Route 772 in Loudoun County by 2010.

"Saving time getting to work is important. The survey suggests that half of the residents and four in ten employees would consider taking transit if it took the same amount of time as driving. More would consider taking transit if it saved them time." Plum said. "With congestion growing in the corridor, transit with its own right of way, like high occupancy vehicles, is likely to show considerable time savings, especially for longer commutes."

The market research showed that providing transit incentives could encourage ridership. Respondents reacted more favorably to a monthly transit benefit (44% of residents and 38% of employees) and a guaranteed ride home (42 % and 38% respectively, than to flextime (36% and 35%) or transit route and schedule information (37% and 28%). "The recent increase of transit riders resulting from the expansion of transit benefits to more federal employees indicates that these kinds of incentives can really make a difference in the choice of commute mode," Plum said.

Both residents and employees were much more likely to say they could and would use the proposed rail extension than either express bus or BRT. Fifty-nine percent of residents indicated they were either likely (7 to 8 on the 10-point scale) or certain (9 or 10) to use the rail extension, compared to 35 % for BRT to a proposed new rail station at Tysons Corner and 29 % to an existing Metrorail station at West Falls Church. The same pattern holds for employees although they are less likely than residents to say that they would use new transit services, in part due to the fact that many do not have convenient transit service to get to the Dulles corridor.

Survey respondents were asked about 34 possible transit improvements including expanded bus service, new technologies that would improve bus service, on-board amenities, payment options and improvements to parking lots, parking garages and transit stations. Those improvements with the highest ratings are:

• Parking at transit pick-up points (more parking spaces, guaranteed parking, more Park and Rides)
• Comfort (reliable air conditioning)
• Feeling safe in parking lots and garages (enhanced security)
• Technologies and payment options that allow faster, more efficient travel (smart cards for fares and parking, advance payment for quicker trips and systems that cut travel time)
• Information that gives them a greater sense of control in trip planning (Internet information on transit and electronic message boards on arrivals and departures)

"Residents in the corridor have experience with transit because Reston has had a good commuter bus service for years, beginning with a citizen-created bus service in the 1970s," Plum said. "The increase in service at the Herndon-Monroe garage has dramatically increased transit ridership to more than 10,000 trips a day. The new rail extension, while providing a quality service to residents, will also provide employees from around the region direct access to the growing employment centers in the Dulles Corridor."

"What this survey indicates is that planners will need to provide adequate parking, enhanced security at parking facilities and stations, attractive vehicles, and take advantage of technology improvements to provide faster service and real-time information about it," Plum said. "What we wanted to see was if the higher income residents and employees in the corridor would consider taking transit. The research results indicate they would. Rail service, while it is not likely to reduce congestion, will provide residents, employees and visitors with a high quality travel choice. Rail in the Dulles Corridor is critical to the continuing economic success of the Northern Virginia technology center in the global arena."

The DCRA survey was a professional survey of 493 residents (telephone) and 3,150 employees in 41 companies performed by QS&A Research and Strategy, an Alexandria, Virginia research organization whose recent clients include the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, US Department of Transportation, Washington Post, and the National Wildlife Federation.

The market research was funded by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development and the Washington Airports Task Force.