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The Board
of Supervisors postponed action on the draft plan until its
August meeting, with refined text requested for VRE, express
bus service and language regarding the location of Route 28
widening improvements (3 and 4-lane) in the Bealeton area.
The
following recommended text refinements are suggested to meet
the latter Board of Supervisor directions:
1.
Stage 2 Paragraph (Page 16):
Stage 2:
This
stage, shown on Map 10.3b, builds upon Stage 1. Here
Fauquier County must actively reserve designated existing
and new roadway corridors identified in the Comprehensive
Plan through land use application
decisions and other actions. Examples of a few
principal efforts are focused on the: (1) widening of U.S.
15/29 (6-lanes), Route 28 (widening to 3 or
4-lanes between its eastern
intersection in Bealeton with Route 17 on to its
intersection with U.S. 15/29 between its
intersection with Route 17 and U.S. Route 15/29); (2)
acquisition or dedication of right-of-way for the limited
access Bealeton Connector (this action allows some
rights-of-way (r-o-w) to be secured from developer
applicants for the construction of future roads); and (4) a
freeway alignment study for the airport connector to the
Route 17/Bealeton Connector intersection.
2.
Future Virginia Railway Express
and Express Bus Service
(Pages 17 and 23):
Future rail
service and express bus to rail service
is targeted for the Fauquier
County area. is generally targeted for 2015. This
Both services
is are considered to
be a valid assumptions
for planning purposes in the Virginia Railway Express (VRE)
Strategic Plan (July 14, 2003). VRE ridership is growing at
a rate of 18% per year. This strategic plan indicates a
support for any efforts that merge the VRE system with the
MARC system in Maryland. Such an action would provide MARC
rail service to Union Station/Alexandria and VRE service
would extend to Rockville, Maryland.
The first series of steps over the
next five years are to identify costs, ridership fees and
supplemental methods to cover expenses, identification of
accessible pick-up points, and then implementation of an
express bus service on a trial basis through the Potomac and
Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). During this
period of service analysis, the County and PRTC will
initially need to consider use of existing and designated
commercial parking, Park and Ride sites, and other public
parking locations for selected service areas, and integrate,
for example, with the PRTC’s existing Linton Hall service.
If the express bus program proves
successful and the usage demand is appropriate, then the
Board of Supervisors and the PRTC certainly would consider
service expansion. This complex stage would include the
requisite cost analyses, phased budgeting, acquisition,
construction and dedication of permanent parking areas for
commuters, as well as the essential bus staging location
(e.g., secure bus housing for fueling, washing, vacuuming
and overnight parking) and other essential elements needed
for effective service expansion.
Virginia Railway Express
(VRE) expansion to Gainesville and Haymarket in Prince
William County is anticipated. VRE already exists in that
corridor at Broad Run, and its westward service extension is
a natural progression due to the population density and
business scale centered and planned in that urbanized
location. Also assisting in that progression are the major
financial investments represented by the public
transportation improvements for I-66 and planned grade
separation improvements associated with the U.S. 29
corridor.
The 2003 VRE Strategic Plan
identified expansion into Fauquier County, as a future
option, along the Norfolk Southern Piedmont main line from
the current terminus at Broad Run to either Bealeton or
Remington. The latter plan states that due to “the
potential for transit-oriented development at Remington,
this is likely to be the preferred terminus for VRE service
extended in Fauquier County.”
The VRE
Strategic Plan also indicated that three stations are
assumed along the potential extension route. Those stations
are: “Remington, Bealeton and one intermediate Park and
Ride station that could pick up commuters driving from the
Warrenton/New Baltimore area. Daily ridership by 2025 is
projected to be in the range of 1,100 to 2,000 daily trips,
with the higher figure representing more aggressive
assumptions with respect to transit-oriented development and
induced demand. A total of 600 to 800 parking spaces would
need to be developed at the three station locations.”
It needs to be noted that rail
service is not a practical option and expectation at this
time in Fauquier County. Such service needs a major
financial investment with the PRTC and the County, as well
as a far larger population and ridership base.
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