Letter: Negative Impact Of Bus Cuts, Diane Blust, Reston Connection, March 24, 2010

To the Editor:

I want to thank our local newspaper for its attention to the impending demolition by our elected and appointed officials of public transportation within Reston [“Reston Buses Grind to a Halt,” by Mike DiCicco, Reston Connection, March 17-23.]

At a time when Tysons Corner is being presented with a free circulator bus so that the people in Tysons can get used to the idea of public transit in advance of the construction of four metro stations in Tysons, Reston commuters and local folks who depend on existing public transit to get to work, go to the doctor, run errands, etc., are being told to jump back into their cars and clog our roads in Reston. That is, if they have a car. People who previously walked from their home to the local bus stop to catch a bus to West Falls Church will have to drive to the Reston East Park and Ride at Wiehle (future site of the one — at least for several years — metro stop in Reston) to catch the new bus from Wiehle to the metro at West Falls Church. But wait, the Park and Ride is already seriously overcrowded. Where will all those people who currently take the bus park the cars they will now have to drive to the Park and Ride? On the street, in nearby neighborhoods, in nearby business park parking lots? Or, perhaps they will take a cab to Park and Ride, or have a friend or family member drop them off at the Park and Ride? The resulting additional traffic will clog Reston’s streets, which already suffer from too much traffic at certain times of the day.

Think of the impact on our environment of the increased traffic: hundreds more cars idling in traffic jams throughout Reston. Think of the impact on the health and welfare of our working residents who will be forced to add additional time to their already long commutes. Think of the people who have no cars and, therefore, depend on the bus entirely for their transportation needs. Residents of Reston better think of these things, because, apparently, no one at the county or commonwealth level is taking our needs and concerns into consideration when planning things like public infrastructure.

Once again, the unincorporated area of Reston is powerless against the bureaucrats at the county, state and federal level who can grant or deny services to us whenever they so choose.


Diane Blust
Reston

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