Reston Bus Service Changes on Board Agenda, June 4, 2013

The proposed changes in Reston bus service (as well as other service linked to the opening of the Silver Line in Tysons, McLean, and Vienna) are Action Item #1 at the Board of Supervisors meeting on June 4, 2013, at 9:30AM  (Board package--very large PDF file) in the Board Auditorium, County Government Center.  The Board discussion of the proposal is preceded by pro forma activities, including presentations to Fairfax citizens, and administrative items.  The discussion of the bus service is unlikely to start before 10:30AM. 

The current proposal is very similar to the proposal FC Department of Transportation presented to the public in early May.  A review of the presentation by Reston 2020 indicates that some gaps are still evident in the shift from various schedules throughout the day (eg--morning rush to mid-day, mid-day to evening rush, evening rush to late night).   For example, the final recommendations would end afternoon service on Route 558 one-half hour earlier than the county's last proposal in May (change from 3:30 to 3:00 p.m.).  As a result, the gap between mid-day off-peak and evening peak service on North Reston Routes 558 and 552/554 would increase from 30 to 60 minutes.  The corresponding gap on South Reston Routes 559 and 553/557 remains at 30 minutes.  This is a surprising change since the county's May 7th proposals presented to the Board's Transportation Committee reduced all the gaps between peak and off-peak service to 30 minutes, and standardized the hours of service in North and South Reston.

We have also heard, but not yet confirmed, that FC DOT plans to offer free bus service for the Tysons circulator system while charging normal fares for other routes covered in this change, including other services directly linked to use of the Silver Line.  Here is what a citizen observer reported from the May 7 County Transportation Committee (the Board meeting as a committee of the whole) reported:

A brief overview of proposed bus route changes was given. In response to a question from Supervisor Herrity, (County DOT Staff Chief Tom) Biesiadny declined to say if the County intends to have Tysons Circulator buses operate for free. I did not see any projected revenue and costs for the bus services changes. It appears that changes will benefit Tysons landowners at the further cost of Reston taxpayers.

If the County chooses free transit for Tysons, we believe this arrangement is grossly inequitable and unfair to the tens of thousands of County residents who pay for bus service everyday--and even the others who must pay added property taxes to subsidize Tysons transportation.  If true, it points again to the Board's tunnel vision obsession with Tysons at the expense of the rest of the County. 

On the last page of this action item is a summary of the net cost of each of the "optional services" proposed in the package.  The total one-year cost of these "optional" services is $2.5 million.  They do not include the Tysons circulator routes, which will cost $4 million per year according to the Washington Post.  Fare issues are not addressed in this presentation and Board action so far as we can determine.

Restonians have at least three opportunities to voice their views on the new routes and schedules:

• Send an e-mail to Supervisor Cathy Hudgins at hntrmill@fairfaxcounty.gov.
• Participate in Supervisor Hudgins'  "First Monday" session--an opportunity to interact directly with the Supervisor--on Monday, June 3, 1-3PM, Reston Regional Library.
• Send an e-mail to the full Board of Supervisors at bos@fairfaxcounty.gov.