CommuterPageBlog

Input Sought on Possible ART 53 Changes

Arlington Transit (ART) is considering possible service and route changes for ART 53 and would like your input.

Why are we looking to change this route?
The ART 53 needs a third peak period bus to guarantee 30-minute service frequencies for your commute. To justify this added expense, ridership needs to increase. A route change may enable the ART 53 to reach more residents. For reference, the current minimum standard for cost recovery on ART 53 is 20%. ART 53 only recovers 16.6% of operating costs.

What is the process?
A community meeting was held on Monday, June 11, for residents to attend and voice their ideas and opinions. Attendees used maps of the area to suggest potential route changes for better neighborhood coverage. Transit staff has reviewed these suggestions as well as concerns expressed at the meeting and in 16 comments received by email. Three options are offered below for your review. Your comments are needed by noon on Monday, July 16. Route and schedule change will occur this fall.

What do we need from you?
Please provide your input on the following three options by Monday, July 16:

Option A (Ohio/Patrick Henry)

ART 53 Proposed Route A (PDF)

Description of Proposed Route: John Marshall to 28th St. N to Ohio to 26th Street N to N Sycamore Street to East Falls Church Metro
Peak only extension to Westover: N Sycamore Street to Washington Boulevard to N Patrick Henry Drive to 16th Street N to N Longfellow Street to Washington Boulevard to N Sycamore Street to East Falls Church Metro.

Advantages:

• Provides closer service to Leeway Overlee, Tara-Leeway, Highland Park-Leeway and Westover
• Peak service provides services to Westover shops, post office, library, Reed-Westover building

Disadvantages: Some current 53 riders boarding between John Marshall Drive and 26th Street N. would instead have to walk 1-2 blocks to ride ART 52 – Ballston-Virginia Hospital Center-East Falls Church.

Option B (Lexington/McKinley)
ART 53 Proposed Route B (PDF)

Description of Proposed Route: John Marshall Drive to Little Falls Road to Lexington Street to 18th Street N to N McKinley to Washington Boulevard to N Sycamore Street to East Falls Church Metro.

Advatages:

• Provides closer service to Leeway Overlee, Highland Park-Leeway and Westover
• Adds service to Reed-Westover School which houses Westover Branch Library, Integration Station, The Children's School, and Teen Parenting Program
• Adds service to Westover Shopping and positions ART stops within a short walk of Swanson Middle School

Disadvantages: Some current 53 riders boarding between John Marshall Drive and Washington Boulevard would instead have to walk 1-2 blocks to ride ART 52 – Ballston-Virginia Hospital Center-East Falls Church.

Option C (Current Route)
ART 53 Current Route (PDF)

Description of Current Route: Williamsburg Blvd to Sycamore to East Falls Church Metro.

Advantages: Retains services as is.

Disadvantages: Improved schedule frequency and reliability may not attract enough new riders to sustain the expense of operating the service.

Leave comments below on this post or fill out an online ART Service Comment Form. You may also call (703) 228-RIDE (7433). Thank you! We appreciate your input.

Follow ART on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.

Transfer Fee for ART to Metrobus will Change on July 1

On July 1, Metro will be increasing its fares for both bus and rail. ART’s fares will remain the same ($1.50 for adults, 75¢ for senior citizens, people with disabilities and teens with student ID) and will not increase. However, due to Metro’s increase some of ART’s transfer fees when using a SmarTrip card will change.

Transfer from ART to Metrobus

The transfer fee from an ART bus to a Metrobus when using a SmarTrip card is currently free. As of July 1 the transfer fee will be 10¢ for adults and 5¢ for senior citizens and people with disabilities. This is due to the fact that ART’s fare is lower than the Metrobus fare and the transfer fee will make up the difference between prices.

Transfer from ART to Metrorail or Metrorail to ART

Everyone will still receive a 50¢ discount when transferring from ART to Metrorail or Metrorail to ART when using a SmarTrip card.

Transfer from Metrobus to ART or ART to ART

The transfer fee will still be free for everyone when transferring from Metrobus to ART or from ART to another ART bus while using a SmarTrip card.

This table shows ART's fares and transfers when using a SmarTrip Card:

Transfers must take place within two hours for all discounts and fees to apply.

Follow ART on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information on this topic and others. 

New Digital Transit Information Signs at Courthouse Plaza!

Have you noticed the new real time Digital Transit Information Signs in the lobby of Courthouse Plaza?

Two new digital signs – one outside of Plaza Library and the other near the elevators – display real time transit information that applies specifically to each sign's location.

• The digital sign near the elevators displays information for Clarendon and Wayne.
• The digital sign near Plaza Library displays information for the flagpole stops.

These signs display real time transit arrivals – and service alerts – for ART, Metrobus, and Metrorail.  Transit users can get relevant information without knowing in advance what transit services are available at that location, and you don't need a smart phone with transit apps installed. 

The signs previously displayed scheduled transit options – not real time.  Now the signs tell you exactly how many minutes until the next arrival of your bus or train!  Check out these signs for the latest news, weather, and time information too.

Swing by Courthouse Plaza at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. to check out the signs in person!

Metrobus 9E & 10E Adding Express Service to Rosslyn

As part of the new Rush+ program starting on June 18, the existing Metrobus 9E and 10E routes will start including service to the Rosslyn Metro station via Crystal City during rush hours (Mon - Fri, 6:30 am - 9:00 am and 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm). These new express trips will provide another travel option for Blue Line customers going between Rosslyn and Crystal City.

9E, Huntington -- Pentagon/Rosslyn (view the new map and schedule, PDF)
Some trips will be extended past the Pentagon to Ft. Myer Drive and Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn. Buses to Rosslyn will show ROSSLYN on the display.

10E, Hunting Point -- Rosslyn (view the new map and schedule, PDF)
The 10E will extend to Ft. Myer Drive and Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn via the Crystal City VRE station.

Other Rush+ changes for those traveling to and from Arlington include:

• During peak periods on the Orange Line, six additional trains per hour will be added – three in each direction – between Vienna and Largo Town Center. This will result in approximately 2,600 more seats per hour.

• For Blue and Yellow Line customers in Virginia, Rush+ will increase the share of Yellow Line trains, meaning more direct and faster access to downtown via the Yellow Line bridge. Those who travel on Blue Line trains via Arlington Cemetery will experience a maximum of six-minutes additional waiting time for a train.

To learn more about these and other changes visit www.wmata.com/rushplus. The Washington Post also has a Rush+ User's Guide that breaks down the upcoming changes.

Jennifer Wagar is a Transit Marketing Specialist with Arlington County Commuter services.

Community Input Sought for ART 53 Route

Arlington Transit is considering possible service and route changes for ART 53 and would like to get feedback from Arlington residents. A community meeting will be held on Monday, June 11, for residents to attend and voice their ideas and opinions.

How do you think ART 53 service could be improved? Do you like the current route and schedule? Should changes be made? We want to hear what you have to say!

The meeting will be held:

Monday, June 11 at 7:30 pm

Nottingham Elementary School Library

5900 Little Falls Rd.

Arlington VA, 22207

Can't attend the meeting? Feel free to leave comments on this post or fill out an online ART Service Comment Form.

Follow ART on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information and news about ART.

We appreciate your input!

ART 45 and 61 Schedule Changes Effective July 2

Minor time changes will be made to the ART 45 and 61 schedules effective Monday, July 2, 2012.

For the ART 45, the first pick-up will be at 6:00 am at the Columbia Pike and S. Greenbrier St. bus stop. Service will run until 7:57 pm with bus frequency remaining the same. View the new timetable.

For the ART 61, minor time changes will be made so that the 61A loop will run every 25 minutes. Also, the new ART 61 brochure will show the 61A and 61B loops starting and ending at Courthouse instead of Rosslyn. The route will still be the same and buses will still service all stops along the route. View the new schedule and timetable.

Sign-up for ART Alerts to receive service information via text message or email. You can also follow ART on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information.

 

Adopt an ART Bus Stop!

Adopt an ART bus stop and help keep Arlington a beautiful and clean place to live, work and play!

Arlington Transit's new Adopt-a-Stop program relies on community partnerships to help maintain ART bus stops throughout the County. Individuals or groups can apply to adopt an ART bus stop for one year. The adopter agrees to regularly maintain the bus stop and remove any trash. In return, Arlington Transit will recognize the adopter with a sign posted at the adopted bus stop and on ART's website.

The Adopt-a-Stop program is currently open to civic associations, community groups, individuals and leasing agencies who own apartment complexes in Arlington County. Initially, the program will focus on ART bus stops along the ART 51, 52, 53 and 61 bus routes and will be opened up to additional routes soon.

Visit arlingtontransit.com/adopt-a-stop to learn more about the program and to sign-up. You can also view a map and list of adoptable stops.

Help make a visible impact in the community and sign-up to adopt an ART bus stop today!

Follow ART on Facebook and Twitter to get updates about the Adopt-a-Stop program.

Jennifer Wagar is a Transit Marketing Specialist with Arlington County Commuter Services.

WALKING MORE, FROM DOOR TO DOOR

Finding the time to fit exercise into our day is no easy task.  We are constantly juggling work, household chores, errands, and time with family and friends.  And if that’s not enough, throw in a long commute and you can forget about your health and the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity. 

In fact, studies have linked obesity to long, sedentary commutes, and now, according to a recent blog post on CNN, new research finds that a lengthy commute also takes away from exercise time.

Fortunately, many of us living and working in the Washington, D.C. region can integrate physical activity into our day seamlessly and without using up extra time.  How, you ask?  Take transit!

According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Americans who walk to and from public transit spend an average of 19 minutes daily walking and are, therefore, more likely to meet the recommended level of daily physical activity than individuals who do not take transit. 

And transit options are one asset the DC region enjoys! Walk Score, an online service that rates the walkability and transit-friendliness of neighborhoods, ranked the 25 best American cities for public transit using a method called Transit Score. Transit Score measures how well a location is served by public transportation using open data released by local public transit agencies. Washington D.C. placed at number four out of 25, with a Transit Score of 69 of 100, which translates as "good transit".

Of course, walking to and from public transportation is only one way to fit exercise into your day. You
can also sneak in some steps while you’re at work, as described in this story from National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition,” entitled “Is It Possible to Walk and Work at the Same Time?”

Take a listen and think about your day, from door to door. Then check out this list and pick out some tips that might help you pick up the pace during work day:

• Get off the bus a stop or two before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way.
• Use the farthest entrance into your workplace from your train or bus stop, and walk through the building to your work area.
• If you must drive, park in the far back of the parking lot and walk farther to the door.
• Don't stand, pace -- when waiting for the bus, waiting at an elevator, etc.,  pace around in circles rather than just standing.
• Use the restroom, copy machine, water fountain, break room, etc. that is farther from your work area.
• Take the stairs rather than the elevator, especially for one to three floors, both up and down.
• When people stop to talk with you, make it a moving meeting and walk around together while chatting.
• Before eating lunch, take a 10-minute walking break.

For more ideas on how you can sneak some steps into your day, visit WalkArlington.com.

  WalkArlington, an initiative of Arlington County Commuter Services within the Department of Environmental Services, gets "more people walking more of the time" by promoting the health, environmental, community-building, and commuting benefits of walking.

New Art on the ART Bus Exhibit

The new Art on the ART Bus exhibit just went up and is currently traveling through Arlington! The fourth installation of this popular mobile exhibit features artwork from artist Jenny Sidhu Mullins. Mullins creates paintings and electronic, interactive sculpture that explores ideas related to national identity, American spirituality and corporate mythology. She has an art studio in the Arlington Arts Center located on Wilson Blvd.

The Art on the ART Bus exhibit is a joint effort between Arlington Transit and the Artisphere.

One ART bus has been designated for the exhibit and will rotate bus routes so that all riders can enjoy the artwork. Remember to look up next time you board an ART bus. There might be a colorful surprise waiting for you!

Check out some of the colorful, fun images Mullins created. See more of the exhibit on ART's Facebook page.

Take a look at past Art on the ART Bus exhibits by artists Tim Kerr, Julie Wolfe and Victor Ekpuk.

Jennifer Wagar is a Transit Marketing Specialist with Arlington County Commuter Services.

The Multi-Mode, Car-Free trip to the party

On Monday I attended the Queen's Day celebration at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC.  As it turned out, the trip to and from utilized numerous modes of travel that all added together to make for an interesting trip as shown on this map.  I'm not sure what the record is for a car-free diet single trip, but this one might make the finals.


View Steve's Multi-Mode Car-Free Trip in a larger map

Here's how it went, with the travel mode for each segment shown in BOLD:

- I biked from my house to the East Falls Church Metro station, a distance of about 1.1 miles (BIKE)
- Boarded the Orange Line into DC and exited at Farragut West (METRO)
- I took the Farragut Crossing "invisible tunnel" transfer, walking to Farragut North (WALK)
- Boarded the Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove (METRO)
- Exited at Cleveland Park and walked a couple of blocks to where a Car2Go vehicle was parked on Ordway St., NW (WALK).
- I drove the car 1.1 miles to the Embassy. I was able to park really close, because I squeezed into a little, bitty spot.  (CARSHARE)

Car2Go parked by the Royal Netherlands Embassy

I then enjoyed the party for a couple of hours, leaving about 9:45 to head home
- The Car2Go was still parked where I left it, so I drove it back to Cleveland Park and parked it on a meter right by the Capital Bikeshare station (CARSHARE).  Had the car not been there, I would have walked to the Van Ness Metro station, which is about a 12-15 minute walk.
- Rode the CaBi bike from Cleveland Park to 21st & I St. NW, 2.5 miles, which took 14 minutes (BIKESHARE). This was much faster than getting on the Metro and having to transfer at Metro Center.  Also, the weather was cool and beautiful, which made the bike ride very pleasant.
- Walked 3 minutes to Foggy Bottom Metro station (WALK)
- Boarded the Orange Line in the direction of Vienna (METRO)
- Exited at East Falls Church and rode my bike back home (BIKE)

Obviously this trip was made possible because I have memberships in CaBi and Car2Go.  In fact, my Car2Go trips were free, because this was my first time using it, and I still had 30 minutes of free use from my joining promotion.  Without that promo, the trips would have cost about $3.40 each way.

Trips like these require a little thinking and planning, but with practice it can be pretty easy to get around without being bogged down by your car.

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Steve Offutt, Arlington