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Washington, D.C., July 29th – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, was able to secure three projects benefiting Arlington County in the “Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU),” (H.R. 3). Attached to the House passed version, these projects survived the House-Senate Conference Committee and were included in the final agreement. TEA-LU passed the House on a bipartisan 412-8 vote.
Arlington projects include:
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$2,926,000 to construct enhanced bus stops called “super stops” at 12 locations along Columbia Pike to support the new PikeRide bus service. PikeRide is a new family of improved, coordinated bus services available along Columbia Pike. With more than 11,000 bus riders a day, PikeRide has one of the highest riderships in the metropolitan region.
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$3,308,000 for construction of a two-lane busway connecting Crystal City in Arlington and Potomac Yard in Arlington/Alexandria. Funding will go towards building additional bus station stops and pedestrian/bicycle accommodations. The busway will provide dedicated bus lanes and bus station stops for Metrobuses, ART buses, and DASH buses serving the corridor.
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$1,672,000 to improve traffic circulation and transportation facilities in Pentagon City. Among the list of improvements, the funding will go towards installing canopies over the two escalator entrances located on each side of S. Hayes Street at 12th Street, constructing a new elevator entrance to the Metro station and pedestrian passageway below S. Hayes Street, installing shelters, street furniture, wider sidewalks and well marked crossings, and providing designated space for Kiss & Ride, shuttles, taxi service, and tour bus parking.
Moran stated, “Enhancing our public transportation is one of my top priorities in Congress. These projects will help advance the infrastructure in Arlington and provide greater public transit service to our Metro bus and rail riders.”
The bill also authorizes two new transit projects under the “Alternative Analysis and Preliminary Engineering” category for future federal funding: Crystal City – Potomac Yard Transit and the Columbia Pike Rapid Transit Project.
“By qualifying these two transit projects, these high volume Arlington corridors are on a solid and steady track toward future Bus-Rapid Transit or light rail,” said Moran.
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