As you read here last week, I've been reaching out to commuters to hear their thoughts and concerns about how they make their way to work. On Wednesday morning I visited the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Fredericksburg Station to talk with rail riders. Although it was a cold and wet morning I was joined by Matt Kelly of the Fredericksburg City Council and Mark Roeber of VRE from 6 - 8am, the main departure time frame for folks heading North.

Through my many conversations that morning, I met the train crews, service members, government employees, and contractors all making their way from Fredericksburg to points in Virginia and Washington. While listening, I heard that passengers would like to see expanded hours and faster forms of rail travel. Many were pleased with the overall VRE experience and liked the opportunity to take a nap, or catch up on reading during their travel time.

The VRE is in a tough spot since they lease the rights to the rails from CSX, a freight rail company. One solution is to add a third rail line to alleviate this issue. Currently, the space is approved for up to four rail lines, where there are now two.

Additionally, each station has issues with parking and many are concerned that increased ridership will create more limitations on parking. Clearly, there must be new solutions for parking in the areas immediately surrounding these stations while keeping in mind the affect on surrounding communities.

I was glad to have this opportunity to hear directly from constituents and riders on the issues they are facing on a daily basis. I've gathered their thoughts and am working in Washington to come up with additional solutions to make their commutes faster and more efficient.

If I didn't get a chance to meet with you on Wednesday, please don't hesitate to call my office at (202) 225-4261 or email me on my website at http://wittman.house.gov/. I often say that the best ideas come from outside Washington.

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.