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Article: Connolly to Slug & Ride Metro, VRE & Buses with Commuters in NoVA
Aug 31 2010
Connolly Samples Commutes
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va) rode the Virginia Railway Express Tuesday morning as part of his efforts to highlight the transportation choices and challenges Northern Virginia commuters face on a daily basis.
Connolly, who took the commuter train from Broad Run to Crystal City, said the ride was part of his broader efforts to draw attention to transportation needs in the area and what constituents go through to get to work daily. Connolly said he has also taken the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission's commuter bus, rode 'slug' lines and shared a ride with a driver from Bristow into the District on what a Census Bureau report said last year is the longest average commute in the country.
Connolly, who won an open congressional seat in 2008, is in the midst of a tough reelection campaign. Come November, Connolly will face Republican Keith Fimian in a fight for the 11th District congressional seat.
"The lifestyle choices we have to make are hard on family and quality of life," he said. "I wanted, when not in session, to bring it to reality what my constituents face everyday."
Connolly said the state needs to come up with more funding for transportation infrastructure. Connolly also said he wants to ensure commuters have options and he will continue to support bike lanes, rail, bus, telecommuting and other strategies that will mitigate congestion on roads.
"My goal is to create and foster choices for commuters," he said. "Congestion won't go away as long as D.C. remains a place people want to live and work; but, I think we can create choices."
VRE Chief Executive Dale Zehner joined Connolly on Tuesday's morning ride to hear from passengers. While many said they were happy with service, others pointed out the delays that plagued the system this summer, often due to mechanical issues. Others said there needs to be more parking at some VRE lots. VRE officials said the mechanical problems should slow as now they have more people working in the maintenance yard. With parking, the issue is a lack of funding, VRE officials said.
-- Jennifer Buske
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dr-gridlock/2010/08/rep_gerry_connolly_d-va_rode.html
Over the next two weeks, Congressman Gerry Connolly will slug from Prince William and Fairfax Counties, and ride the rails, buses, and roadways with Northern Virginia commuters to explore transportation funding issues with his Northern Virginia constituents.
Connolly, who has a 20-year record of advocacy on transportation planning, infrastructure, and investments affecting Northern Virginia commuters, said, “I learned early in my career that it is important to have a dialogue with those who are most affected by our region’s dubious distinctions of having some of the worst traffic congestion in the nation. Over the years, my constituents have provided me with many good ideas from their first-hand perspectives on our transportation needs.”
Connolly will ride Metro’s Orange and Blue Lines from Fairfax County into the District of Columbia, commute on Virginia Railway Express (VRE) from Prince William County, join slug lines in Prince William and Fairfax Counties, take a Potomac & Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) commuter bus from Prince William, and drive what it called the longest commute in America from Bristow along Linton Hall Road into the District of Columbia.
“Transportation remains one of the top issues raised by my constituents,” Connolly said. “I handle issues related to Metro, VRE, and road construction on a regular basis in Congress. The best way for me to make our region’s case for transportation improvements is to relay actual stories and opinions on the commutes my constituents deal with day in and day out. August affords me the opportunity to highlight their issues in a concentrated way.”
Connolly is no stranger to the Washington commute. He has been commuting into D.C. and across Northern Virginia for more than 38 years. As Fairfax County Chairman and supervisor, Connolly pushed for regional solutions to transportation problems in the Washington area, including extending Rail to Dulles; infrastructure upgrades for VRE and PRTC; completing the Fairfax County Parkway; widening the Prince William Parkway; expanding transit in the Richmond Highway corridor; improving Metro safety and maintenance; expanding use of Telework, extending Metro’s Orange, Yellow and Blue lines into Prince William County; constructing the Cross County Trail in Fairfax; replacing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Springfield Interchange; constructing the Beltway HOT lanes; and other road and transit infrastructure improvements throughout Fairfax and Prince William counties. During his tenure as Fairfax Chairman, Connolly initiated the county’s first four-year transportation plan, and he worked with Prince William officials and other regional leaders to advocate for transportation planning and improvements as a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, and helped write its 2030 regional transportation plan.
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This past week Connolly slugged from the Tacketts Mill parking lot to Capitol Hill, as well as drove the nation's longest commute from Linton Hall Road in Bristow to the Capitol. You can read more here.