Report: Nearly half of I-66 corridor commuters carpool or use transit
By: Kytja Weir
Examiner Staff Writer
October 1, 2009
Nearly half of the Northern Virginia commuters heading toward D.C. each morning on the Interstate 66 corridor use transit or ride sharing to get through the notoriously clogged region, according to a new report.
The study released this week by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission counted the stream of commuters headed inbound at various points along a north-south line just outside the Beltway, creating a snapshot of the commuters on the highway itself plus other roads and transit modes.
A.M. commuters along Interstate 66 corridor» Single-occupancy vehicles: 56 percent
» HOV: 21 percent
» Metrorail: 17 percent
» Virginia Railway Express: 4 percent
» Bus: 2 percent
Source: Northern Virginia Transportation Commission
It found that 44 percent of the commuters from 6:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on a typical weekday last fall were either traveling in a car pool or via public transit, compared with 56 percent who drove vehicles or motorcycles by themselves. About 21 percent carpooled, compared with 17 percent who took Metrorail.
Much of the interest for using transit or carpooling comes from the hassle of driving on Interstate 66 itself, local experts said.
"It's an incredibly difficult trip," said Bob Chase, with the nonprofit Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance that represents businesses and is not affiliated with the commission. "A lot of people don't even try to make that trip on I-66 anymore because it's so congested."
He wondered if the study could even capture all those drivers who avoid the highway. One man in his office uses a convoluted set of back roads to circumvent the highway. "It's like water," he said. "People find a way to move around that."
Others spread out their trips to avoid the morning rush, he said, scheduling meetings downtown for 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.
Others spread out their trips to avoid the morning rush, he said, scheduling meetings downtown for 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.
"It's a pretty congested corridor," agrees Ronald Kirby, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments transportation planning director. "Looking out into the future, something needs to be done."
But what can be done is under debate -- and now under review.
The Virginia Department of Transportation was slated to wrap up a series of public hearings on Wednesday night as part of a long-term study of how to improve the highway.
Earlier this year, a dispute occurred among local officials when some stood in the way of some spot-widening work of the highway inside the Beltway, arguing that a full study of the future of the road was needed before making incremental adjustments that might not solve the broader problems.
Some have pushed for more transit options, while others are eyeing a high-occupancy-toll lane that would allow commuters who drive alone to use the lane only if they pay a toll.
Chase advocates expanding the roadway itself rather than pushing more of the commuters onto neighborhood streets. "You have to start adding more capacity," he said. "You need one additional lane in each direction."
