Pike Transit Initiative

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The Pike Transit Initiative is a collaborative project in Northern Virginia between Arlington and Fairfax counties and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to bring transit improvements to the Columbia Pike corridor. Officially known as the Columbia Pike Transit Alternatives Analysis, the project began in 2003. [1] Following three successive defeats of county board candidates who supported the streetcar proposal in 2014, the project was shelved indefinitely.

Contents

Pike Ride

Pike Ride, a specially-branded set of bus lines, run along Columbia Pike to the Pentagon and Pentagon City Metro stations. Currently, 17,000 people ride buses along Columbia Pike each day. [2] Service is provided by Metrobus and Arlington Transit.

Streetcar

In 2006, the Arlington and Fairfax County governments approved a "Modified Streetcar Alternative" for the corridor, which involves building a streetcar line while retaining extensive bus service. [1] The 4.7-mile streetcar line is expected to cost $138.5 million. [3] The first streetcar was expected to begin service in 2011. [1]

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority approved $36.9 million for the streetcar in January 2008. [4] However, since then, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the Authority may not collect taxes, as it isn't an elected body. [5] This leaves funding for the streetcar project in limbo.

According to Arlington Now , freshman County Board member Libby Garvey was the sole board member elected at the last election to oppose construction of a streetcar. [6] Garvey quoted mayor of Toronto Rob Ford's criticisms of streetcars, only to realize his credibility had been eroded due to a series of scandals. [7] [8]

Garvey stirred further controversy in 2014 when she supported and raised funds for John Vihstadt, an Independent [9] , instead of fellow Democrat Alan Howse, because he agreed with her opposition to the streetcar line. [10] [11] Vihstadt upended Arlington politics in 2014 by becoming the first non-Democrat to land a seat on the county board in 15 years, winning on the strength of his objections to high-cost projects such as the Columbia Pike streetcar, the Long Bridge aquatics center and a million-dollar bus stop. [12] Garvey defended her defection by asserting her most important obligation was to voters, not to the Democratic Party machinery, and resigned from the local Party apparatus.

In late November 2014 the County Board cancelled the streetcar plan. [13] Eric Jaffe, writing in CityLab , characterized the cancellation as "abrupt" and acrimonious. According to Jaffe, the alternate plan under consideration would follow the same route as the streetcar plan, would stop at the same locations, and would use similar stations, all door boarding, and fare pre-payment, like the streetcar plan, except it would use buses rather than streetcars.

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Arlington County, Virginia County in the United States

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Blue Line (Washington Metro) Washington Metro rapid transit line

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Yellow Line (Washington Metro) Washington Metro rapid transit line

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Pentagon station Washington Metro station

Pentagon Transit Center is a split platform station on the Washington Metro located adjacent to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Providing service for both the Blue and Yellow Lines, the station is where the two lines diverge and thus acts as a transfer point. Northbound, the Blue Line continues through Virginia and the Yellow Line crosses the Potomac River into the District of Columbia.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, commonly referred to as Metro, is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA was created by the United States Congress as an interstate compact between the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Virginia State Route 244 state highway in Virginia, United States

State Route 244 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Columbia Pike, the state highway runs 8.25 miles (13.28 km) from SR 236 in Annandale east to SR 27 and Interstate 395 (I-395) at The Pentagon in Arlington. SR 244 is a major southwest–northeast thoroughfare in northeastern Fairfax County and eastern Arlington County, connecting Annandale with SR 7 at Bailey's Crossroads and SR 120 in the multicultural Westmont neighborhood of Arlington.

Washington metropolitan area Metropolitan area in the United States

The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S. states of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. It is part of the larger Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area.

Transportation in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. has a number of different modes of transportation available for use. Commuters have a major influence on travel patterns, with only 28% of people employed in Washington, D.C. commuting from within the city, whereas 33.5% commute from the nearby Maryland suburbs, 22.7% from Northern Virginia, and the rest from Washington, D.C.'s outlying suburbs.

Arlington Transit

Arlington Transit (ART) is a bus transit system that operates in Arlington County, Virginia, and is managed by the county government.

Pike Ride is a combination of bus routes along Columbia Pike in Northern Virginia, United States. It consists of service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metrobus) and Arlington Transit (ART), connecting the Pentagon and Pentagon City Washington Metro stations in Arlington County with Annandale in Fairfax County.

DC Streetcar

The DC Streetcar is a surface streetcar network in Washington, D.C. As of 2017, it consists of only one line: a 2.2-mile segment running in mixed traffic along H Street and Benning Road in the city's Northeast quadrant.

Metroway

Metroway is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as part of their Metrobus system. It consists of a single line operating in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. It opened on August 24, 2014. It is the first bus rapid transit line to open in Virginia and in the Washington metropolitan area.

Libby Garvey

Libby Garvey is a municipal politician in Virginia, currently serving as a member of the Arlington County Board. She has previously served as the board's chair.

Navy Annex

The Navy Annex was a building near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia mainly used as offices for the United States Department of the Navy. The facility was also known as Federal Office Building 2. It was demolished in 2013 to make room for an expansion of Arlington National Cemetery and other uses.

Transportation in Northern Virginia

The Northern Virginia region is served by numerous mediums of transit. Transportation in the region is overseen by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Barcroft–South Fairlington Line

The Barcroft–South Fairlington Line, designated as Route 22A, Route 22C, or Route 22F, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Ballston–MU station of the Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro or Northern Virginia Community College at Alexandria (22F) and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. The 22 Line trips are roughly 20 minutes during peak hours, 30 minutes during off peak, and 60 minutes on weekends. This line provides service to Ballston or NOVA Alexandria and the Pentagon Transit Center from the neighborhoods of Arlington County and Alexandria.

Columbia Pike Line

The Columbia Pike Line, designated as Routes 16A, 16C & 16E, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhoods of Annandale (16A) or Culmore and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro, Federal Triangle station of the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, or Franklin Square (16E). This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service to Annandale or Culmore and the Pentagon Transit Center, Federal Triangle or Franklin Square from the neighborhoods of Fairfax County and Arlington County. Alongside the neighborhoods, it also brings service through the marketplace, business, and offices through Columbia Pike.

Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line

The Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line, designated as Routes 16G & 16H, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the neighborhoods of Arlington Mill (16G) or Skyline City (16H) and Pentagon City station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This line is part of the Pike Ride service, which runs through Columbia Pike. This line provides service through the neighborhoods of Fairfax County and Arlington County to Pentagon City. Unlike the Columbia Pike Line, the Columbia Pike–Pentagon City Line does not serve Columbia Pike past the Arlington County line.

Columbia Pike–Federal Triangle Line

The Columbia Pike–Federal Triangle Line, designated Route 16F, or Route 16X, was a rush hour-only MetroExtra bus route that was operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Federal Triangle station of the Blue, Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro and the neighborhood of Culmore. This line was part of the Pike Ride service, which served through Columbia Pike. This line provides service from Federal Triangle in Washington, D.C. to the neighborhood of Culmore in Fairfax County.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About the Study: Pike Transit Initiative - Program Objectives for 2006-2007". Pike Transit Initiative. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  2. ↑ Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (January 16, 2018). "Columbia Pike Service Evaluation" (PDF). Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  3. ↑ Grass, Michael (14 January 2008). "Columbia Pike Streetcar One Step Closer to Reality". Express Night Out. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  4. ↑ Laris, Michael (14 January 2008). "Streetcar Plan Has Money and Desire: Funding Approved for N.Va. Network". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  5. ↑ Markon, Jerry; Tim Craig (1 March 2008). "Va. Road Taxing Authority Rejected: Unelected Body Violates Constitution, Court Says". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  6. ↑ Ethan Rothstein (2013-11-26). "Is the Ongoing Streetcar Debate Slowing Development on the Pike?". Arlington Now. Archived from the original on 2015-03-16. Retrieved 2013-11-26. County Board Member Libby Garvey — who was elected last year on an anti-streetcar platform and is currently the lone voice of streetcar dissent on the Board — isn't so sure about Karantonis' hypothesis.
  7. ↑ Scott McCaffery (2013-04-29). "Streetcar Question of the Day: Who Is Mayor Ford and How Did He Get Into the Discussion?". Arlington, Virginia: Arlington Sun Gazette. Archived from the original on 2013-05-07. Retrieved 2013-11-26. "I hate those damn streetcars – they are a pain in the rear end," Ford said in a newspaper article quoted by County Board member Libby Garvey as board members again tussled over the streetcar proposal at their April 23 meeting.
  8. ↑ Ben Spurr (2013-04-30). "Meet Virginia's Rob Ford". Toronto: Now magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-26. Armed with quotes from Toronto's mayor, a local official in Arlington fights an uphill battle against a streetcar to the Pentagon.
  9. ↑ "Arlington County Board contest pits Democrat against unaffiliated incumbent". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  10. ↑ Patricia Sullivan (2014-04-23). "Democrats may expel Arlington County Board member from party leadership". Washington Post . Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
  11. ↑ Mary Ann Barton (2014-05-02). "Democrat Libby Garvey, County Board Member, Resigns from Arlington Democratic Committee". Patch magazine. Archived from the original on 2015-08-09. "I found myself with a conflict," she said. "The by-laws state that you must support Democrats." Instead, Garvey supported a Republican in a special election for the county board. Her candidate, John Vihstadt, won. The Democratic candidate Alan Howze lost.
  12. ↑ "Arlington County Board contest pits Democrat against unaffiliated incumbent". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  13. ↑ Eric Jaffe (2014-11-24). "Its Streetcar Plan Defeated, Arlington Looks to Better Buses". CityLab . Retrieved 2015-08-09. --> After announcing the cancellation at a press conference, Jay Fisette, chair of the five-person county board and a strong streetcar advocate, refused to shake hands with fellow board member Libby Garvey, who's been an outspoken opponent.
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