New Traffic Pattern on Waxpool at Loudoun County Parkway

If you're traveling on Waxpool from the direction of Ashburn Farm/Ashburn Village toward Route 28, hopefully you've noticed the big flashing traffic sign on the right side of the road warning of a new traffic pattern.

That new pattern is the removal of one of the left turn lanes from Waxpool onto Loudoun County Parkway.

It's amazing though... the past several days we've noticed drivers still in the second turn lane (the second lane from the right), even though there isn't a turn light in that lane, nor are there any left turn arrows painted on the pavement. (We had to drive around several times to finally catch the lanes empty for our picture!)

The one thing we do wish was that VDOT had painted straight arrows in the now "straight only/no turn lane" to help ease confusion. But overall, this move by the traffic folks will definitely help the early morning commute on Waxpool!

So pay attention. We now have three through lanes and only one left turn lane from Waxpool onto Loudoun County Parkway.

This was such a "no brainer" move one has to wonder why it wasn't done years ago!

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New Bus Route Connects Loudoun County with West Falls Church Metro Station

A new bus route, the West Falls Church Express, connects the West Falls Church Metro station with Loudoun County. The new service is operated by Virginia Regional Transit (VRT) in partnership with Loudoun County.

This route connects the West Falls Church Metro Station with George Washington University’s Virginia Campus, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus, INOVA Loudoun Hospital and Beaumeade Circle.

Once in Loudoun, passengers can connect to various local routes to travel to Leesburg, Purcellville, Sterling, Ashburn and the Dulles International Airport.

More information about bus service in Loudoun County, including a schedule for the new West Falls Church Express, is available on the Loudoun County Government Web site. The schedule is also available online.

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.

Washington, D.C. is 5th Worst Congested Metro Area According to New Report

Did you hear about the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard?

Its 2008 annual report provides a comprehensive analysis of the "state of congestion" in 2008 across America and how it changed versus 2007. Leveraging tens of billions of GPS data points from vehicles traveling across 47,000 miles of major roadways of urban America, INRIX analysis produced a 130+ page report ranking the top 100 worst congested metropolitan areas and providing details on the worst traffic bottlenecks.

Drum roll please... According to the survey, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area ranks 5th for the most congested metro area in the country.

WJLA TV-7 reports, however, that this year's 5th spot is actually an improvement over the area's ranking at number four in 2007. The report says that the traffic in D.C. has actually decreased by more than 25 percent since 2007.

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Loudoun County Seeks Share of Stimulus Money for Various Projects

According to the Dulles Area Transportation Association, Loudoun County officials are combing through the federal government's stimulus package to see what if any public infrastructure projects in the county might be eligible for.

The DATA reports, "The wish list approved by supervisors last month totaled $744 million and included many road and school construction projects, such as $91.2 million to widen Route 659 between Route 7 and the Dulles Greenway, $83 million to build Tuscarora High School and $70.6 million to build Woodgrove High School. County staff members said they expect to have enough information by next month to brief supervisors on which projects are likely to receive federal stimulus funds."

"Loudoun's share of transportation aid will depend on whether the money goes through the state or is distributed directly to regional planning districts."

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Metro is Now on Facebook

For our Loudoun County commuters that use Metro -- either rail or bus -- here's something of interest.

Metro has joined the social networking craze and recently launched a Facebook page as another way to communicate with riders. The page is a less formal avenue for Metro to share information and interact with customers.

According to a press release, Metro is encouraging people to check out the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority page on Facebook and become a fan.

Information about Metro, upcoming events like scheduled track work and YouTube videos are posted on the page. RSS feeds show real-time information about Metrorail and Metrobus service disruptions. In addition, fans will find a discussion board and are encouraged to weigh in on the latest topics. The first discussion asks for ideas about new ways for Metro to earn money like expanded advertising and vendor sales in Metrorail stations.

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VDOT to Lay Off Hundreds of Workers

In case you hadn't heard, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced this week that the agency will lay off 450 hourly employees across the commonwealth next month as a first step in reducing staffing costs.

The cuts are one element of a comprehensive plan – called the “Blueprint for the Future” – presented at the Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting and designed to address the projected $2.6 billion shortfall in transportation revenues during the next six years.

VDOT proposed several phases of reductions to include:

• Reducing rest areas and welcome centers
• Reducing ferry services
• Reducing Safety Service Patrols
• Reducing interstate maintenance services
• Reducing vegetation management

VDOT is seeking to reduce its overall staffing levels by 1,000 full-time employees and 450 wage, temporary and hourly staff over the next 18 months. Currently, the agency has 605 hourly employees and approximately 8,400 full-time, salaried employees. VDOT estimates it will have 7,500 employees total by July 1, 2010.

VDOT plans to meet with community leaders and citizens to discuss potential service and organizational impacts during a series of public meetings to be held across the commonwealth this spring. The dates and locations of those meetings will be finalized in the next weeks and Loudoun County Traffic will provide details as they become available.

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Drive With Caution on Route 7 Near Loudoun County Parkway

This reminder from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Unit, which is advising motorists to drive with caution in the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 7 near the Loudoun County Parkway as the area is undergoing construction for a new overpass.

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Driver Loses Life in Early Morning Crash

A single vehicle crash early this morning near Broadlands took the life of an Ashburn man and left a passenger in critical condition. 
 
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, around 2:15 a.m. a 2004 Nissan Altima was traveling east on Broadlands Boulevard near Columbus Court where it appears to have lost control on a curve in the roadway. According to a preliminary investigation by the Sheriff?s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit, the vehicle veered to the left, crossed the median, and proceeded across the westbound lanes of Broadlands Boulevard before striking a tree.   
 
The driver of the vehicle, Michael P. Howard, 23, lost his life at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle, Elizabeth Kissinger, 21, of Herndon, was airlifted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital where she is currently listed in critical condition.   
 
Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Waxpool Road and Loudoun County Parkway Accident Now Clear

The Washington Post reports that a motorist who might have had a medical emergency caused an eight-car crash in Loudoun County this morning, leaving the driver seriously injured.

"The driver of a Chevrolet Malibu was traveling south on Loudoun County Parkway in the Ashburn area when he lost control of the car. He drove over a median into the parkway's oncoming lanes and then crossed over another median onto Waxpool Road, colliding with four vehicles, according to Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kraig Troxell. Four more vehicles also crashed as a result, Troxell said."

The Post adds that "the driver was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital, and the extent of his injuries was not immediately known. No one besides the driver was seriously hurt, Troxell said. Waxpool Road was temporarily closed to clear the scene."

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office now reports that the eight vehicle crash at Waxpool Road and Loudoun County Parkway is now cleared and that traffic is moving as normal.  
 
However, the Sheriff's Office continues to respond to fallen trees and traffic signal malfunctions in the county. Currently a tree is blocking Lime Kiln Road approximately four miles up the roadway from Route 15. And the traffic signal at the intersection of Jefferson Pike and Harper's Ferry Road is currently out.

Please remember an intersection where the traffic signals are off due to power failure must be treated as a four-way stop.   
   
For real-time traffic information from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office visit www.loudoun.gov/traffic or visit us using your Web browsing cell phone at www.loudoun.gov/mobiletraffic.

Winds Cause Several Roadway Issues

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office reports that high winds have blown down numerous trees across the county. The following is the current list of weather-related roadway issues: 

• Tree across roadway on Charles Town Pike (Route 9) near Hillsboro Road just west of Hillsboro.
• A tree is partially blocking the roadway in 14350 block of Purcellville Road.
• The roadway in the 38480 block of Lime Kiln Road near Middleburg is closed due to utility lines downed by a tree.
• A traffic light is malfunctioning in the area of Ryan Road and Belmont Ridge Road.

Please remember an intersection where the traffic signals are off due to power failure must be treated as a four-way stop.

For real-time traffic information from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office please visit www.loudoun.gov/traffic or visit us using your Web browsing cell phone at www.loudoun.gov/mobiletraffic.

Use Caution on Loudoun County Roadways Tomorrow -- High Wind Warning in Effect

According to Loudoun County Weather, the National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning beginning at 2 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 12, through midnight tomorrow night.

A high wind warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected or occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph or gusts of 58 mph or more can lead to property damage.

It can be dangerous to drive in high winds as the wind affects vehicle control and also can surprise a driver under certain circumstances:

• During lane changes
• When passing or being passed by other vehicles such as large trucks
• When crossing elevated bridges
• When entering and leaving wind-protected areas such as building, forests, overpasses
• While towing a trailer

If you are out driving, the National Weather Service encourages motorists to:

• Keep both hands on the wheel and slow down.
• Watch for objects blowing across the roadway and into your path.
• Keep a safe distance from cars in adjacent lanes as strong gusts could push a car outside its lane of travel.
• Take extra care in a high-profile vehicle such as a truck, van, SUV, or when towing a trailer, as these are more prone to be pushed or even flipped by high wind gusts.
• If winds are severe enough to prevent safe driving, get onto the shoulder of the road and stop, making sure you are away from trees or other tall objects that could fall onto your vehicle. Stay in the car and turn on the hazard lights until the wind subsides.

Please use extra caution if out and about on Loudoun County's roadways tomorrow. Let's all plan to arrive safely!

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.

Dulles Rail Update

According to an update today from the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, "Since January 2008, drivers through and to Tysons Corner have watched as crews worked to relocate more than 21 different utilities in preparation for the actual construction of the long-awaited 23-mile extension of Metro's Orange Line."

"The extension will eventually provide a one-seat ride from Dulles Airport to downtown Washington. In fact, the estimated trip time between Dulles and Capitol Hill is 55 minutes. Utility work will continue through 2009 and will overlap with general construction beginning next month along the Phase 1 alignment."

"Phase 1 will serve Tysons Corner with four stations and Reston with one station at Wiehle Avenue. Phase 2 will run from Wiehle Avenue to Route 772 in Ashburn, including six stops along the way including Dulles Airport. Phase 1 will be completed in 2013."

A Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing on the stations was postponed because of ice on January 28. That session will now be held on February 18. A hearing before the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is slated for February 23. The county planning staff is recommending approval of the applications for the five phase 1 stations.

To see the latest designs, visit www.dullesmetro.com/.

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.

Loudoun County Commuters Pay the Most in the Region

Did you hear about the Urban Land Institute'sTerwilliger Center for Workforce Housing? The Washington Post online talked about the report today, which looks at the tradeoff of moving to farther-out suburbs where the housing is cheaper, but then paying for it with longer commutes.

According to the Post, the takeaway from the report is that in many parts of the region, lower housing prices are largely offset by higher transportation costs. For example, the report says that residents of Loudoun County pay the highest combined price, $46,435 per year, but we also enjoy the highest median income, $101,289.

According to the Post, "Throughout the metro area, which stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, we spend an average of nearly $23,000 each year on housing and $13,000 on transportation, accounting for almost 47 percent of median household income. Even worse: We waste an average of 60 hours each year stuck in traffic."

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.

Interested in Loudoun County Traffic and Like to Write?

Great, because we're looking for guest posters!

Do you have an opinion about traffic or transit in Loudoun County? Have information that would be beneficial to Loudoun County commuters? Do you fancy yourself as a transportation expert?

If so, then we'd love to hear from you. Loudoun County Traffic is seeking guest writers. We'd love to hear from you if you have something useful to share with our readers.

It should be related to traffic, transit and roads here in Loudoun County. There is no minimum length for your post, but 500-1,000 words is okay. We also ask that your post be original and that it has never been published before on the Internet.

There are also some don'ts that will likely reduce the probability of your post getting accepted. They include:

• A guest post that looks like a sales pitch for your product, blog or Web site
• A guest post that contains excessive grammatical or spelling mistakes

So if you're interested in being published on Loudoun County Traffic, and you have a post that meets our guidelines, e-mail us at LoudounCountyTraffic@hotmail.com. Within 48 hours we will reply whether we will accept or deny your guest post. If rejected this does not preclude you from using it on your own blog or submitting to other Web sites.

Guest posts will include a byline about the author at the end of the post. You can include up to two links on that byline, such as a link to your Web site and a link to your RSS feed or perhaps one link to your site and one link to a Twitter account, etc.

If you've got an opinion about Loudoun County Traffic we'd love to hear from you.

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Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Asks for Help in Clearing Sidewalks

It's not necessarily about traffic or transit, but many Loudoun County commuters have kids in school, live near a school or know someone who does. So we thought we'd pass this info along from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, which is asking for assistance from county residents who live in designated school walking areas to clear their sidewalks of ice and snow.

Although warmer weather is in the forecast for this weekend, many of the sidewalks surrounding county schools remain covered in ice and snow. Clearing sidewalks can ensure the safety of school children who walk to school as well as Sheriff’s Office Crossing Guards.

Loudoun County Code 1022.01 requires residents under certain circumstances must remove snow from sidewalks. The code states every occupant, owner or other person in charge of property in the County which has a sidewalk, or a footway of stone, brick, gravel, cinder, wood, or other substance, when such a walk is publicly owned or maintained, and is adjoining and touching the property in front, rear, or either side thereof, shall have all snow and ice, or a combination thereof removed from such sidewalk or footway.

Of course our solution to the problem of snow and ice is to just not have anymore. All in favor!?

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Route 28 Corridor Again on Supervisors' Agenda

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors met today and according to the Loudoun Times, the question of what kind of development the county wants in the Route 28 corridor came up again.

The paper reports, "Currently, the area – about 8,000 acres along Route 28 from Route 7 to the Fairfax County line and from Atlantic Boulevard to Broad Run – is zoned for office and retail development. After two hours of debate, Loudoun's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Feb. 3 to direct county staff and committees to look into the effects of changes that would allow additional development."

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So You Thought the Loudoun County Commutes Were Tough

How about a 46 minute one-way commute?

Well, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 46.3 minutes one-way is the nation's longest commute. And while not in Loudoun County, it is in Virginia -- in Bristow. Our neighbors who live off Linton Hall Road in western Prince William County have the dubious distinction of having the longest one-way commutes in the nation.

According to the story on WTOP Radio, the "Census Bureau took into account folks who commute 5 or 10 minutes to work in determining its averages, and says the Prince William commute is longer than commutes in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The national average commute is 25.1 minutes. Other local communities making the Census Bureau's list of the longest commutes include Fort Washington and Clinton in Prince George's County and Dale City in Prince William County."

Hard to believe isn't it. We here at Loudoun County Traffic for one thought it would've been much longer than that.

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What's the Most Dangerous Intersection in Leesburg?

According to the Loudoun Extra, the intersection at Sycolin Road and the Leesburg Bypass was the most dangerous in Leesburg during 2008, that according to accident statistics compiled by the Leesburg Police Department. The data comes from crash reports completed by the Leesburg Police Department and does not include auto accidents worked by either the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office or by the Virginia State Police.

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.