Free Bus Ride Program on Code Red Days to End

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has decided to discontinue the Code Red Ride Free program, which encouraged Loudoun County and other Northern Virginia residents to leave their cars at home on Code Red bad air quality days and take the bus for free.

The elimination of the Ride Free program will help address a funding shortfall in the region's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program caused by a reduction in federal funds. The Ride Free program began 10 years ago and has helped to reduce nitrous oxide and volatile organic compound emissions and green house gases in the region.

Although the Ride Free program is ending, Loudoun County transit officials remind residents that using public transportation continues to be one of the best ways to combat harmful emissions and encourage residents to take public transportation whenever possible.

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Gilbert's Corner Roundabout Construction Proceeding

According to the Loudoun Times, "Construction on four roundabouts on U.S. 50 continues to move forward, said Kenny Robinson of the Virginia Department of Transportation. The first roundabouts at Watson Road opened three weeks ago."

"The next phase for the project will reverse the road closure at Gilberts Corner in June, which means U.S. 15 will be open to traffic while U.S. 50 is closed at the intersection. Gilberts Corner will be closed to U.S. 50 traffic in June, July and August. Traffic instead will take a temporary detour road to enter or cross U.S. 15."

The Times reports the roundabout at Gilberts Corner is already about 30 percent done. And if everything goes as planned, all four roundabouts – costing $13.5 million – will be completed by the end of the year.

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Metro Provides Update on Precautions for Swine Flu

For those of Loudoun County residents who use Metro for part of their commute, here's news from the transit agency about the swine flu.

According to a Metro news release, the agency "is using an environmentally friendly, hospital-grade disinfectant cleaner to wipe down surfaces throughout the Metro system to help keep riders and employees from catching the flu."

Each flu season, Metro uses the special hospital-grade disinfectant to protect riders and employees from contracting flu viruses. Though the traditional seasonal flu season has ended, Metro is continuing to use the hospital-grade disinfectant because of the recent outbreak in swine flu cases. The disinfectant is used to clean and disinfect “touch-surfaces” in the Metrorail and Metrobus systems.

Meanwhile, Metrobuses are spot-cleaned with the disinfectant every 14 days and will undergo more frequent cleaning if necessary. Metrorail trains and station equipment are disinfected daily.

Touch surfaces inside vehicles include fareboxes, steering wheels, seats, back-of-seat handles, floor-to-ceiling and seat-to-ceiling poles, and overhead grab bars and handles. In addition, fare machines, fare gate targets and farecard slots in rail stations are wiped down with the special disinfectant. MetroAccess will begin cleaning its vehicles with the environmentally friendly, hospital-grade disinfectant as well.

Metro is also urging their customers to take basic precautions to protect themselves and their fellow riders, including frequent hand washing, covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or coughing or sneezing into the upper sleeve, not hands when a tissue is not available, and avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth. To keep their hands clean while traveling, riders should carry tissues, waterless hand-sanitizing gels or disinfecting wipes.

More on the swine flu is available on the Loudoun County government Web site.

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Artwork Proposals Approved for Dulles Rail Extension

It seems that the final completion date for the rail extension to Dulles Airport keeps getting longer, but there was some action on the effort this week. The Metro Board of Directors approved artists’ proposals for public art projects at the first five Dulles Corridor stations.

Metro is managing and coordinating the public art component for the first phase of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail station project. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is funding the art projects at the first five Dulles extension stations.

Metro’s Art in Transit Program worked with MWAA to conduct a competition for the public art proposals for the five stations. Community representatives, the Fairfax Arts Council, art and design professionals, and Metro, MWAA and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation selected the five artist proposals out of 167 submissions. The artists are Martin Donlin for Tysons East, Ray King for Tysons Central 123, David Dahlquist for Central 7, Barbara Grygutis for Tysons West and David Wilson for Wiehle Avenue.

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Update: Route 7 eastbound at Belmont Ridge

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, emergency personnel
have opened two lanes of Route 7 eastbound at Belmont Ridge Road. All
lanes are expected to be open shortly. The roadway had been completely
closed for a multiple vehicle crash.

Route 7 Eastbound at Belmont Ridge Road is Closed

This in from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office... Route 7 eastbound
is closed at the intersection of Belmont Ridge Road due to a multiple
vehicle crash. The roadway is expected to be closed for a short period
of time as emergency personnel work the scene. Motorists are advised
to expect delays in this area.

For Our Hybrid Vehicle Owners

According to Dr. Gridlock with the Washington Post, hybrid vehicles with the proper clean fuel tags can continue to use the HOV lanes in Northern Virginia through June 30, 2010. According to the article, the Virginia General Assembly extended the law, much to the unhappiness of Dr. Gridlock.

House Bill 2476 was sponsored by Del. Tim Hugo and signed by Gov. Tim Kaine. (The only change in the law is striking out "2009" and writing in "2010" in the sunset date on the law.)

And just so you're totally "in the know," here's a link to the VDOT Web site with everything you needed to know about HOV lanes and rules and hybrids.

So what are your thoughts? Should hybrids be allowed in the HOV lanes, even if they only have the driver? Tell us what you think!

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More on the Zig Zag Lines

As first reported here on Loudoun County Traffic, here's the story on VDOT's safety campaign to get drivers to slow down in a high pedestrian and bicycle areas.

According to the WTOP Radio report, "The 500 feet of zig-zagging lines are painted on the ground on Belmont Ridge Road, where it intersects with the Washington and Old Dominion trail in Loudoun County. There are plans to also paint the crooked lines on Sterling Boulevard where it intersects with the W&OD trail."

The story is also in the VDOT "Northern Virginia Project News" newsletter that came out today (see page 4).

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Traffic Now Normal at Braddock Road at Gum Spring Road

This morning's crash at Braddock Road and Gum Spring Road has now been
cleared and traffic is running as normal.

Sadly, however, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office reports that the
single vehicle crash this morning has taken the life of a Leesburg
woman.

The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Gum Spring Road just south of
Braddock Road in the Chantilly area. Tiffany Lynne Cox, 22, of
Leesburg, was traveling south on Gum Spring Road when for unknown
reasons she lost control of her 1995 Saturn Coupe. The vehicle crossed
the northbound lanes and struck a tree. The driver passed away at the
scene.

Traffic Advisory from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office advises that Braddock Road at Gum
Spring Road in the Chantilly area remains closed due a single vehicle
crash. Motorists are advised to expect delays in this area.

It's Not Your Eyes, the Pavement Marking is Supposed to the That Way

This spring, pedestrians and cyclists may experience safer crossings at two mid-block bike trail crossings after the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) installs zigzag pavement markings in high traffic areas to get motorists to slow down. The markings will be placed in line with the flow of traffic to catch the attention of drivers prior to the actual crosswalk.

The Virginia Transportation Research Council, VDOT’s research division, is testing the new markings in Loudoun County where the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) trail crosses Sterling Boulevard and Belmont Ridge Road. These two locations were picked out of 70 places where this trail intersects with roadways because of traffic volume, speed, sight distance, roadway curvature and data collection considerations.

VDOT installed the road markings at the Belmont Ridge location on Monday, April 13, and plans to install another set of markings at the Sterling Boulevard location on Thursday, April 23, weather permitting.

After the pavement markings are installed, VDOT will monitor traffic speeds and driver behavior for a full year. If the experiment is successful, VDOT may consider the zigzag markings as a more standard pedestrian safety measure. The zigzag pavement markings are a low cost alternative to other safety improvements at mid-block locations. The pavement markings come in two different styles. The Federal Highway Administration approved their use for this test after seeing the successful use of these markings in the United Kingdom and Australia.

photo courtesy of VDOT

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Bison Alert... Loose Bison Causes Traffic Problems

Did you see or hear this story on WTOP Radio? Apparently last night, bison caused traffic problems here in Loudoun County.

According to WTOP, "The Loudoun County Sherriff's Office reported a bison in the middle of the road at Route 7 and Yellow Schoolhouse Road, with a companion keeping guard on the shoulder. The animal caused delays for 90 minutes."

Seems the bison got out from a nearby farm, which apparently raises some 20 of the animals.

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More on the Loudoun County Roundabouts from Dr. Gridlock

From the Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock comes an article about the roundabouts in Loudoun County.

Dr. Gridlock asks, "What's the best way to move traffic through an intersection? It may not be the way we're used to, with red and green lights denying or approving access. As the signal moves through its cycle there are many precious seconds when the intersection isn't doing its job: No vehicles are in it."

"Kenny Robinson of the Virginia Department of Transportation says there's a better way to move vehicles through certain junctions. He's working on such a project in Loudoun County: Constructing four roundabouts along Routes 50 and 15 in the Gilbert's Corner area."

Route 15 is closed between Route 50 and the newly built connector road called Howsers Branch Drive, about a quarter-mile south of Gilbert's Corner. Drivers are now using Howsers Branch Drive and a new roundabout on Route 50. That detour will be in place through May. This is likely to add five minutes to trips at off-peak times and up to 10 at rush hour. As the project unfolds over the next few months, more detours are planned for Route 50 and Watson Road.

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Western Loudoun County Sobriety Checkpoint

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sobriety checkpoint Saturday evening on Route 9 near Waterford.

The checkpoint was held in the area of Old Stage Place and saw 864 vehicles pass through. Eight vehicles were further screened. There were no arrests for DUI, two people were charged with drug related offenses and 20 motorists were charged with traffic-related violations. A majority of the traffic violations were for driving without a license.

The Sheriff’s Office currently conducts one checkpoint per month throughout the year and holds additional checkpoints during the holidays.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure the roads are safe for all motorists by achieving voluntary compliance with the drinking and driving laws,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Steve Simpson. “If you drink and drive, we’re going to catch you,” Simpson warned.

The Sheriff’s Office designed the checkpoints to raise public awareness and to discourage impaired driving. Members of the Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Unit and volunteers from the Loudoun Chapter of MADD assisted with the checkpoint.

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Drive Smart and Safe Around Work Zones

Here's good advice from the Federal Highway Administration regarding work zone driving safety:

• Pay Close Attention.
• Signs and work zone flaggers save lives.
• Don't Tailgate.
• Keep Up with the Traffic Flow.
• Minimize Distractions - avoid changing radio stations and using a mobile phone while driving in a work zone.
• Be Patient.
• Remember that work zone crews are improving your future ride.

According to the FHWA, annually in U.S. work zones there are over 800 fatal and over 40,000 serious injury crashes. In addition, congestion and delays are mounting, and the frustration level of the driver is rising.

As temperatures rise and more and more work crews are out on our roadways, let's remember the above tips and drive safely.

And to help, you can search a database of road construction projects in the U.S. and Canada so you'll know what that work zone you pass everyday is for, and when it's scheduled to be completed.

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Will This Land Purchase Have an Impact on Traffic?

According to the Washington Business Journal, "Morley Corner, a 1.4 million-square-foot site, located along Ashburn Village Boulevard, was sold to The Temple Baptist Church for $5.8 million. The 32 acres are currently zoned for mixed uses that include multifamily residential, commercial office and retail. The buyer, a group located in Herndon, will likely build a new church in a few years on the land to relocate its growing congregation and expand its K-3 through 12th grade school."

Just curious... what's your take on the possibility of a church and school in that area, and do you think there will be any impact on traffic or commuting, or is this better than a shopping center or another row of townhouses? Leave a comment.

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Parking at the Park in Hamilton Delayed Until June 15

It's not specifically traffic or transit, but this story, while dealing with parking, could have an impact on traffic in Hamilton.

According to the Loudoun Times, Hamilton's Town Council has put a two-month delay on its unpopular decision to forbid car parking at the town's park. The ban on parking cars at the park on West Colonial Highway is now set to take effect June 15.

According to the Times, "A committee made up of Mayor Ray Whitbey, Vice Mayor John Unger and Planning Commission Chairman Bob McCann, and at least three parents and out-of-town park users, will meet the week of April 13 to explore ways to keep the park open and paid for."

"One idea the committee might pursue, Whitbey said, is some sort of user fee or membership for park visitors who do not pay taxes in the town. The problem there, he said, is policing the system because the town doesn't have a staff to check on users and to monitor decals or membership cards. Council has wrestled for months with problems at the park, including parking and trash."

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