New Slug Line to Alexandria!!

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Originally posted by fmajette

I don't advocate using the VRE Station to park because at present, parking is free for VRE users. I'm concerned that the free parking for VRE users may change if there is an onslaught of cars brought on by sluggers. Not a good idea!!!

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well, the lorton vre has a real successful slug line to pentagon and L'enfant and both the train and slugs have coexisted without a hitch for a few years now ... but I see your concern.

I don't advocate using the VRE Station to park because at present, parking is free for VRE users. I'm concerned that the free parking for VRE users may change if there is an onslaught of cars brought on by sluggers. Not a good idea!!!

Eisenhower defnitely. This is the one that would work for me and that I would use. King Street does not work for me.

These are outstanding proposals. Regardless of the final decision on new slugging locations, more are needed. From 2001 until 2009, I slugged from either Horner Road or Potomac Mills to the Pentagon as an active duty Air Force member for 30 years. I also worked at a military facility on Eisenhower Avenue and can personally attest to the need for a slug line there. Now that I am retired (February 2009) and represent Prince William County in the Virginia House of Delegates, I am most concerned that the proposed I-95/395 HOT Lanes not, repeat NOT, adversely impact the outstanding slug system that has operated so effectively for decades--because government has left management of the slug system to citizen ingenuity. I would value any comments or observations that subscribers to this forum care to offer so that I have current information on the slug system. I can be reached best via my legislative email address (DelRAnderson@house.virginia.gov) or even at home (703-730-1380). I feel that I need to be reachable if I am going to be responsive. Thanks for the opportunity to comment, and Happy Memorial Day to all!

Del. Rich Anderson, 51 House District, Virginia General Assembly

Just thinking out loud here...
Slugging works best on HOV lanes... otherwise, there is much less incentive. I believe the last HOV exit before the Pentagon is Springfield (assuming you are coming 95/395).
Springfield has a metro stop and it is fairly close to the 95 exit... although I don't know what traffic is like around there during rush hours.
How far from the HOV lanes is the Eisenhower Metro? Is there a proposed HOV lane on 495 that I am unaware of?
Based on these assumptions, it occurs to me that the best plan to generate enough "mass" to work is to have a slug-line from any of the commuter lots south of Springfield to the Springfield metro. This options would allow riders to then use the metro or bus system to get to the rest of Alexandria. This also offers the greatest degree of flexibility to drivers (ones going north or east on 495 as well as locations in Alexandria/Arlington earlier than Pentagon City) without having 3 people stuck on the normal lanes of the major thoroughfares. As much as riders would appreciate a ride to different parts of Alexandria, there is little non-altruistic incentive to drivers to take them beyond Springfield.
This isn't to say that if the driver and rider happen to be going to the same location that the driver wouldn't be willing to take them, but, in my opinion, the odds are better for a Springfield Metro<>South 95 connection.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I commute to DC and would likely not use any of these options if they were available.
Hope this is helpful to the conversation.