New Slug Lines at FBC and Rt 123 - 2 May 2011

I think I should clarify my point about having a PM returning slug line to this lot.

Pre-Potomac Mills reduction, I used to be able to get a spot at Horner and slug to L'enfant- it was GREAT to also go back to that same spot in the afternoon and get a slug ride back to Horner. it was a straight shot to work and straight shot back to my car.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to do the same thing from this new FBC lot as oppose to slugging from here in the morning, then having to either Metro to Pentagon and pay $2.15 to catch a slug ride back to FBC (and tack on an additional 20 minutes) to my commute home or catch a bus ride home (still tack on additional commuting time and still pay the bus fare).

So basically what I'm trying to say is that it would be most convenient for me and I'm sure many other sluggers to be able to slug from here to L'enfant in the AM and slug back from L'enfant to this FBC lot.

Thanks again!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Admin

I am paying attention and am more than happy to add L'Enfant to the map and website. I assume this includes 14th and 18th street too. Please advise.

I intend to send out a broadcast email tomorrow and another next week to help spread the word. So please post comments!

The planned start date is May 2nd.

---

While I feel for those going to 14 & 18 - L'Enfant is a major hub point. As noted elsewhere, I ultimately go to WNY - which is near-impossible To or From other than Horner Road - aka EARLY. Even a direct-ride to L'Enfant for DC folks is a big time-saver vs going to the Pentagon.

IN the 2+ months since the PM reduction - I've had 1 14th st person riding & 2 driving, picking up @ Dale CL Pentagon line. I've had 50/50 luck being a rider to L'Enfant, many time w/ the 2nd slug also being L'Enfant-bound, even if the driver wasn't.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Admin

To be honest, I kind of grouped L'Enfant with the 14th and 18th street slugs (downtown destinations). However, I think I now understand that L'Enfant is unique. Correct?

It's a hub-point to much of DC

What L'Enfant slugs need are more options. If you are not able to slug out of Horner Road to L'Enfant, what other options do you have?

Dale City lot to "Pentagon"; and since I *cannot* get to a CL until 7am or later - that's about it (I drive 20min cross-town to drop son off @ d/c; am not spending another 25-40min to go to Hechinger lot - when I then have to cross a LOT of Woodbridge to pick him up - by 6:30 or $1/min

Yes, I appreciate your comments about the shuttle service. From my understanding, the shuttle was to be free. The limited and late schedule is a problem and is more of an emergency get-home option to me. It is nice that PRTC was willing to try and help since they said they could not provide more bus service directly to FBC.

My prediction is that very few will use the shuttle because, just as you stated, it runs late and is infrequent. Low ridership will then question why have it at all, and then it may be discontinued.

For FBC, there seems to be interest in a Pentagon line but little interest in a Rosslyn line. So, I think is is feasible to start of L'Enfant line.

The major obstacle is the return. FBC is a out of the way for both Horner and Potomac. However, I would recommend that we use FBC destinations co-located with the Horner line. Drivers may be willing to continue on the FBC.

---

Dale City lot is slooooowly catching on @ Pentagon returns, from what I can tell. Frankly, for the unreliability of Metro, the time it takes me to get to the Pentagon from WNY in hopes of a ride to Dale City lot - I'd rather just slug from WNY -> Horner, then pay for the bus (or shuttle, if it would run there).

Part of the problem, from what I've seen at the 2 Town Halls, is that the county & PRTC want commuters to use the lots (Dale City, Lindendale) that have space - but don't want to listen to how to make it attractive. To get to Dale CL from Horner via the bus is 20-40min depending on Telegraph & Gideon traffic - you get TWO choke-points. I'd much rather park @ FBC, and take my chances back - the one-destination-shuttle is going to be a lot faster than the typical (non-Rosslyn) bus trip, if I miss the Rosslyn bus.

quote:

---

Originally posted by fed up

Also, when I see references to PM, there is some confusion as to whether the reference to to P.M. or Potomac Mills. Please take this into consideration when making your comments.

---

I've made comments about the PM ride back and I have always meant to refer to a PM slug ride back to this same FBC lot. It would be very very inconvenient if we didn't have a slug ride option back to this lot in the PM. As I've said before, if I'm going to park here in the AM and leave my car- I'd like to be able to go to Lefant in the PM and catch a slug ride back to this FBC lot. I would not want to have to catch a bus ride back to this lot or have to metro to another spot just to catch a slug ride back to here.

Since the rules/regulations/procedures are now being established for this lot I want to make sure it's established as a convenient lot to use. For me personally it never made sense to not have a PM slug line option back to lots that have an AM slug line to a destination. If people are to park their cars in a particular lot and slug from that lot, they should also be able to go back to that same location they were dropped off at in the PM, and catch a returning slug line back to the same lot they parked their car at. This to me is what makes most sense, is most convenient as a slugger and is what I want from this new FBC lot if I'm going to use it.

When I used to park my car at Potomac Mills (before the reduction)and slug to L'enfant Plaza- I HATED HATED HATED that my trip back was not as easy or convenient as it was to get there. I had to metro over to Pentagon and catch a slug ride there back to Potomac. Some might ask why that's such a big deal and here is my answer: to metro over to Pentagon in the afternoon and catch a a slug ride from here tacks on an additional 20 minutes to my commute and I also don't like having to pay $2.15 every trip back. Why can't there just be a slug line back from L'enfant? I know I'm not the only person who feels this way. I've talked to other L'enfant people and have heard the same complaints that I have.

I'm also not interested in getting dropped off at another lot(i.e Horner) and having to wait for a shuttle bus or any bus to come and take me to my original lot that I parked at. Again this isn't the most convenient option. I don't want to tack on any additional time to my commute to work OR home.

So ADMIN- can we PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure to establish a PM returning slug line back to this FBC lot from Le'fant and really I guess any other destinations that will slug out of here (Pentagon, Rosslyn). As I've suggested we can co-use the existing Horner Rd line at L'enfant to get back here in the afternoon.

Thank you everyone for hearing me out. :)

[:)] An observation from someone who's been sluggin', drivin', & carpoolin' since 1986:

Over the years, there have been numerous times that new slug lines have been recommended and designated -- and it's ended up that the lines just didn't get the support needed to be viable.

It takes the right mix of slugs and drivers (all going to the same destination) showing up in the same time frames for a line to take hold and continue to exist. I think that that reality, along with the challenges to get the word out to interested slugs and drivers, are why many of the new slug lines die on the vine.

Recommended slug lines in Manassas and at Gambrill Road, Rt 630, Ballston, Springfield Mall, & Backlick Road are a few examples.