610 Parking being enforced today!
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Topic: 610 Parking being enforced today!
Posted By: Matrix
Subject: 610 Parking being enforced today!
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2002 at 10:01am
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I have been commuting from 630 and it has been saving me 20-30 minutes each way! I arrive at the lot by 7am and leave from the Pentagon at 5:10pm. We need more slugs and drivers. Fortunately I met another couple that also commutes the same time I do but there will be days when we need another rider or driver. I cannot stress how great and convenient the 630 lot is. Unfortunately today I had to slug from 610 and I parked illegal. Once I was on the road I found out that as of today, cars will be either ticketed or towed. To confirm this I contacted the Sheriff’s department and VDOT. If you would like to make a complaint contact VDOT at (540) 899-4300 or (540) 899-4160. |
Replies:
Posted By: shelbybrynn
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2002 at 9:31am
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Hi Matrix!! I totally agree, the Route 630 lot is way better and it saves so much time. Did you see the flyer they are distributing to try and get the Mine Road lot started? That is the worst idea ever!! It is going to take the driver's forever to try to merge left in the evenings and it will back up Route 610 even further, that is of course if they even get someone to take them to the Mine Road lot in the evenings. Of course they could always try to cross Route 610 and play chicken with all the cars. Doesn't that sound like fun?!?! I propose people come to the Route 630 lot and enjoy the ample parking and the ease of getting in and out of there. Sorry you had to park at the 610 lot, I know that sucks!! Did you get towed or ticketed? Tisa Shillingburg |
Posted By: mellymac
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2002 at 12:46pm
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I am furious about the way the Stafford Board of Supervisors and VDOT are treating the commuters at the 610 lot. They are trying to dictate where we park or commute from. I am sorry but it is not our fault that the lot on 610 was built over 10 years ago doesn't accomidate all the current commuters today! But in their demi-god all knowing way they are trying to force us to use the useless lot on Mine Road. Anyone who exits I95 between the hours of 4-6 know it is impossible to immediately (safely) merge three lanes to the traffic light to turn left toward the lot. Oh guess what! VDOT says that their plan of action to fix this will be a light immediately off of the ramp!!!! Oh doesn't that sound like a brillant idea! I guess the new trend in traffic is fix it with a traffic light. Heaven help the people backed up on I95 that a semi doesn't rear end them. The Stafford Board of Supervisors needs to be contacted with our dissatisfaction of how they are just going along with any suggestion the "engineers" at VDOT throw them. Personally, I am waiting for the huge civil suit that will be brought against the county if someone is hit attempting to cross 610 and walk along the road (with no sidewalks or lights) to get to the other parking lot because they were forced to park there due to the inadequate parking. Sometimes we find ourselves riding the bus home and that's the dropping off spot. Okay I'll stop now. Sorry. |
Posted By: emmancilla
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2002 at 1:36pm
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I second what you think Mellymac. It seems that the "engineers" at VDOT are characterized with their lack of brilliant ideas these days. How in the world are they going to deal with the problem in setting a traffic light immediately right off the ramp? These guys are something. Furthermore, when you try to give them solutions to problems that are affecting us, they just relay in the fact that they are concerning for the commuters' needs but "thank you for sharing your with us." |
Posted By: shelbybrynn
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2002 at 1:40pm
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If you guys are not happy at 610, why not try the Route 630 lot. It is so much better and it actually saves you time!! Let me know if you're interested in the details. Tisa Shillingburg |
Posted By: Matrix
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 9:02am
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Hello all, Again I had to use 610 today! One of our members at our newly formed carpool (from 630) was sick. So we waited from 7am to 7:25am for slugs - none showed up so in desperation we went on to 610. To my dismay VDOT has put up guard rails and everyone is driving because there is no parking spots. We even went to the lot off Mine Road, but no slugs so at 7:50am we said the "heck with it" and left for work. VDOT and the County Board of Supervisors have really screwed up our slug line! If you feel as I do, contact Gary Pash (Garrisonville Rep. - Board of Supervisors) by email at gpash@co.stafford.va.us or (540) 658-9165 as posted on his website. Also, you may call VDOT at the numbers posted above. |
Posted By: Martys
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 11:08am
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The question is "has anyone tried using the Mine Rd. Lot?" Everyone sits around complaining and taking the chance of either getting ticketed or having to pay a costly towing and storage fee if their car is towed. Actually, if you compared the 2 lots and looked at the broader picture, you might be surprised. Everyone assumes that to use the Mine Rd lot you have to quickly get over and utilize the first turn-off. The easiest way is to merge over in time for the Mine Rd exit and use the entrance off of Mine Rd. At the North Lot (610), everyone stands around in the flow of traffic to pick-up rides (at one point this week there were over 50+ people in the Pentagon/Crystal City/Rosslyn line that we were in 2 lines of traffic). The South lot (Mine) has a curbed standing area and two separate lanes for carpooling and the buses (which the rumor was that the buses don't go over to the new lot; wrong again - my friend caught one this morning at 7:15). As well, the South lot is larger and can accomodate the traffic. The intent in the Mine Rd lot is to create a light or access ramp directly to the lot once the HOV extension is completed (of course, who knows when that will be done). This problem is only going to get worse once they give the small lot next to Prosperity Lane over to the construction company (they bought it as a package deal with the new mall area!). Everyone is going to be moving, its either by choice or force. And the lawsuit part wouldn't hold anyway. VDOT's legal position is that they have provided safe areas for commutting; the individual hurt crossing 610 is risking their own safety (law degree). Many calls concerning the issue have been made to VDOT concerning moving one or both of the slug-lines to the new lot; however they "won't allow the government to dictate when and where the slug lines form". Even though they technically are by closing Prosperity and the small parking lot. |
Posted By: shelbybrynn
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 11:31am
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Hi Martys!! While it would be nice if everyone could utilize the spacious Mine Road lot, the location does not make it a viable option for most people. I am sure in the mornings it is not hard to get to but in the evenings it is a mess!! I used to live in Hampton Oaks and I know just how bad it is, that's one reason I moved. You also have to consider how much worse it will get if all those additional drivers are trying to make a left too, whether it be at the first or second light, it is difficult to merge all the way to the left in all that grid locked traffic. It will start backing up more on I-95 and noone wants that!! There will also be mass confusion in the slug line going home because some people will be parked at the Staffordborough lot and some will be at the Mine Road lot and I don't think many drivers are going to want to deal with trying to merge left unless they happen to live back there. Bottom line, the 610 lots are not good choices since there is too much traffic to access them easily and there are no safe ways to cross Route 610. I would like to propose that people please try the Route 630 lot as there is ample parking and it has a great location. Tisa Shillingburg |
Posted By: Matrix
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 11:32am
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Martys, I have tried alternatives: 630, Mine Road lot but there are no slugs. I have just ran into other drivers. What time do you arrive and return to Stafford? |
Posted By: tdar20
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 11:53am
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As I was reading one of the comments I came across a mention of extending the HOV lanes and an new off ramp. Is there anyone out there who has some information beyond the rumor mill on this aspect of our dirve north??? I have never really seen anything beyond a study indicating that it was being looked at. Nothing to say if the lanes are going to be extended beyong 610. |
Posted By: Matrix
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 1:15pm
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Good news, fellow slugs! I contacted the Freelance Star concerning all of our fustrations. In response I received a call from Edie Gross, Transportation Reporter. Shortly, she is going to do an article discussing the 610 mess and point out alternatives such as the 630 lot, etc. Maybe more people will now take advantage of the 630 lot. |
Posted By: swichowski
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 1:43pm
Thanks for your effort!quote: |
Posted By: tondalea
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 2:30pm
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I no longer slug from 610 because I moved down to rt. 17 and now slug from there, but I used to carpool from the new lot and its actually not bad at all. If it is such a hard time to merge, why not drive for another 30 seconds to the Aquia exit, this way you will have plenty of time to merge over to the left. It's just as hard to get off I95 at 630 as well with no light at all. Just an idea. |
Posted By: shelbybrynn
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 3:11pm
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Hi Tondalea!! That sounds like a nice idea about going to the Aquia exit but then you are stuck at the back of the grid-locked traffic and that can take just as long. There is no nice way to drive on Route 610. It has been very poorly planned and cannot accomodate the high volume of traffic. Furthermore, I don't know why you would think that it is hard to get off of the Route 630 exit in the evenings. If you are making a right off of the exit there is hardly ever a wait at all. Only if you are making a left is it backed up and since the commuter lot is to the right, why would there be a problem?!? The commuter lot is right off of the exit to boot!! I would also like to address the fact that alot of people say they live off of Route 610 and they think 630 is too far away. I have lived in Stafford my whole life and it's extremely rare for it to take me more than four minutes to go between exits 630 and 610 via I-95. It is only like 2.5 miles between exits not to mention the fact that there are alot of back roads that link the two that can actually make it faster for people to get home from the commuter lot. Of course if you live off of Mine Road or Staffordborough Blvd., it would be rather silly to go to Route 630 since you are right there but there are lots of people (even who live off of route 610) that could benefit from the Route 630 slug-line.  Tisa Shillingburg |
Posted By: dkerley
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2002 at 3:31pm
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I prefer the Mine Road lot because I live within walking distance in the event that the Mine Rd. lot ever gets full like the one on Staffordshire. Those VDOT engineers might have engineering degrees and are so-called experts, but what good are book smarts if you don't have common sense? Another complaint of mine is with the Mine Road's lot's intersection where the stop signs are. They are placed so that when you pull up to the intersection you can't see if there are any vehicles flying down that center road to the light. Very dangerous. I also think that VDOT should construct an overhead crosswalk over 610, especially when the mall is open. Kids will probably want to walk across 610 to shop or hang out and it would be safer with one of those. Not to mention us neglected commuters! Dina |
Posted By: Arbo
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2002 at 10:20am
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I would also like to now how early slugs begin lining up at 630, and how early people actually start picking them up in the AM. I work in the Pentgon, and I rarely see anyone in the 630 line there, I usually leave work between 4:30 and 5:30. |
Posted By: garypash
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2002 at 10:24am
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Starting Monday 21 October their will be a shuttle bus running between the North and South 610 Commuter Lots in the morning and evening. This is a trial service to help the south 610 slug line get started. It will cost 25 cents to use the shuttle between the lots. After two weeks this service will be re-evaluated by the Stafford Board of Supervisors to see if we can keep it going and how much would have to be charged to make it cost effective. The debate on the shuttle will occur November 5th starting at 7pm at the Stafford Board of Supervisors in the County Admin Building. Please show up if you have comments or want to express support. Go to www.garrisonville.org and click on the issues button to take a survey on the shuttle service. GaryPash gpash@co.stafford.va.us www.garrisonville.org |