New Slug Lines at FBC and Rt 123 - 2 May 2011
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Topic: New Slug Lines at FBC and Rt 123 - 2 May 2011
Posted By: Admin
Subject: New Slug Lines at FBC and Rt 123 - 2 May 2011
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2011 at 1:16pm
Starting on 2 May 2011, three new slug lines proposed:
At the First Baptist Church (FBC):
1) Rosslyn
2) Pentagon
3) 14/18/L'enfant JUST ADDED
*Map to be posted soon
At the Rt.123 and I-95:
1) 14th/18th Street
*Map to be posted soon
New FBC Slug Lines:
The problem with the FBC Commuter Lot (370 parking spaces) is that even though PRTC added a bus stop to the Rosslyn/Ballston (R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4)it wasn't enough to provide the kind of backup service we slugs need in case we cannot find a ride.
To help the slugs, PRTC (OmniRide) is adding a shuttle bus service from Horner Road commuter lot to FBC. Since the vast majority of all bus service runs through Horner Road this will allow slugs to take any bus to Horner and then take the shuttle to FBC.
The shuttle is scheduled to leave Horner Road for the FBC lot at
***Corrections*** See http://prtctransit.org/myprtc/service-updates/service_updates.php?docid=294 - Link PRTC Site with Shuttle Information
Shuttle
D-121, D-206 - 7:05 PM, 7:15 PM
D-123 - 7:26 PM, 7:36 PM
NX-1 - 8:24 PM, 8:34 PM
Commuters will also still be able to use the Rosslyn line to travel between the Horner Road and First Baptist lots in the morning and earlier in the evening.
On the return trip, slug should use the existing Potomac Mills slug lines. So, the line would actually be Potomac Mills/FBC.
**************************************
For 14th/18th/WNY Slugs:
A new line is already underway at the Rt.123 and I-95 commuter lot to help the overcrowding at the Old Hechingers lot. As you know, the Old Hechingers lot gets full by around 8:00 am. Placing a new line at Rt. 123 makes it easy for drivers and slugs to shift to this location once Old Hechingers is full.
On the return trip, use the existing Old Hechinger's lines. The idea is that drivers will be willing to drop slugs at either Rt. 123 or Old Hechinger's. This is similiar to how Tackett's Mill drivers operate - they pick up slugs for either Horner or Tackett's.
Please provide input and thought on if this will work or if it could work better.
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Replies:
Posted By: shorty5646
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2011 at 1:36pm
Admin - is there ANY way that we could add a line to L'Enfant from FBC? I think that this could definitely work for those of us trying to get downtown later in the morning.
As far as the afternoon, we can use the existing Horner slug line to return - we could either create a line that goes back to FBC there, OR catch the PM Rosslyn bus as it reaches the Horner lot en route to FBC at 4:19, 5:07, 5:53 and 6:51pm.
The options for us L'Enfant slugs are just SO limited these days, especially towards the tail end of the commute.
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Posted By: jmattey
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2011 at 6:20pm
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I'm starting at Pentagon in July will look to slug from I-95 & rt 123. JM
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Posted By: VAwitch
Date Posted: 19 Apr 2011 at 9:36am
I ECHO a L'ENFANT LINE IS NEEDED @ FBC!!
I currently ride from Dale City after PM closed, since I can't get to Horner earlier due to child-care restrictions.
I stand in the Pentagon line now, and run about 50/50 for drivers &/or riders being 100% L'Enfant destinations.
So another L'Enfant line, at Dale City or the FBC is badly needed.
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Posted By: fed up
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2011 at 12:47pm
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I agree. We need a dedicated L'Efant line.
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Posted By: zansmom
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 11:53am
Shorty,
I'm starting to think the Admin isn't paying attention to our request for secondary L'Enfant Plaza line. I think we may be on our own as far as getting the word out that SLUGS WHO CAN'T GET TO HORNER ROAD BEFORE 6:20 AM CAN BE PICKED UP AT OTHER LOTS.
It would be very helpful if the Admin would help us post signs for DRIVERS to see that if THEY will go to the other lots in the morning and the evening, we will be there for the rides.
The problem is NOT relaying the message to SLUGS, we obviously come on this site for direction. But it's a matter of someone either passing out flyers after 7am at Horner directing drivers over to 123/95, Tackett's or FBC, with a message saying we need rides BACK to those lots OR signs on posts giving them the information (just like when they directed people to split up the lines that time).
BOTTOM LINE: Parking spaces + Rides = Happy Slugs. One without the other = stranded slugs, going and coming.
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 5:27pm
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.
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Posted By: shorty5646
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2011 at 9:44am
Thanks, Admin! :)
I don't know if there is interest in creating a line for 14th/18th - maybe it would be good to include those at least in the beginning? Although I don't know how those slugs would plan to return to FBC. My plan from L'Enfant is to wait in the PM Horner line and then catch the Rosslyn bus from Horner to FBC in the evening.
PRTC's plan to provide a shuttle is a joke if you ask me, considering how late it will start - the parking lot is almost completely cleared out by 7pm when the first shuttle is scheduled to arrive!
In any case - YES! Please at least include L'Enfant in the map/website. If others have interest in added 14th/18th, I guess now is the time to speak up!
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Posted By: zansmom
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2011 at 10:50am
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.
Admin -- Thank you so much for not only paying attention but for addressing this issue. I am not actually in a position to respond as to whether the 14/18th St. lines should be added in. Those slugs would need to speak in regards to their plight.
From what I have observed, 14/18 St. slugs have the Old Hechinger Rd. lot as a pretty large alternative to Horner Rd. However, L'Enfant Plaza slugs have only been able to slug directly out of Horner (and PM, if they get there at 6am).
But just as Shorty 5646, stated the gap in time between shuttles is too large. If someone gets to the lot just after 6pm, they will have to wait until 7pm to shuttle over to FBC. We appreciate all the help, but she's right, by 7pm the lots are practically empty. Look at it this way, a slugger that can't get to Horner until 6:30am or 7am, goes to FBC. That same slugger gets to work at 8am. Nine hours later they're leaving work: that's between 5 and 5:30 pm. Add to that a 35 minute slug ride. At 6:05 or so they arrive at Horner. Then they must wait until 7pm to get to their car.
AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US GET THE WORD OUT TO THE DRIVERS. (If it were an election year, we could get the candidates to pass out flyers in the lots to drivers and slugs. They were definitely out there in passing out their literature last year.) [B)]
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Posted By: Slugger05
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2011 at 1:40pm
This is very exciting news!! I am SO happy that we are starting another L'enfant Plaza slug line FINALLY!
My only request is this: please make sure there is a returning PM slug line back to THIS FBC lot! It is very inconvenient to have to metro to another location or catch a bus ride back to my car. If I'm going to park my car here in the morning and slug to work, it would be great if I can also find a slug ride back to my car.
Thank you!!
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Posted By: Slugger05
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2011 at 2:07pm
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!
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 22 Apr 2011 at 2:42pm
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?
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?
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.
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Posted By: VAwitch
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2011 at 2:45pm
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.
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Posted By: Slugger05
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2011 at 2:48pm
Yes, for the PM return let's use the same PM Horner line to get a slug ride back to FBC. I think if FBC is on the way for people in the AM then it will also be on their way back to home as well. In other words, if its not out of their way for people to pick up from here in the AM then it also shouldn't be out of their way to drop off in the PM.
THANK YOU!
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Posted By: VAwitch
Date Posted: 25 Apr 2011 at 2:53pm
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.
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Posted By: fed up
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 4:06pm
I sometimes wonder if it would be easier for the buses to turn around in the Horner Road lot (as they do at the Dale City Commuter Lot) and go out the main entrance instead of trying to turn onto Telegraph Road and getting caught up in all that traffic at the intersection of Telegraph and Caton Hill.
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.
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Posted By: Slugger05
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 11:19am
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. :)
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Posted By: shorty5646
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 11:36am
quote:
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.
Slugger05, I completely agree with you - it has never made sense to me that we have lines to get to specific destinations in the morning, yet we don't have lines returning to those same destinations in the evening. Considering I don't leave my office until 5:15pm at the earliest, that time spent Metroing back to the Pentagon can cost me dearly - there have been plenty of times that the lines were so long at the Pentagon that I've waited until 6pm and then ended up spending over an hour on the Lake Ridge bus - NOT convenient whatsoever! It just makes sense to me that we have returning lines in the afternoon. It certainly makes a lot more sense than all of us rushing over to the Pentagon in the evening for a ride home, right?!
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Posted By: sluDgE
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 12:30pm
[:)] 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.
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Posted By: shorty5646
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2011 at 9:20am
I received a flyer this morning at the Tackett's Mill lot advertising new lines at FBC and Rt 123. While I'm glad to see people taking the initiative to get the word out, I have to admit I was disappointed to see that L'Enfant was NOT included on the flyer for FBC!
Not sure if this was an "official" flyer, created by the site Admin, or something that someone printed on their own - however, I think it would help if the Home page was updated to say that there are actually (3) lines starting at FBC, as listed below, to include L'Enfant. Just want to make sure slugs/drivers who may be interested in the L'Enfant line are aware before Monday when we start showing up at the FBC lot! :)
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Posted By: Slugger05
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 3:40pm
I drive past this lot every morning on my way to Tackets and even tried to slug from here during the first couple of days of its new "premiere" but with no luck. People are still not coming to this lot so the lot remains under utilized.
I would be willing to slug from this lot as long as I can catch a ride and be able to slug back in the PM to here but so far that hasn't been possible. :(
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Posted By: shorty5646
Date Posted: 25 May 2011 at 9:51am
Commuter shuttle no help in filling church lot (InsideNova.com):
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/may/24/commuter-shuttle-no-help-filling-church-lot-ar-1061762/ - http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/may/24/commuter-shuttle-no-help-filling-church-lot-ar-1061762/
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Posted By: Admin
Date Posted: 26 May 2011 at 6:17am
Thanks for posting this link to the article.
Any ideas on how to improve slugging at this lot??
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Posted By: JSB
Date Posted: 26 May 2011 at 8:45am
quote:
Originally posted by Admin
Thanks for posting this link to the article.
Any ideas on how to improve slugging at this lot??
Too many parking/slugging locations creeates uncertainties for riders as well as for drivers. It appears that on the long run this lot may not succeed. Expanding Horner, which is very popular due to its reliablity and convenience, may be the final solution. Govt could also make a deal with Potomac Mills management for getting lost parking spots back. Deal with FBC is good for the Church, but it doesn't appear to provide any service to the commuters.
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Posted By: ktzmom
Date Posted: 31 May 2011 at 12:35pm
I need 2 afternoon riders tomorrow (June 1) around 5:15 pm. I'm at 18th & I Streets. Can drop off at FBC - pls call me at (202) 420-5001 if you'd like a ride back. Thanks.
Merri Jo
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