News

Notes: New study explores increased bus service across Woodrow Wilson Bridge

By Vernon Miles

Good Friday morning, Alexandria!

⛅ Today’s weather: Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 41 and low of 18.
🌤 Tomorrow: Clear throughout the day. High of 36 and low of 18. Sunrise at 7:13 am and sunset at 5:33 pm.

🚨 You need to know

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation is studying what expanded transit across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge could look like, according to one of the brilliant reporters over at FFXnow.

At a meeting earlier this week, Todd Horsley, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s director of Northern Virginia Transit Programs, presented a study that explored how transit could make use of expanded I-495 Express Lanes crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

Horsley pointed out repeatedly that all of this was theoretical, nothing is being planned just yet, but a study was done in case those transit plans were to come along later.

Currently, there’s limited bus service along I-495 and across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. If the new express lanes are built, however, Horsley said the expansion of those transit routes could come in a few stages. The shortest-term plans could be implemented immediately and would add an express route connecting Tysons to Alexandria and another extending into Maryland.

Longer-term plans could involve more extended connections between Tysons and parts of Fairfax with locations like King Street and the Braddock Road Metro stop, as well as traffic into various Maryland neighborhoods or even curling up to The Wharf in D.C.

While there was some discussion of using part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge for a new rail connection into Maryland, Horsley said the data didn’t show a huge benefit for ridership compared to buses using express lanes.

1/3

📈 Thursday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Feb 2, 2023.

  1. Two Alexandria restaurants featured on Washingtonian’s ‘Very Best’ list (2404 views)
  2. The base of the Appomattox statue has resurfaced atop Confederate graves in Alexandria (1093 views)
  3. JUST IN: Alexandria City High School evacuated for second day in a row due to bomb threats (648 views)
  4. Police: Lanes closed on South Washington Street due to oil spill | ALXnow (535 views)

🗞 Other local coverage

🐦 Tweets of note

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on today and this weekend in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

  • No events today. Have one to promote? Submit it to the calendar.

About the Author

  • Vernon Miles is the ALXnow cofounder and editor. He's covered Alexandria since 2014 and has been with Local News Now since 2018. When he's not reporting, he can usually be found playing video games or Dungeons and Dragons with friends.