News and notes from Reston (tm).

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Proposed Replacement for Wiehle Park and Ride Convenient to Targetville

temp parking.jpg
With construction work set to begin on the Wiehle Avenue park and ride lot in less than a month, Fairfax County is looking for a place to stick all those Loudoun drivers accommodate commuters as Metro construction continues. One proposal that's now on the books is using a parking lot near the intersection of Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway. If nothing else, it's certainly convenient to Targetville!

Specifically, the Board of Supervisors have filed an "application proffer condition amendment" (whatever that is) to change the current surface lot from a "temporary parking lot" to an "interim commuter lot." We're not quite sure what the difference is, but apparently this requires Planning Commission approval.

When all's said and done, the temporary interim lot will have "approximately 607" parking places and a fancy bus loop/pickup area to disgorge passengers after a soul-crushing day doing whatever it is they do in D.C. That's about 210 spaces shy of what's currently available at the Wiehle Avenue park and ride, but it's definitely better than the alternatives (pretending to have an 8 hour long fixation with craft supplies and park at Plaza America?)

What's interesting is that this parcel of land is pretty much exactly where the fancy "touchdown area" has been proposed to greet riders disembarking at the future Reston Parkway station, as the Reston Town Center extends southwards to meet it. We guess it's possible that the temporary interim lot can be dismantled and a stunning public plaza/subterranean bus/gnome area be built in the time between when the Wiehle station opens and the next phase of Metro rolls out, but... hmmm. Interesting.

A Planning Commission public hearing for the parking lot proposal is scheduled for November 18, which gives everyone involved plenty of time to look up the difference between "interim" and "temporary" in a dictionary. Meanwhile, county officials are also proposing more immediate changes to the Connector bus service to accommodate the construction. Specifically, Routes 595 and 597 would be relocated to the Reston North Park and Ride -- that thin ribbon of parking that runs along Sunset Hills -- and the number of trips on the 585 would be increased to accommodate additional passengers at the Reston South Park and Ride. (Presumably the bus routes would change again if and when what we'll call the Targetville Park and Ride is approved and configured.) A hearing on the Connector changes is slated for 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at the North County Government Center -- which, the press release helpfully points out, is served by RIBS.

6 comments:

  1. If they're going to dump the commuter parking there, they should also put ramps from the W&OD either into the lot or onto Town Center Parkway. With the current configuration, I would have to either get off westbound W&OD at Reston Parkway or at the YMCA.

    Maybe the Agency-That-Shall-Go-Unnamed can offer up some of their parking for the good of us US citizens.

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  2. The parking is currently free at the park & ride lots. What's going to happen when the new garage is built at Weihle?
    When the station opens in RTC will they start charging to park in those garages?

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  3. Just Bought a Particleboard MansionOctober 21, 2010 at 6:01 PM

    The proposed lot will be even more convenient to the homeless tent city that is between Sunset Hills and the Toll Road. Perhaps we should give up our earth toned houses for earth tone cardboard boxes with super handy bus access?

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  4. Just Bought a Particleboard Mansion,

    That's what Targetville is. Do a Google search and you'll see.

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  5. Parking will be for a fee once METRO reaches Reston.

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  6. Just Bought a Particleboard MansionOctober 22, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    Ah, I didn't know that bit of Restonian-speak yet. I hope they have lots of firewood available to keep from freezing this winter. Has the DRB approved the non-earth-toned blue tarp(s)?

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