STUDIES & REPORTS

Springfield to Quantico Enhanced Public Transportation Feasibility Study

Description

DRPT conducted a feasibility study of enhanced public transportation services between the Franconia-Springfield Metro station in Fairfax County and the Quantico Marine Base in Prince William County. Enhanced transit could include options such as additional express bus services, increased VRE commuter rail expansion, bus rapid transit, or an extension of Metrorail. The corridor between the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station and the Quantico Marine Base is critical to Northern Virginia. Besides the Blue Line, it is served by a range of transit services including VRE commuter rail service, express bus, and local bus, as well as vanpool and carpool options that take advantage of the Interstate 95/Interstate 395 Express Lanes and high-occupancy toll lanes and a network of park-and-ride lots throughout the corridor.

Full Report

A photographic image of a metro-rail passenger train parked at the station.

Process

Key steps in the study process included defining the transportation needs within the study area, developing and testing a set of transit alternatives, and documenting feasible alternatives. A parallel task included an assessment of the planned land use in the corridor to identify potential station areas and development opportunities. Throughout the study, the DRPT study team sought input from the public, including local organizations and communities along the corridor, to identify important transit improvements.

Outcome

This study has confirmed that there are significant transportation needs and issues in the corridor between the Franconia-Springfield Metro station and Marine Corps Base Quantico. The study looked at commuter bus, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), VRE, and two Metrorail alternatives (a Yellow and Blue Line extension) in the full study corridor. Additionally, shorter Metrorail alternatives to Potomac Town Center were studied. All alternatives were determined to be feasible. This analysis has also identified some potential costs and constraints of the various alternatives.