Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Intermodal Accessibility Measure Study Technical Report Prepared for: Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment Prepared by: Michael Baker Inc., CDM Smith Inc., Renaissance Planning Group
Project Description Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (along with CDM Smith Inc., and Renaissance Planning Group) is under contract with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) to study the accessibility of multiple intermodal sites throughout the state. The purpose of this document is to present the technical analysis associated with recommendations for the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Intermodal Center Description The Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station is located at the western end of the orange line in the median of Interstate 66. It is one of five metro stations in Fairfax County. The area around the metro station is primarily a suburban neighborhood at this time. A Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is currently under construction immediately adjacent to the south of the metro station. The Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station currently promotes pedestrian, bicyclists, and car share access to the station. Plans for the area promote further accessibility for non automobile dependent travel, as well as widening and building a new road to decrease current and future congestion in the vicinity of the metro station are currently under construction. George Mason University is approximately four and a half miles from the metro station and is accessible by bus and automobile, while accessibility by bicycle to the university needs improvement. Accotink Stream Valley Trail and the W&OD Railroad/City of Fairfax Connector Trail are highly traveled trails near the station that require a north south connector for direct access to the station. Exhibit 1 provides the location of the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station relative to the regional transportation system. Exhibit 1: Location Map Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Technical Report 1
Existing Conditions The Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan (Amended June 2012) describes the Vienna Planning District, which includes the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station, as predominately a residential neighborhood. There is a 75 acre industrial park, several neighborhoods and one community shopping center in the planning district. North of the station, along Country Creek Road, there is the County Creek development that consists of 325 townhomes. This, along with the TOD development planned adjacent to the metro station is a concern due to the traffic impacts. For this reason, current planning efforts concentrate on building capacity for non automobile dependent travel. Modal Access Public Transit The Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station currently provides access to the following transit services: 1) WMATA Metrorail (western terminus) 2) WMATA Metrobus 1A, 1Z, 2B, 2G, W99 3) Fairfax Connector (Fairfax County service) 462, 463, 466, 621, 622, 623, 630, 631, 632, 640, 641, 642, 644, 650, 651, 652 4) GMU Shuttle, Fairlakes/Willowood Shuttle 5) CUE Green 1 & 2, Gold 1 & 2 6) Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) Manassas Metro Direct Service 7) DC2NY and SHUTTLE bus routes providing service to areas outside Northern Virginia. Modes of travel which provide alternatives to the motor vehicle are critical when examining access to, from, or within an Intermodal Center. Providing facilities, which allow for access to occur without the use of a motor vehicle increases ridership and allows accommodation for those individuals without access to a motor vehicle. Bicycle and Pedestrian Bicycle and pedestrian access is currently provided to the Intermodal Center as follows: There are 54 bike racks and 68 bike lockers at this location located north and south of Interstate 66. There are designated pedestrian access points and pedestrian bridges over Interstate 66 to the metro platform. Traffic Analysis The Comprehensive Plan identifies Interstate 66, Sutton Road, Lee Highway, and Nutley Street south of Lee Highway as areas of congestion and are roadways that are recommended for widening. There is also concern for increased volumes in the area due to development. Vaden Drive is a new four lane median divided roadway with two travel lanes in each direction will to connect the Vienna Metro Station and Lee Highway. Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Technical Report 2
Future Site Improvements The key recommendation for development and accessibility in the vicinity of the Vienne/Fairfax GMU Metro Station is to encourage people to leave their automobiles at home. Non automobile dependent development is promoted by the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan, TIP and area development plans. The planned MetroWest TOD development that is currently under construction is a public private partnership between the developer, WMATA, and Fairfax County. The partnership involves cost sharing, including three acres of WMATA property that will be incorporated into the development. The developer will share costs of developing some public facilities like streetscaping, public recreation facilities, bike lockers, and safe pedestrian pathways. Another planned site improvement is the I 66 (HOV) Direct Bus Access to Vienna/GMU Metro Station, which is listed in the MWCOG CLRP for completion in 2014. The ramps, for both eastbound and westbound traffic, will provide direct bus access to the Vienna Fairfax GMU Station. The Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan priorities for the vicinity of the metro station outlines various pedestrian, bicycle, vanpool/carpool, and public transit improvements. These future improvements are: Increasing pedestrian access and desirability with streetscaping, commercial and recreational uses that promote browsing, and cover for inclement weather. Improving links to existing trails and to GMU for bicyclists. Using Transportation Demand management to evaluate future office space use. Facilitation of vanpools, carpools, and car shares. Add an 8 th car of train service to increase the capacity of existing service. Promoting access to metro station and commercial uses without automobiles. Recommendations Short Term Recommendations A set of short term recommendations have been developed as part of this study to improve access to the Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station. Short term projects are general lower cost and require less study than larger projects. A set of recommendations have been developed as part of this study to improve access to the Vienne/Fairfax GMU Metro Station. The recommendations include the following: 1. Improve Sutton Road from Chain Bridge Road to Blake Lane to a standard two lane urban collector typical section with curb and gutter. The Plan also recommends consolidating parcels and providing access to Sutton Road at Oleander Ave. 2. Use ITS Signage and Active Traffic Management to reduce congestion on I 66 and improve Metro accessibility and ridership. This ITS signage could help encourage the use of Metro and provide better information on the availability of parking at various park and ride facilities. Active Traffic Management, currently being implemented by VDOT on I 66, will use an integrated set of operations strategies and technology to manage traffic instantaneously. The dynamic messaging and improved monitoring associated with the ITS and Active Traffic Management will allow for quicker emergency response and earlier user notification of delays, and the system will allow for flexible use of all lanes of travel, including the shoulder. All of these elements together will allow drivers to make more informed travel decisions and may potentially divert traffic from I 66. Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Technical Report 3
3. Review and encourage safe pedestrian pathways during construction of buildings associated with Metro West TOD. 4. Promote and provide priority station access for vanpools, carpools, and car shares with prime parking and preferred drop off locations. 5. Add signage and map aids directing pedestrians and bicyclists on how to reach GMU, the Accotink Stream Valley Trail, and the W&OD Railroad/City of Fairfax Connector Trail using the existing street network. 6. Conduct a study to determine ways to increase parking capacity. There is currently more demand for parking than is currently available. 7. Complete the Vienna Metro Access Ramps from I 66. This project is expected to begin in January 2014 and will improve peak hour mass transit accessibility and enhance ridership. Estimated Project Costs Project costs were estimated using the 2009 Statewide Planning Level Costs Estimates worksheet. Costs include preliminary engineering, construction, ROW and utilities. Estimates are based upon average costs for Northern Virginia and are shown in 2012 dollars in Table 1. Exhibit 2: Short Term Recommendations Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Technical Report 4
Table 1: Estimated Project Costs Short-Term Recommendations and Estimated Project Costs Recommended Action (Source) Benefit Cost 1 Improve Sutton Road from Chain Bridge Road to Blake Lane to a standard two-lane urban collector typical section with curb and gutter. Consolidate parcels at Sutton Road at Oleander Ave. (Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan 2011) 2 Encourage use of Metro through ITS signage and ATM (VDOT) 3 Safe pedestrian passages during construction of MetroWest TOD (Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan 2011) 4 Priority vanpools, carpools, and car share access (Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan 2011) 5 Signage/maps for bikes and pedestrians on existing road network. (Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan 2011) Provides additional roadway capacity for commuters from the existing and proposed residential developments north of Maple Avenue to access the Vienna Metro Station. Encourages use of Metro during peak congestion hours Improves real and perceived safety for pedestrians Deceases single occupancy vehicle trips to station Builds interest and access while anticipating long term plans $6,765,000 $550,000 $85,000 $55,000 $20-25,000 6 Conduct a study to determine ways to increase parking capacity (VDOT) Adds additional parking capacity $25,000 7 Complete the Vienna Metro Access Ramps from I-66 (VDOT) Improve peak-hour mass transit accessibility and enhance ridership $51.9 mil (Jan. 2014) Note: Costs shown are planning level estimates, not design level estimates, as they do not include associated constructability, engineering, and inspection (CDI) and contingency costs, among others. Potential Long Term Solutions In additional to the short term recommendations, other potential long term improvements could be considered. Long term improvements have been identified from Comprehensive Plans or other long range document and are higher cost projects that require more detailed study than the short term recommendations. The Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station is a dynamic area where long range plans are currently in the process of being implemented. The following recommendations from the Fairfax Comprehensive Plan, TIP, and area development plans will range from short to long term based on the timeframe in which development takes place: Widen Interstate 66, Lee Highway, and Nutley Street south of Lee Highway, as outlined in the adopted Fairfax County Transportation Plan. Coordinate and leverage building Saintsberry extension as condition of development. Vienna/Fairfax GMU Metro Station Technical Report 5