OmniRide proposes new Reston bus, route modifications, eliminations

The OmniRide Commissioners will be asked to approve a series of sweeping service changes to commuter and local bus routes beginning in December. The changes include a bus to Reston, a first for OmniRide.

The proposed changes come as the Interstate 66 E-ZPass Express Lanes open to traffic. In addition, changes are also being proposed to restructure some eastern commuter routes to operate into Woodbridge and Dale City areas that currently do not have direct transit service or to streamline operations for more efficient commuter service.

OmniRide Commissioners meet Thursday, October 6 at 7 p.m., at OmniRide headquarters, 14700 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge, and will be asked to vote on the changes. The meeting is open to the public.

OmniRide frequently implemented changes to its bus services in December in its fall service change.

Here’s a breakdown of the changes.

Route 608 Manassas to Reston: New service is proposed to operate weekday peak direction commuter service between the Balls Ford Road commuter lot and the Reston area, including the Silver Line Innovation Station, multiple employment sites, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This route would also interface with numerous Fairfax Connector routes to travel into other areas of Fairfax County. This route was identified in the Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s (DRPT) Outside the Beltway Transit Plan.

Metro Express Route 61: Service is proposed to be restructured to operate as a commuter shuttle to connect the University, Limestone, and Cushing commuter lots, along with existing bus stops along Linton Hall Road and Devlin Road then stopping at the new Balls Ford Road commuter lot.

Route 601 Manassas to Washington DC Express: This route is proposed to be eliminated. Instead, Route 611 is proposed to absorb this route and would operate from the Balls Ford Road commuter lot, utilizing the direct access ramp to the new I-66 express lanes,

Route 602 Manassas to Pentagon: Route is proposed to no longer operate from Portsmouth commuter lot. Instead, service would operate between the Balls Ford Road commuter lot and the Pentagon using the I-66 express lanes. Additional trips are proposed to be added to the schedule utilizing time savings from the new express lanes.

Route 611 Gainesville-Washington: Route is proposed to absorb Route 601 trips and serve both the Cushing Road and Balls Ford Road commuter lots as the last stops to take advantage of the new I-66 express lanes.

Route 612 Gainesville-Pentagon-Navy Yard: Modified routing is proposed to utilize a new direct access ramp from University Blvd. to the new I-66 express lanes.

Route 622 Haymarket to Rosslyn-Ballston: Routing is proposed to be modified by serving the University Blvd. commuter lot to access the direct ramp to the I-66 express lanes. Other proposed modifications include starting the morning routing at the Heathcote Commuter Lot rather than starting westbound on Heathcote Blvd. at Heritage Hunt Dr. The evening route will serve westbound stops along Heathcote Blvd. between the University Blvd. commuter lot and the Heathcote commuter lot.

Dale City-State Department: Routing is proposed to be restructured in the mornings to operate westbound on Dale Boulevard, serving stops between Birchdale Drive and the Dale City commuter lot, then would operate along Minnieville Road and Caton Hill Road to serve the Telegraph and Horner Road commuter lots. In the evening, the opposite would occur. Service to the OmniRide Transit Center and Potomac Mills Mall commuter lot would no longer be served by this route, but will continue to be served by the Dale City-Pentagon-Navy Yard commuter route.

Dale City-Pentagon-Rosslyn: The route is proposed to be modified in the mornings to serve stops on westbound Dale Blvd. between Birchdale Dr. and the Dale City commuter lot, and the opposite occurs in the evenings. The remainder of the route would remain the same.

Dale City-Pentagon-Navy Yard: Routing is proposed to no longer operate between the Dale City commuter lot and the OmniRide Transit Center. The remainder of the route serving Potomac Mills, Telegraph Road, and Horner Road commuter lots would remain intact. Service along Dale Blvd. will be available on the modified Dale City-State Department and extended Dale City-Pentagon-Rosslyn routes.

Montclair-Washington, DC: Service is proposed to be extended to operate between the Dale City commuter lot and Waterway and Spring Branch Way. New stops would be added between the commuter lot and Waterway and Spring Branch Way before continuing regular routing along Waterway Dr.

Montclair-Pentagon: Service is proposed to be extended to operate between Benita Fitzgerald Dr. and Cloverdale Road and Waterway and Spring Branch Way. New stops would be added along Benita Fitzgerald Dr. and Cardinal Dr. before continuing regular routing at Waterway and Spring Branch Way.

South Route 1-Pentagon-Washington, DC: Service is proposed to be extended between Benita Fitzgerald Dr. and Cloverdale Road and Route 1 and American Eagle Blvd. Before continuing regular routing at American Eagle Blvd, new stops would be added along Benita Fitzgerald and Cardinal Drive.

Local Route 65 in Manassas: The proposal is to increase core service frequency from every 90 minutes to every 45 minutes. Service would operate in two branches, 65N and 65B. Route 65N would operate between the western Hub and NOVA, and restore direct access to Manassas Mall, in addition to serving the Portsmouth commuter lot. Service along Irongate Way would be eliminated. Route 65B would operate between the western Hub and the new Balls Ford Road commuter lot, in addition to serving Manassas Mall and residential communities along Coverstone Drive west of Ashton Avenue.

Metro Express Route 60: The proposal is to increase service to operate all-day bi-directionally between Manassas and the Tysons Metrorail Station. Direct service to Manassas Mall would be restored. The route will also serve the new Balls Ford Road commuter lot for direct access to the I-66 express lanes and restore service to Route 28 between I-66 and downtown Manassas.