East Falls Church Metro Station Bus Bay Expansion
Location
2001 N. Sycamore St. Arlington, VA 22205, Arlington, VA 22205 View Map
38.886540207072336, -77.15681248464473
2001 N. Sycamore St. Arlington, VA 22205 ,
Arlington, VA 22205
2001 N. Sycamore St. Arlington, VA 22205 ,
Arlington, VA 22205
East Falls Church Metro Station Bus Bay Expansion
StatusProcurement
A contract award for construction is in progress. Construction is expected to start in early 2025.
About the Project
The East Falls Church Metrorail station currently has four bus bays that are at maximum capacity. This project will increase bus bay capacity by adding three new bus bays and replacing the existing shelters in the off-street bus loop.
The project also includes pedestrian access improvements from the Metro station park-and-ride lot, improvements to accessible parking, and improvements to the crosswalks at the entrance to the existing bus loop on N Sycamore Street.
The project will be coordinated with the ongoing North Sycamore Street Complete Streets project and accompanying signal improvements as well as a Capital Bikeshare expansion project in the area.
Arlington County is sponsoring and leading the bus bay expansion project in coordination with the WMATA who owns the Metrorail station, the bus loop, and park-and-ride lot. Arlington County owns and operates the traffic signals in the project area.
Project goals
- Enhance a multimodal hub – improve the ability to transfer among Metrorail, Metrobus, ART, and regional bus services and improve pedestrian access to the Metrorail station
- Relieve operational congestion – Increase capacity and reduce operational issues for bus routes serving this station
- Give people space –provide new and additional shelters at this key transfer point for bus-bus and bus-rail connections
- Meet accessibility needs – provide direct access for customers with mobility challenges to and from parking, bus and rail service
Project History
In July 2015, WMATA, in coordination with Arlington County, published the East Falls Church Station Bus Facilities Study report which assessed the existing conditions of the bus loop, park & ride lot, and adjacent sidewalks and roadways to develop conceptual designs that maximize the bus loop capacity for future ridership and use and enhance the adjacent pedestrian network. The study found that additional bus capacity and pedestrian/ADA improvements are needed and provided 3 alternative design concepts, each at different investment level. The county selected the current design concept for advancement to maximize return on investment for this project.
Public Process
Throughout the project, Arlington County has engaged with community members to inform the redesign of the East Falls Church bus facility.
WMATA Compact Public Hearing - July 2022
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) held public hearing on the East Falls Church Metro Station Bus Bay Expansion on July 21, 2022, per the requirements of the WMATA Compact.
At the hearing, the WMATA Board heard feedback from the public on the project, which was at 60% Design at the time.
Concept Design Engagement - March 2022
The project team prepared materials for a concept design engagement in spring of 2022. We hosted a virtual public meeting, followed by an online feedback form where participants could learn more about the project, see the process to date, and leave feedback on the proposed concept design.
Here's what we heard during this public engagement opportunity:
Engagement Resources
Virtual Public Meeting
The project team held a virtual public meeting on March 1, 2022 from 7pm-8pm.
Earlier Outreach
To date, the project team has incorporated feedback from the public received during engagement on adjacent projects and planning efforts into the concept design. These include:
Funding
The project is funded using State, regional, and local funds. It was added to the County's Capital Improvement Program in 2017.