Rosslyn metro station turning more orange

The Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association (RAFOM) meeting this evening focused on transit developments.  Jack Requa, Assistant General Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) spoke about Metro's investments in rebuilding and improving its system.  Rosslyn is a key hub in the Metro system.  The Rosslyn station is currently operating at its peak capacity of 26 trains per hour.  Beginning June 18, in preparation for operation of the Silver Line from Dulles, more Orange Line trains will be running into Rosslyn, and fewer Blue Line trains.  To compensate, bus service (9E and 10E) will extend from Braddock Rd through Crystal City and the Pentagon to Rosslyn.

Requa discussed additional work to move Metro forward.  That includes extensive track repair, replacing some escalators (but apparently not Rosslyn's famed escalator), new metro cars, new metro audio systems, and a variety of other improvements.  He showed the video Metro: Building a Better System for You.

Steve Yaffe, ART Bus Manager, provided additional information about transportation developments.  Because of construction on N. Moore St. outside the Rosslyn metro station, ART Bus 61A/61B will have its N. Moore St. stop relocated to immediately before Wilson Blvd.  In addition, the bus schedule will be re-arranged to shift the driver break from Rosslyn to Courthouse. This means the bus will move through Rosslyn rather than beginning and ending its circuit there.  The date for the start of this change is still uncertain.  This change is expected to last for about six months.

Yaffe noted that AARP has produced a video, Active Living for All Ages, that features Arlington as an example of transit-oriented development.   The opening of this video not surprisingly features Rosslyn's stunning skyscape.  Yaffe also noted that a Super NoVa transportation planning project has begun:

this planning effort encompasses all of the localities comprising Northern Virginia and the localities extending from Northern Virginia to Caroline County on the south, Culpeper County on the west and Frederick County to the northwest. It also includes an effort in coordination with Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Such planning should help to facilitate access to Rosslyn.

Other items from the meeting:

• a 12-story apartment complex is being planned for 16th St. between Pierce and Queen streets.  It will on net increase the number of affordable housing units.
• a meeting to discuss the CaBi bikestation proposed for Meade St. Park will be held next week, probably on Thursday at 5:30pm.  RAFOM will provide further information about the meeting to encourage neighborhood residents to attend and share their views.
•  Any neighborhood property owners can apply to have a free tree professionally planted.  Last year eight local properties took advantage of this opportunity.  The application deadline is June 13.  Interested persons should contact Steve Campbell at stevecampbell "at" verizon.net
• Closed meetings of the Rosslyn Sector Plan Process Panel are underway.  At some point in this process Rosslyn residents will be informed of what is being planned for them.

The next RAFOM meeting will be RAFOM's annual meeting on June 12.  It will take place in the Top of the Town in Prospect House.  The featured speaker is Senator Jim Webb.