From Gainesville on a train?

Virginia Railway Express held a public meeting at Stonewall High School Wednesday to discuss extending commuter rail service to Gainesville and Haymarket.

While many are excited about this proposition, others are hesitant, wondering what kind of impact this might have on traffic and where the burden of funding will fall.

These are legitimate concerns that need to be addressed before a commuter rail extension goes forward. But make no mistake. We believe that this extension is inevitable and necessary.

Places like Haymarket and Gainesville are no longer like isolated oases in the desert of Northern Virginia. They are extensions of the Washington, D.C., metropolis, and as such, they must be connected
to commuter rail.

The population of this area is only going to grow, and development will follow suit. Cars alone, as we already see, will not ensure a smooth commute between Northern Virginia communities and the
District of Columbia.

Optimistically, it looks as if the earliest we could see commuter rail in these areas would be in about 6 1/2 years. In the meantime, we encourage Gainesville and Haymarket officials to push and explore
this possibility and find out what the impact on their communities will be. Work out the best deals you can and make sure that the ultimate construction of this extension is a net benefit.

The line will come, whether we like it or not. It is up to officials to make sure it fits their communities’ needs, and not the other way around.