Davon Gray’s Feb. 25 editorial, “Forget Dulles — what about us?” recounts the misery of freezing rain gridlocking thousands of commuters at the Springfield Interchange. While waiting for traffic to clear, Mr. Gray imagined public transit options for the future.
Evidently, Mr. Gray and many commuters stuck at the Mixing Bowl failed to realize that a viable alternative already has existed for over 15 years: the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Its Interstate 95 branch to Fredericksburg passes just one mile east of the Mixing Bowl and its Interstate 66 branch to Manassas passes right under its northern edge!
While persons in cars waited up to six hours at Springfield, VRE trains rolled smoothly along, bypassing the site of one of the area’s worst tie-ups in memory. At 5:30 p.m. that day, VRE had seven trains in play, all on time. While car drivers were in the dark and isolated without even the most basic of services, VRE passengers were in brightly lit surroundings and able to socialize, compute, read, surf the net or sleep. There were no worries about crashing into guardrails or other cars or trucks. And, every train had at least one restroom!
Given the horrendous experience of Feb. 12, many more Virginia commuters beyond the Beltway should consider the advantages of this alternative that literally bypasses the Springfield Interchange. For many, the ad is true: “Car Bad! Train Good!”
DANIEL PEACOCK
Manassas
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