VRE express train could bypass county stops

Prince William County, Va. - A plan to run an express commuter train from Fredericksburg to Washington, operated by Virginia Railway Express, drew criticism at this week's Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting.

At a cost of about a $500,000 already in VRE's 2011 budget, the train could begin operating in July.

The express, which would get riders to Washington's Union Station 25 minutes faster than any other VRE train, would be the first train to leave Fredericksburg, at 5:05 a.m.

It would stop twice in Stafford County and then make stops at Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station, skipping the five stations in Quantico, Prince William and Fairfax coun-ties.

Passengers who board VRE trains at the Woodbridge station have long faced standing-room-only conditions.

Board chairman Corey A. Stewart said a VRE express train "damn well better" include a stop in Prince William.

"If everyone doesn't know, Prince William County contributes to VRE more than any other jurisdiction on the VRE line. To have an express train not stop in Prince William County is utterly ridiculous," said Stewart.

VRE spokesman Mark Roeber said there was "not a lot of clamor from residents of Prince William County for the express train," but there is very high demand from riders who live "in the further extremities," like Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, who aim to get to work earlier.

Adding an additional express stop in Prince William would slow the service and make trains less attractive to riders, said Roeber.

Plans for the train have not been finalized and VRE is set to hold a series of public hearings later this month about it and subsequent schedule changes that could be caused by the train.

As proposed, the express would take riders from overcrowded stations on the system's Fredericks-burg line, move them north earlier and faster, ultimately making more room for riders from Prince William County on the currently scheduled trains.

The parking lots at VRE stations in Prince William are far less crowded than at stations in Stafford. At the Fredericksburg, Leeland Road and Brooke stations, the parking lots are filled to capacity and many have to park on access roads.

At the Woodbridge station, 62 percent of the station's 738 parking spaces are being used. At the Rippon station in Prince William, 60 percent of the station's 676 parking spaces are used, according to a February VRE report.

In the end, Roeber said, it's about making an express train work for everyone.

"In our business, if you're going to pay the money our customers are paying and you can't get them a seat after a while, they will leave you because they can't get the benefit from the product they are paying for," he said.

When it comes to funding, Prince William County taxpayers are good customers. The county has commit-ted $5.89 million to VRE in 2011. The number accounts for 37 percent of VRE's total local funding, making Prince William the largest local contributor to the commuter rail service. Stafford County accounts for 15 percent and Fredericksburg just 2 percent of the funding.

Stewart told the board that he spoke with VRE CEO Dale Zehner, who said he knows the train proposal in its current form is "not acceptable." Zehner was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Public hearings on the express train and potential schedule changes take place March 16 at 7 p.m. at Manassas City Hall, and at 7 p.m. March 24 at the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commis-sion's Transit Center on Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge.

A final plan for the express train is expected in April.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.