Stay connected with updates on the future of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the Route 7 corridor! Envision Route 7 will transform the 14-mile stretch connecting Tysons and Alexandria, bringing faster, more reliable transit to one of the region's busiest bus routes. This newsletter will keep you informed about project progress, community engagement opportunities and other important developments.
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Envision Route 7 is a project that will make buses faster and more reliable on Route 7, one of the highest-ridership bus routes in Northern Virginia.
By enhancing service and reducing commute times, Envision Route 7 will connect communities to essential services, employment, education and recreation, improving mobility for thousands of daily riders.
The current phase of the project focuses on the segment of Route 7 between Seven Corners in Fairfax County and the Mark Center/Southern Towers in Alexandria. (Find out more about the project phases and previous Envision Route 7 work). The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and its partners are conducting an in-depth analysis of this segment to both identify issues related to traffic congestion and examine infrastructure improvements that will help buses move more easily through the corridor.
As part of that work, this month, NVTC, the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County are reaching out to residents, visitors and commuters along Route 7 to gather feedback on what they'd like to see from bus service along the corridor.
Attend the Envision Route 7 Open House
The Envision Route 7 Open House will provide current and former bus riders, residents, commuters and business owners with the opportunity to find out more about the project, meet the team working to improve bus service along Route 7 and offer feedback on the current project phase.
Envision Route 7 Open House
Culmore Community Library
6101 Knollwood Drive
Falls Church, VA 22042
Wednesday, Oct. 15
4 to 7 p.m.
Drop in anytime!
Can't make the open house? Envision Route 7 is hosting a series of pop-ups and bus stop chats along the corridor in October. Look for us out in the community!
Envision Route 7 has also created an online form to gather feedback. Visit novatransit.org/programs/route7 to share your thoughts and ideas. The form is open through November 3.
BRT 101: What is Bus Rapid Transit?
What is Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT? BRT is a package of bus enhancements that make riding the bus feel similar to riding a train. BRT measures can include infrastructure improvements, such as creating bus-only lanes and other bus priority treatments, as well as changes related to policies, service and even how buses are branded and marketed. The Envision Route 7 bus priority project is considering which of these tools will have the greatest positive impact on the corridor through research, analysis and public feedback.
Upcoming editions of the newsletter will explore some of the measures that, when combined, create a BRT system. Visit NVTC's novatransit.org/buspriority to learn more about these tools.
Why improving bus service matters
Did you know that 2 million people ride transit in Northern Virginia every week, and about 2/3 of them are riding the bus? That’s about the capacity of 10 packed NFL football stadiums.
Route 7 is one of the region's busiest bus corridors, carrying people to work, school, medical appointments, places of worship, restaurants, and other important destinations. The F20 Metrobus, which travels along the Route 7 corridor, has seen exceptionally high ridership for years, even through the pandemic. The future Envision Route BRT system will build on the success of this already well-used bus line by offering even faster and more frequent service across four Northern Virginia jurisdictions.
The F20 and the Route 7 corridor are part of a regional transit system that generates $27 billion in economic activity in NoVA each year. Our regional economy relies on a transit system that can move millions of people. Envision Route 7, and projects like it, help our transit network meet that demand.
Explore Envision Route 7
Take a closer look at Route 7 and the Envision Route 7 project through NVTC's interactive project explorer. The Envision Route 7 explorer provides project history and background, key facts about the area, and details about some of the BRT improvements that could enhance bus service for people traveling along this busy corridor.
