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Originally Posted by ardecila
^^ The problem is Rosslyn, though. It only has two platforms, and if a shuttle needs to occupy those platforms, it takes away room in the schedule for Orange and Silver trains.
I like the long-term idea of running the Silver Line along a new non-stop I-66 alignment between Rosslyn and East Falls Church. It greatly speeds up airport trips while still preserving transfers at each end of the non-stop segment. In the long run, infill stations could be added on the express segment if Arlington ever wants to expand its dense core laterally out from the Orange Line.
The other option is to run a line from East Falls Church down Leesburg Pike or Four Mile Run to connect with the Blue/Orange Lines south of National Airport. |
Yea, I'm not sure you could sequence it. A lot of problems could be alleviated with a third track and/or platform between certain stretches at least. Would a new Rosslyn tunnel be intended for only one line to be able to take it?
The main areas for densification in the long-term for Arlington near or around I-66 would be in the areas where the Orange Line already exists, like East Falls Church. Lee Highway and Sprout Run would be the only no-brainer place, but that might be enough. Lee Highway from Rosslyn through Fairfax has numerous places for cluster-style development/mixed-use density.
I think what would be great for Arlington, and Fairfax, as far as densifying is concerned is to get some mass-transit on Columbia Pike. The streetcar will be nice, but at some point, it would be great to have something a bit more heavier-duty to go along the Pike from the Pentagon to Rt. 7 with maybe even some longer-term plan to extend to Annandale and Spingfield/Burke. I've heard that the Pentagon station had some stub or something in case there was an expansion for metro on Columbia Pike. I'd love for Shirlington to have Metro, but I think some sort of heavy mass transit along Rt. 7 from Alexandria through Falls Church and Tysons at least would make the most sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VivaLFuego
Is the flying junction west of Rosslyn station where Orange/Blue converge a Y junction or are all train movements possible? I.e. could one route trains from Franconia to Vienna?
Given the low peak flow currently contributed by the Blue Line at that point, I'm wondering if such a routing like that above could be run at much lower frequencies to make room in the tunnel for Orange+Silver, while running increased Yellow Line service as a branch split operation west of the river (i.e. make permanent the Rush+ concept).
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I'm pretty sure that's not possible. I want to say that it might have been in the plans long ago based on the many articles and comments I've read on blogs, but I don't think that capability exists right now.