On 19 Aug 99 Alexandria City Council Member Lois Walker and Arlington County Board Member Chris Zimmerman announced a new cooperative effort to develop a modern light rail system that would improve transportation in a unified Route 1 corridor.

Walker and Zimmerman, both member of the Board of Directors of WMATA are co-chairing the coalition, which they say advocates "the right solution at the right time" for an area that holds great promise if transportation planning is done now.

Zimmerman said that until the entire system could be designed, approved, and constructed, a process that could take about five years, bus rapid transit could begin almost immediately.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) provides safe, clean, reliable bus and rail transit service to Washington, DC and the neighboring Maryland and Virginia communities.

WMATA Mission Statement:
We are committed to being an integral part of the Washington metropolitan area by ensuring the best in safe, reliable, cost-effective and responsive transit services, by promoting regional mobility and by contributing toward the social, economic and environmental well-being of our community.

So what does this mean?

A. Someone is thinking about transportation issues - which is good.

B. This proposal needs to be considered and if found reasonable, incorporated into the Potomac Yard plan BEFORE Potomac Yards zoning plan is approved.

[Given that CAP proposed transportation solution has been found to be flawed - it seriously understated traffic needs. And that the level of development proposed CAP was suppose to include a metro station. CAP should be required to help with this Metro feeder. ]

A tidbit dropped at press conference:
Metro users will only walk a quarter mile to the station. Hence proper coverage of Potomac Yard would require five metro stations to be properly served.