Road Rules: Leaving Reston Just Got More Expensive

Despite the snazzy "Live. Work. Play" logo on the Reston Association's "web site," there are times we all have to leave our lovely earth-toned planned community. And it looks like they're all about to get more expensive.

First, the fees on the Dulles Toll Road are expected to double by 2012, in part to fund the shrine to rad '80s art planned for Wiehle Avenue and the associated Metro Silver Line planned to bring patrons of the arts out to view it.

Under the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority proposal, tolls would go up incrementally, starting in January. It costs 75 cents to drive through the main plaza and 50 cents to use one of the on- or offramps. The proposal, subject to approval by the authority's board of directors, would increase the main toll to $1.50 by 2012, and the ramp toll would rise to 75 cents.

Better start looking under the sofa cushions for change now! But what's scarier is that if you take the bus to the Pentagon or Crystal City, change isn't going to be of much use any more. Starting Sunday, a series of service changes are going into effect, including $7 one-way fares on the express buses to the Pentagon and Crystal City. Here's the final list of changes, long expected due to county budget cuts:

Fairfax Connector's 2010 budget includes a fare increase to $7 for the three express routes, which travel outside Fairfax County boundaries. The routes, 380, 595 and 597, provide bus service to the Pentagon and Crystal city. The fare increase does not apply to any other routes. Many of the routes are located in Herndon and Reston.
• Bus routes 380, 585 and 980 will have reduced service on holidays.
• Bus route 425 will have reduced service on weekends.
• Bus routes 301, 505, 553, 557 and 585 will have reduced service on weekdays.
• Bus routes 303, 556, 922 and the VRE EZ-Bus have been discontinued.

For those of us who still have jobs, it's enough to make you want to stay home and engage in some low-cost entertainment, like checking books out of the library. But starting July 1, all libraries are reducing their hours and increasing their overdue fees.

Oh, well. At least blogging is still free.