Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
dogs and cats living together a near-biblical influx of rodents and hipsters, and, if one reporter is right, rampant fistfights in the formerly docile surface parking lots of our fair community. Wait, what?
In an article with the completely non-sensational headline "Battleground Reston," we are treated to this harrowing first-person account:
Mary Czernowski takes the 599 to the Pentagon.Okay, so maybe these "showdowns," in true Northern Virginia fashion, aren't knock-down, drag-out fights. We're guessing they're more along the lines of carefully timed glares, along with mental notes to write a STRONGLY WORDED LETTER to county transportation officials, with a goldenrod copy sent off to various elected officials. But still! See how
"The parking lot is full and there are altercations between people. I've seen it a few times already," Czernowski says.
The showdowns happen at the Reston North Park and Ride, where 338 free parking spots are just a short walking distance from the Wiehle-Reston East station.
Silver Line riders who don't want to pay $4.85 to park at the 2,300-space garage at the Wiehle station will park at the Park and Ride, then cross over to the station.
The Virginia Department of Transportation says that before the Silver Line, the lot was usually between 70 percent to 80 percent full. Now, it's full before 7 a.m.
Is that our RA 2011 Employee of the Year Mohamed Ali on the right-hand side of the picture?
ReplyDeleteFloat like a butterfly
DeleteSting like a bee
The great smell of Brut
And the punch of Ali
..for all you smelly, sweaty commuters out there.
Oh the sweet smell of Metro on a hot summer day.
What's interesting about that WTOP report is the reader and listener comments on the website. I used Reston North as to carpool with a colleague of mine. I never rode the bus from that lot as I work in the Dulles area. We have since swapped lots to Herndon Monroe. I never would have expected that spots could be reserved within a public commuter lot for certain types of commuters.
ReplyDeleteI'm the guy who used to ride the 595 and now park in the same spot to ride the Silver Line. No dirty looks yet.
ReplyDeleteTo put things in perspective, 4 of the 6 morning Pentagon buses have already left the lot by 7am. The parking situation is probably worse in Arlington, where these folks are threatening to drive their cars.
"Before the Silver Line, it was never an issue to get a parking spot."
ReplyDeleteIt totally was! The old Reston P&R (where the metro is now) used to fill up pretty quick, and sometimes the side lot did as well.