Thursday, March 21, 2013
Traffic information for Northern Virginia commuters, including traffic jams, delays, Metro, ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector and more. Click on the grey tabs below for more information.
Problems on your commute today? Tell other readers about it in the comment section below. Updated traffic information: Delayed Metro trains, buses and cars sitting in endless traffic on I-66 and the Beltway—even a 10-minute commute in the DC metro area can be extreme some days. In fact, a March 2013 report from the Census Bureau shows people in the DC metro area have the second-worst commute in the country. That report came on the heels of a Texas Transportation Institute report in February that DC area commuters face the worst traffic in the country. Patch is here to help! Click on any of the grey tabs above to expand it and get more information about congestion, delays or other traffic alerts. On the Metro rail map, click on any …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Alexandria Transit Co. runs nine DASH routes in the city with 73 vehicles, plans are to double fleet.
A recent study of Alexandria’s DASH bus system found the system scored low on issues of accountability, finance and accounting, procurement and transparency. The city undertook the study in light of increasing ridership to determine how to best support the growth of the system, which operates as a separate nonprofit under the guidance of City Council. The Alexandria Transit Co. runs nine DASH routes in the city and has a fleet of 73 vehicles, which is scheduled to double by 2020. On accountability, the study found the ATC board needs additional transit and finance expertise and better oversight and coordination with the city. Also, DASH uses a different accounting system than the city, and there were inconsistencies between city finance …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Riders on DASH Tuesday will receive a small gift of appreciation.
The Alexandria Transit Co. on Tuesday will celebrate 29 years of Driving Alexandria Safely Home (DASH). Customers who ride DASH on Tuesday will receive a small gift of appreciation for their support over the years as part of Customer Appreciation Day. ATC, a nonprofit owned by the city of Alexandria, initiated the DASH system on March 11, 1984. The system started with four routes and a new fleet of 17 30-foot buses. The system quickly outgrew the smaller buses as more and more people started riding DASH and liking what the service offered. Today, the transit company operates nine routes with 73 buses and the King Street Trolley with five trolleys. DASH carries four million customers annually. "The system has grown threefold since its …
Saturday, February 23, 2013
More than 50 buses were retrofitted with bike racks.
All Alexandria DASH buses are now equipped with bike racks as part of the bus company’s Bike-N-Roll program. Alexandria Transit Company mechanics and Sportworks contractors spent last weekend installing new bike racks on the 53 DASH buses that had not been equipped with them. Now, all DASH buses have front-mounted, two-position bike racks, and bikes can travel on the entire DASH fleet of 73 buses and five trolleys. In 2008, Alexandria City Council passed the Eco-City Charter and adopted the Environmental Action Plan for fiscal years 2009-2030. Between 2008 and 2011, the transit company did not purchase any new buses due to the economic downturn. With the 10 new buses and five trolleys ordered in 2011, bike racks were included as part of …
Monday, January 14, 2013
DASH is offering more frequent service from King Street to the school starting Monday.
Alexandria Transit Company, or DASH, announced that riders on the AT6 route will see more frequent service between the King Street Metro station and Northern Virginia Community College, effective immediately. This change will increase service from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes in the morning and evening peak periods and improve schedule adherence, which has been affected by increasing ridership in recent years, according to DASH. New DASH Ride Guides are available on all DASH buses, the Alexandria Metrorail stations, the Alexandria Transit Store on Diagonal Road, the Ramsay House Visitor Center at King and Fairfax streets and City Hall. Electronic schedules are available online at www.dashbus.com. Live in the western half of …
Monday, December 24, 2012
King Street Trolley operating on Christmas Day, but no regular DASH bus service.
DASH bus service has an altered schedule for the Christmas holiday. On Christmas Eve, DASH is running a Saturday schedule. That evening, all DASH routes except for the King Street Trolley end at 7 p.m. On Christmas Day, there is no DASH service except for the King Street Trolley. The King Street Trolley runs a regular schedule Monday and Tuesday, from 11:30 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
DASH representatives will be collecting toys at the King Street Metro Station.
Thursday is the last day for Alexandrians to donate to the Community Partners for Children of Alexandria Toys for Tots program. DASH representatives will be at the King Street Metro station from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., collecting donations to help make this holiday season special for children in need who live in Alexandria. Donations will be given to the community partnership, which provides toys and clothing to 600 of Alexandria’s children this holiday season. Families receive a special invitation to attend the partnership’s distribution day in time to wrap their children's gifts before the holidays. The program needs new toys, infant and toddler items, gifts for 10 to 12 year olds and grocery store gift cards. Visit www.dashbus.com for holiday…
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Effective Jan. 1, the bus system will no longer use paper DASH transfers.
DASH will no longer use paper transfers effective Jan. 1. Paper transfers will only be available in electronic form on the regional SmarTrip Card. Riders who pay their fare with a SmarTrip Card will have a transfer automatically added to their card. DASH transfers are good for up to four hours and are honored on all DASH routes in any direction, including a return trip on the same route. DASH transfers are good for the initial fare paid. DASH transfers on SmarTrip Cards are honored on Metrobus and participating local bus systems for up to two hours. Additional charges may apply when transferring to services priced higher than DASH, according to the bus system. For the quickest updates, "like" Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook and …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Trash and recycling remains on a regular schedule and will be picked up on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. No parking restrictions Thursday or Friday. Parking is free in city garages Friday.
All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Here’s a schedule of city services and facilities provided: Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St., and the Flora Krause Casey Health Center, 1200 N. Howard St., will close at noon Wednesday. The Teen Wellness Center, 3330 King St., will be open Wednesday. All facilities will be closed Thursday and Friday. Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703-746-5800; the domestic violence hotline, 703-746-4911; emergency services for mental health, 703-746-3401; the substance abuse crisis hotline, 703-746-3636; …
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Bus service is being interrupted by a paving project.
Four DASH routes in Alexandria will temporarily stop serving Landmark Mall beginning Tuesday. Routes AT 1, AT 5, AT 7 and AT 8 will not serve the bus stop at Landmark Mall because of a paving project until further notice. Riders are encouraged to use any stop prior to or after the mall.
WestEnder
12:33 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2013
Nice! Now the city can re-apply for the "Bike Friendly Community" award IF the hostile residents of Old Town will realize bicycling is not only a viable transportation method; cycling helps the city achieve its Eco-City status. From reading the local print letters to the editor, select Old Town residents view cyclists as spandex wearing terrorists. more ›