A few projects that could assist western Prince William County commuters have received funding.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has approved $12 million in funding for 15 projects.
The proposals were recommended by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), which overlooks how revenue from I-66 tolls in the Beltway is distributed, according to a release.
CTB has chosen three OmniRide projects, which will receive about $1.5 million in funding from the I-66 Commuter Choice Program.
“For the past two years OmniRide has been updating its Strategic Plan and re-thinking approaches to mobility,” OmniRide Executive Director Bob Schneider said in a release. “We’re grateful that the NVTC and the CTB have recognized the potential of these novel ideas to help people make easier connections with transit and ridesharing.”
OmniRide is receiving $1.1 million for a free shuttle that will transport residents of Gainesville and Haymarket neighborhoods to commuter lots.
The funds will be used to purchase new software and vehicles, and to create an application passengers can use to summon the shuttle.
The service is expected to begin in summer 2019.
OmniRide will obtain $318,000 for a vanpooling program, as well.
The program, which is slated to launch in spring 2019, will allow those traveling in the I-66 corridor to adjust their trips.
Gainesville residents who are commuting to Tysons Corner Metro Station will have a couple of more opportunities to use OmniRide.
The commuter bus service is receiving $134,000 to add more trips on the Linton Hall Metro Direct route.
OmniRide, which offers three morning and three evening trips, will be adding an additional morning and evening trip, starting in early 2019.
NVTC has previously supported OmniRide by helping launch the Gainesville-Pentagon express bus route.
“By themselves transit, carpools, vanpools, slugging, alternate work schedules, telework, and commuter parking lots are all good,” Schneider said. “But when they come together and provide people with a variety of options for their commutes, that’s when we truly make a difference in our region’s mobility.”
