New Slug Line to Alexandria!!

Slug directly into Alexandria??? Well, I hope so! Most slug lines have destinations that terminate in or immediatly around the downtown area. We are try to develop a new slug that does NOT terminate near the downtown area, but directly the City of Alexandria.

For those who work in the City of Alexandria and slug, they must slug to someplace like the Pentagon and take the Metro or bus to Alexandria. This works, but it would work even better if we started a slug line directly to either the:
- Eisenhower Metro Station (Hoffman building) or to the
- King Street Metro

From either location the slug can either take the metro to their final destination if needed or just walk to work. The idea is that it would shorten the commute for both drivers and slugs.

The questions for the slugging community are:
1) What would be the best location to start a line like this??? One idea was to use the Woodbridge VRE station. It has free parking and for the return trip the VRE would be an option.

2) Other starting points could be Dumfries 234 or one of the Stafford lots. I just think we need to pick one that supports the largest group interested.

3) Where should the slug line terminate? My first thought was Eisenhower Metro (next to the Hoffman buildings) or the King Street Metro. Terminating next at a Metro station is important in case the slug needs to continue to their final destination.

Anyway, I am anxious to get feedback on everyones thoughts. Please use this thread to communicate ideas.

Also, I have posted an "Instant Poll" on the homepage to gather information on this. Please post your thoughts.

I think this would be a great idea. And it doesn't have to start from any 'one' commuter lot; it could go from 1-2 in the northern half (Rt 234 and VRE Woodbrige) and 1-2 in the southern half (610-Garrisonville and Rt 17). There are times when I need to go to Ft Belvoir and I pick up slugs, take them to Pentagon/Crystal City and then have to do a u-turn back to Belvoir. Being able to drop off in Alexandria would be great. Franconia/Springfield metro would be an option but I hear it's gotten not safe to hang out there after hours.


Nancy

YAY!! We've wanted something like this for a LONG time. I know this poll is the City of Alexandria, but can I also add a vote for the Springfield Metro stop?

Otherwise, hubby would probably vote for Eisenhower; I'd vote for King St. Since he's the driver, I guess his vote is the one that counts.

Edited: Preferred starting point would be one of the Stafford lots, although I agree you should try a couple of different lots both north and south.

Just thinking out loud here...
Slugging works best on HOV lanes... otherwise, there is much less incentive. I believe the last HOV exit before the Pentagon is Springfield (assuming you are coming 95/395).
Springfield has a metro stop and it is fairly close to the 95 exit... although I don't know what traffic is like around there during rush hours.
How far from the HOV lanes is the Eisenhower Metro? Is there a proposed HOV lane on 495 that I am unaware of?
Based on these assumptions, it occurs to me that the best plan to generate enough "mass" to work is to have a slug-line from any of the commuter lots south of Springfield to the Springfield metro. This options would allow riders to then use the metro or bus system to get to the rest of Alexandria. This also offers the greatest degree of flexibility to drivers (ones going north or east on 495 as well as locations in Alexandria/Arlington earlier than Pentagon City) without having 3 people stuck on the normal lanes of the major thoroughfares. As much as riders would appreciate a ride to different parts of Alexandria, there is little non-altruistic incentive to drivers to take them beyond Springfield.
This isn't to say that if the driver and rider happen to be going to the same location that the driver wouldn't be willing to take them, but, in my opinion, the odds are better for a Springfield Metro<>South 95 connection.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I commute to DC and would likely not use any of these options if they were available.
Hope this is helpful to the conversation.

These are outstanding proposals. Regardless of the final decision on new slugging locations, more are needed. From 2001 until 2009, I slugged from either Horner Road or Potomac Mills to the Pentagon as an active duty Air Force member for 30 years. I also worked at a military facility on Eisenhower Avenue and can personally attest to the need for a slug line there. Now that I am retired (February 2009) and represent Prince William County in the Virginia House of Delegates, I am most concerned that the proposed I-95/395 HOT Lanes not, repeat NOT, adversely impact the outstanding slug system that has operated so effectively for decades--because government has left management of the slug system to citizen ingenuity. I would value any comments or observations that subscribers to this forum care to offer so that I have current information on the slug system. I can be reached best via my legislative email address (DelRAnderson@house.virginia.gov) or even at home (703-730-1380). I feel that I need to be reachable if I am going to be responsive. Thanks for the opportunity to comment, and Happy Memorial Day to all!

Del. Rich Anderson, 51 House District, Virginia General Assembly