Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 4 of 6)

Reason 4: Because mass transit gets America's ever-broadening *ss out of the car seat.

As this article reports, leaner nations bike, walk, use mass transit.

Every day, you see on TV, in the newspapers, on the Internet panicked alerts about the American Obesity Crisis. OMG trans fats! OMG high-fructose corn syrup! OMG belly fat! If we're so damn concerned, why eliminate something that's part of the solution?

And taking the Connector/Metro is often a workout:
- Climbing the broken escalators
- Sprinting towards the closing doors
- Scrambling for one of the two remaining seats
- Contorting oneself to fit into a space sized for a limber teenage gymnast
- Maintaining balance during a particularly lurchy ride
- Stretching to reach the hand grabbie things
- Refraining from food and drink during the trip (well, openly that is)

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27



You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County)