"Super NoVa" to Study Regional Transit

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will be undertaking a massive study of commuter patterns in Northern Virginia with the goal of mapping out current and future commuter patterns for officials to consider in transit planning. 

The study, dubbed the "Super NoVa" study, will examine commuting in dozens of cities and counties in Northern Virginia. The study will look at commuters from the Shenandoah Valley all the way to Fredericksburg and down to Culpeper and Caroline Countiy and the Northern Neck. The study will also look at the impact of commuters who travel to Virginia from other states to get to their jobs. 

"Northern Virginia is the most congested region in Virginia, and it is projected to continue to grow in both population and employment," said Governor Bob McDonnell in a press release issued to announce the new study. "Anecdotal information indicates that some people now make daily commutes of 100 miles each way or more to get to their jobs. To truly address congestion in Northern Virginia, we have to take a broader view of what constitutes the region and the commuting patterns of its workforce."

The study will identify current and future employment and transit hubs in Northern Virginia. The study is also expected to leave "detailed and concrete recommendations" for a regional transit plan. 

The study will be led by the Department of Rail and Public Transit, with input solicited from other state agencies as well as local governments and the public. The study should be finished in about a year. More information on the study will be posted on the DRPT's website.