I just find it hilarious that the Fairfax Connector route between Tysons and Bethesda has to use the beltway, which renders the whole purpose useless, unless someone is willing to wait in traffic.
The route you mentioned at 1:51 actually DOES briefly enter the District of Columbia! If you look REAL close on the map, on that bridge by Jones Point Park, a small slither of that bridge is in DC! But yes, it's now one of two that go between Virginia and Maryland without stopping somewhere in DC!
Haven’t gotten a chance to ride the 798 yet. It’d be fun to race someone riding the Metro just to see which is faster (because it’s all up to traffic). Unfortunately the next bridge from VA to MD towards the west is the Point of Rocks Bridge, carrying U.S. 15, so the Beltway is really the only decent option for Tysons-Bethesda. A Loudoun County Transit bus from Ashburn/Leesburg/Lucketts to Point of Rocks that was timed with a MARC train would be interesting though, if we somehow wanted more cross-Potomac bus routes.
When the express lanes are built on American Legion and into MD, this might be an option, though, I suspect it will not garner the ridership that would justify keeping it for more than a few years.
Hopefully they don’t neglect this. This route can work if improved and maybe it’ll convince more people to invest in the Beltway Line 😅(Purple or Monorail).
Also one benefit of the 798 is now it is possible to circle around Washington DC via Public Transit and doing it without touching DC (only exception is wilson bridge).
Weird that they have this but nothing from Alexandria (city or Fairfax County) to Tysons, a route that could actually leverage HOV lanes. AFAIK, the 494/495 are the only bus routes that actually use them.
There is a joke that contrary to popular belief, an ostrich can fly---all it needs is a running start, a ramp, some booster rockets, and the body of a completely different bird. For this bus line to succeed, it just needs a different schedule, better highways, and to be a different bus line.
Lol. But does it need to the be a different bus line? The route is a great route in theory, it's just unfortunate that it gets choked by rush hour traffic on the beltway. The only 'different bus line' it needs is having it stop at the Bethesda Metro station.
The bus is a great route - directly connecting these large population/employment centers. But yeah, it needs its own lane on the beltway to reach its real potential, the same way that NJ/NY has the XBL through the Lincoln tunnel. Also why wouldn’t it go to the Bethesda metro station? That’d be such an obvious move for say someone commuting from Rockville to Tysons, or someone going from Tysons to Medical Center.
yeah I have no idea why it doesn't go into the Bethesda metro station, that would be a good question for the planners. It would not surprise me if there was some sort of "roadblock" preventing them from entering the station.
It doesn't really matter who runs it, the reason why Fairfax runs it is because the main point is Tysons corner which is the 12th largest employment center in the country.
I hope this improves and succeeds. The success or failure of this route could justify extending or not extending the Purpe Line in the future. Assuming the idea of extending the Purple is taken seriously 😅 which is a big ask
I just find it hilarious that the Fairfax Connector route between Tysons and Bethesda has to use the beltway, which renders the whole purpose useless, unless someone is willing to wait in traffic.
yeah its the same issue on why the old routes were killed.
@@sammymarrco47 And they aren't even allowed to use the shoulder in Maryland, despite signs permitting it for Metrobuses still existing on I-495.
The route you mentioned at 1:51 actually DOES briefly enter the District of Columbia! If you look REAL close on the map, on that bridge by Jones Point Park, a small slither of that bridge is in DC! But yes, it's now one of two that go between Virginia and Maryland without stopping somewhere in DC!
AverythePedentAmerican hehe
@@sammymarrco47 lol well played
Great review! Glad your travel time was a little shorter than mine
yeah yours sounded terrible
Haven’t gotten a chance to ride the 798 yet. It’d be fun to race someone riding the Metro just to see which is faster (because it’s all up to traffic). Unfortunately the next bridge from VA to MD towards the west is the Point of Rocks Bridge, carrying U.S. 15, so the Beltway is really the only decent option for Tysons-Bethesda. A Loudoun County Transit bus from Ashburn/Leesburg/Lucketts to Point of Rocks that was timed with a MARC train would be interesting though, if we somehow wanted more cross-Potomac bus routes.
"Bethesda to Tysons" sounds like something a gamer does when going to microwave frozen chicken. Also, I really like that orange livery!
haha very gamer 🎮
When the express lanes are built on American Legion and into MD, this might be an option, though, I suspect it will not garner the ridership that would justify keeping it for more than a few years.
Hopefully they don’t neglect this. This route can work if improved and maybe it’ll convince more people to invest in the Beltway Line 😅(Purple or Monorail).
Also one benefit of the 798 is now it is possible to circle around Washington DC via Public Transit and doing it without touching DC (only exception is wilson bridge).
Sweet!
Weird that they have this but nothing from Alexandria (city or Fairfax County) to Tysons, a route that could actually leverage HOV lanes. AFAIK, the 494/495 are the only bus routes that actually use them.
There is a joke that contrary to popular belief, an ostrich can fly---all it needs is a running start, a ramp, some booster rockets, and the body of a completely different bird. For this bus line to succeed, it just needs a different schedule, better highways, and to be a different bus line.
Lol. But does it need to the be a different bus line? The route is a great route in theory, it's just unfortunate that it gets choked by rush hour traffic on the beltway.
The only 'different bus line' it needs is having it stop at the Bethesda Metro station.
@@maxsilverstone8600 Well, it seems it would need to have a dedicated lane to beat traffic, at least.
How about the bus using the EZ pass lanes on the Beltway in Virginia to speed up service.
there arnt those on most of the route.
The bus is a great route - directly connecting these large population/employment centers. But yeah, it needs its own lane on the beltway to reach its real potential, the same way that NJ/NY has the XBL through the Lincoln tunnel.
Also why wouldn’t it go to the Bethesda metro station? That’d be such an obvious move for say someone commuting from Rockville to Tysons, or someone going from Tysons to Medical Center.
yeah I have no idea why it doesn't go into the Bethesda metro station, that would be a good question for the planners. It would not surprise me if there was some sort of "roadblock" preventing them from entering the station.
I think RideOn should take over this route. Most of the stops the 798 makes serve Montgomery County and RideOn serves areas in Washington DC anyways
It doesn't really matter who runs it, the reason why Fairfax runs it is because the main point is Tysons corner which is the 12th largest employment center in the country.
I hope this improves and succeeds. The success or failure of this route could justify extending or not extending the Purpe Line in the future.
Assuming the idea of extending the Purple is taken seriously 😅 which is a big ask
some of us not too crazy about all the construction in downtown with the purple line
it'll be done soonish
@@sammymarrco47 ehh starting to feel like Pennsylvannia where their state tree is a construction sign ...
3:59 32 * $6.75 = $216, not $212
no $212 is the pass option, which is a bit cheaper then buying 40 $6.75 trips.