Langley HS PTSA Survey Results on VDOT's Proposed I-495 NB Ramp Closure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

It's likely some of the Maryland drivers could take Metro from Tysons, but choose not to because they don't want to switch trains in DC or walk from the Metro stations in Tysons to their jobs or homes. So they should not be entirely off the hook in your world.

But, otherwise, yes, this is about one group of people who have chosen to live in car-dependent communities complaining about others who also get back and forth by car. They want to go about their lives like it's 1975, and that is not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

As you said, you don’t have a dog in this fight. In other words, this situation doesn’t affect you. It would really be best if you didn’t bother chiming in when you have no idea what you’re talking about. After all, I wouldn’t dream of lecturing you on the way in which you choose to live or commute. That you actually think families along GTP and it’s feeder roads could walk, bike, or use public transit (???) to get to their local public schools only proves your ignorance of the entire location. No one can go anywhere without a car in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

It's likely some of the Maryland drivers could take Metro from Tysons, but choose not to because they don't want to switch trains in DC or walk from the Metro stations in Tysons to their jobs or homes. So they should not be entirely off the hook in your world.

But, otherwise, yes, this is about one group of people who have chosen to live in car-dependent communities complaining about others who also get back and forth by car. They want to go about their lives like it's 1975, and that is not going to happen.

You’re right, we should all choose to live in the city where we can walk and bike everywhere. Oh, and have no yards, horrific public schools, and high crime. Sounds great, I can really understand why you choose to live there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

It's likely some of the Maryland drivers could take Metro from Tysons, but choose not to because they don't want to switch trains in DC or walk from the Metro stations in Tysons to their jobs or homes. So they should not be entirely off the hook in your world.

But, otherwise, yes, this is about one group of people who have chosen to live in car-dependent communities complaining about others who also get back and forth by car. They want to go about their lives like it's 1975, and that is not going to happen.

You’re right, we should all choose to live in the city where we can walk and bike everywhere. Oh, and have no yards, horrific public schools, and high crime. Sounds great, I can really understand why you choose to live there!

Well, she hasn’t spent months on end complaining about the need to shut down 14th Street to Virginia residents, has she? Sounds like she is happier than the whiny Langley parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

As you said, you don’t have a dog in this fight. In other words, this situation doesn’t affect you. It would really be best if you didn’t bother chiming in when you have no idea what you’re talking about. After all, I wouldn’t dream of lecturing you on the way in which you choose to live or commute. That you actually think families along GTP and it’s feeder roads could walk, bike, or use public transit (???) to get to their local public schools only proves your ignorance of the entire location. No one can go anywhere without a car in this area.

Exactly. Everyone uses a car in this scenario and yet the Va drivers complain that the Md drivers get in way....of their driving. You are all part of a problem you hope to dump on someone else so you are not inconvenienced.

And yes, I drive GTP on the regular and have for decades.

Oh, and Md drivers are terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight and try to avoid both VA and MD as much as possible and don't think I've even once driven on the Georgetown Pike but people who've chosen to live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are surprised at congestion getting mad at other people who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere who are trying to avoid congestion telling other folks that they can't do the very thing they want to do is just laughable.

Several posters on this thread have referenced how short the distances they need to cover are and how long it takes them - how about instead of kvetching about your fellow drivers on here you change the way in which people in your community get around so everyone isn't driving for short trips that might better be done on foot or bike or public transit or whatever. Because closing the ramp is only going to temporarily move the problem to another street.

The Maryland drivers at least don't have any choice but to do these trips in a car - all of these local high school trips are less excusable than the people commuting to work.

As you said, you don’t have a dog in this fight. In other words, this situation doesn’t affect you. It would really be best if you didn’t bother chiming in when you have no idea what you’re talking about. After all, I wouldn’t dream of lecturing you on the way in which you choose to live or commute. That you actually think families along GTP and it’s feeder roads could walk, bike, or use public transit (???) to get to their local public schools only proves your ignorance of the entire location. No one can go anywhere without a car in this area.

You mean the Langley HS neighborhoods, right? There are plenty of other areas in NoVa that are more walkable and aren't so car-dependent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent who just arrived at Langley to pick up my student. It is now 3:49. I was stuck on GTP, as usual, for 25 minutes over a stretch of two miles - from Spring Hill Road to Cooper MS. The line of MD drivers - in both directions - trying to get to the Beltway north ramp was unreal. Not only was GTP at a standstill, but so was Swinks Mill, Balls Hill, and Dead Run. All MD drivers headed for that ramp, along with some very frustrated VA drivers just trying to use GTP.

A PP asked why students would be headed east on GTP at this hour - many are parents trying to get to LHS to pick up our kids who have to stay after. There are late buses that run on certain days, but they leave school much later and get stuck in the same traffic, making the kids that much later.

VDOT, if you happen to be reading this, PLEASE close the northbound beltway ramp off of GTP in the afternoons, starting at least by 2:15. There is no reason our local drivers, including teachers, parents, and students, should have to wait in this insane traffic jam just so Maryland drivers can get a toll-free shortcut home.

Are Langley parents out of their mind! I can't even begin to think of a more entitled response than this. Close off a beltway exit starting at 2 for people that bring millions into the County so that a stay at home mom can pick up their high schooler rather than him or her waiting at the school before sports games or God forbid riding a bus or driving home themselves. I really have heard everything now. I'm just so disgusted with these people. They gerrymandered boundaries, restrict apartments in their neighborhoods, throw a temper tantrum over a small senior living facility taking up valuable time when our supervisors could have been reviewing other areas of the county more fully, throw another temper tantrum over airplanes over their neighborhood. The list goes on and on. If I were a supervisor, I'd start talking about widening the road and/or moving these kids to other schools right away. Can we do something to shut up the whining about parents picking up kids from the high school when there is a perfectly good bus available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent who just arrived at Langley to pick up my student. It is now 3:49. I was stuck on GTP, as usual, for 25 minutes over a stretch of two miles - from Spring Hill Road to Cooper MS. The line of MD drivers - in both directions - trying to get to the Beltway north ramp was unreal. Not only was GTP at a standstill, but so was Swinks Mill, Balls Hill, and Dead Run. All MD drivers headed for that ramp, along with some very frustrated VA drivers just trying to use GTP.

A PP asked why students would be headed east on GTP at this hour - many are parents trying to get to LHS to pick up our kids who have to stay after. There are late buses that run on certain days, but they leave school much later and get stuck in the same traffic, making the kids that much later.

VDOT, if you happen to be reading this, PLEASE close the northbound beltway ramp off of GTP in the afternoons, starting at least by 2:15. There is no reason our local drivers, including teachers, parents, and students, should have to wait in this insane traffic jam just so Maryland drivers can get a toll-free shortcut home.

Are Langley parents out of their mind! I can't even begin to think of a more entitled response than this. Close off a beltway exit starting at 2 for people that bring millions into the County so that a stay at home mom can pick up their high schooler rather than him or her waiting at the school before sports games or God forbid riding a bus or driving home themselves. I really have heard everything now. I'm just so disgusted with these people. They gerrymandered boundaries, restrict apartments in their neighborhoods, throw a temper tantrum over a small senior living facility taking up valuable time when our supervisors could have been reviewing other areas of the county more fully, throw another temper tantrum over airplanes over their neighborhood. The list goes on and on. If I were a supervisor, I'd start talking about widening the road and/or moving these kids to other schools right away. Can we do something to shut up the whining about parents picking up kids from the high school when there is a perfectly good bus available?

I agree, however, it is about the principle of the matter. MD should be spending money to widen their bridge.

[Anonymous]

So you think VA closing off a ramp will somehow make MD widen the bridge? Certainly not if Erlich is elected and I bet Hogan will lose too. MD would be all too happy to have some businesses move back across the river and Fairfax isn't going to go along with anything that makes their Tysons dream look like a failure right from the start. Keep dreaming.

[Anonymous]

Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

Langley is most definitely NOT under enrolled.

Since the majority of commuters are from MD, it makes sense that MD should have a wider bridge. MD offers zero incentives for business on their side of the river, obviously. Why aren't Marylanders working on that? VA doesn't care what MD wants, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

Langley is most definitely NOT under enrolled.

Since the majority of commuters are from MD, it makes sense that MD should have a wider bridge. MD offers zero incentives for business on their side of the river, obviously. Why aren't Marylanders working on that? VA doesn't care what MD wants, obviously.

It most definitely IS under-enrolled: 1923 kids this fall at a school with a 2100-student capacity. The Langley enrollment is down over 170 kids from a decade ago. In comparison, Marshall’s enrollment over the same period has increased by over 800 students and McLean’s by almost 500.

Since Langley has space, and almost no low-income students, the obvious solution is to move multi-family housing in Tysons - closer to Langley than the Great Falls neighborhoods where parents are complaining about the traffic on Georgetown Pike - to Langley and move the GF neighborhoods to Herndon or South Lakes as soon as those schools can accommodate them. FCPS projects Herndon at 95% of capacity and South Lakes at 90% in 2022, so it seems quite doable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

Langley is most definitely NOT under enrolled.

Since the majority of commuters are from MD, it makes sense that MD should have a wider bridge. MD offers zero incentives for business on their side of the river, obviously. Why aren't Marylanders working on that? VA doesn't care what MD wants, obviously.

It most definitely IS under-enrolled: 1923 kids this fall at a school with a 2100-student capacity. The Langley enrollment is down over 170 kids from a decade ago. In comparison, Marshall’s enrollment over the same period has increased by over 800 students and McLean’s by almost 500.

Since Langley has space, and almost no low-income students, the obvious solution is to move multi-family housing in Tysons - closer to Langley than the Great Falls neighborhoods where parents are complaining about the traffic on Georgetown Pike - to Langley and move the GF neighborhoods to Herndon or South Lakes as soon as those schools can accommodate them. FCPS projects Herndon at 95% of capacity and South Lakes at 90% in 2022, so it seems quite doable.

You are far more likely to get your bridge widened in Maryland, with a little effort on your part. It would be different if the majority of commuters in that area were from VA, but they are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

Langley is most definitely NOT under enrolled.

Since the majority of commuters are from MD, it makes sense that MD should have a wider bridge. MD offers zero incentives for business on their side of the river, obviously. Why aren't Marylanders working on that? VA doesn't care what MD wants, obviously.

It most definitely IS under-enrolled: 1923 kids this fall at a school with a 2100-student capacity. The Langley enrollment is down over 170 kids from a decade ago. In comparison, Marshall’s enrollment over the same period has increased by over 800 students and McLean’s by almost 500.

Since Langley has space, and almost no low-income students, the obvious solution is to move multi-family housing in Tysons - closer to Langley than the Great Falls neighborhoods where parents are complaining about the traffic on Georgetown Pike - to Langley and move the GF neighborhoods to Herndon or South Lakes as soon as those schools can accommodate them. FCPS projects Herndon at 95% of capacity and South Lakes at 90% in 2022, so it seems quite doable.

+1000. That might also help Langley parents understand others face challenges more significant than sitting in traffic in their Range Rovers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the ramp should not be closed and the solution is to move students in Great Falls to closer schools in Herndon or Reston. Langley is under-enrolled and FCPS can redistrict multi-family housing in Tysons there to fill empty seats.

Langley is most definitely NOT under enrolled.

Since the majority of commuters are from MD, it makes sense that MD should have a wider bridge. MD offers zero incentives for business on their side of the river, obviously. Why aren't Marylanders working on that? VA doesn't care what MD wants, obviously.

It most definitely IS under-enrolled: 1923 kids this fall at a school with a 2100-student capacity. The Langley enrollment is down over 170 kids from a decade ago. In comparison, Marshall’s enrollment over the same period has increased by over 800 students and McLean’s by almost 500.

Since Langley has space, and almost no low-income students, the obvious solution is to move multi-family housing in Tysons - closer to Langley than the Great Falls neighborhoods where parents are complaining about the traffic on Georgetown Pike - to Langley and move the GF neighborhoods to Herndon or South Lakes as soon as those schools can accommodate them. FCPS projects Herndon at 95% of capacity and South Lakes at 90% in 2022, so it seems quite doable.

Where are the tysons students go? Why wouldn’t they go to Langley?

I heard some apartments are zoned for Spring Hill Elementary, which is a Langley pyramid school. But then those same students are zoned for Longfellow and McLean high and not Cooper/Langley. That doesn’t make any sense.