To the editor:

As a regular transit rider and a member of the DASH Advisory Committee, I am excited about the Duke Street Transitway. Transit should be safe, efficient, equitable and eco-friendly. The Duke Street Transitway, if properly implemented, will meet these goals.

Safe: Dedicated center-running bus lanes would be safer for pedestrians and drivers. Pedestrians would need only cross two lanes of traffic at a time rather than the current six lanes when crossing Duke Street. Buses would not start and stop in mixed traffic, creating crash opportunities for drivers and pedestrians. Center-running bus lanes must be constructed with tactile warnings and other modifications so those with blindness or low vision, such as myself, know when they are entering the dedicated bus lane.

Efficient: Center-running buses would traverse Duke Street much more quickly because they would not be slowed by traffic. Drivers would not be frustrated as they wait behind buses while passengers board and disembark.

Equitable: Many families near Duke Street live in multi-family buildings, which may lack adequate parking. Many may not have the resources to own and operate cars for all family members. The Duke Street Transitway and other proposed transit improvements provide an efficient, low-cost alternative.

Eco-friendly: We must begin to invest in infrastructure that encourages all travelers to use forms of transportation other than automobiles. If you are not a bus rider yourself, please consider the future for your children and grandchildren. Providing a faster and more convenient way to travel by bus will give them a more attractive option that also saves the environment. Global warming is a reality that we must begin to address. The transitway and other transit improvements are solid first steps.

-Bonnie O’Day, Alexandria