GRCC Silver Line Survey: By The Numbers

recently conducted a survey to see how area residents and businesses feel about Metro's Silver Line.

GRCC has been a proponent of the rail, which begin running from Falls Church through Tysons Corner to Reston's Wiehle Avenue in late 2013. Phase 2 of the project, which will run from Wiehle to Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County, is scheduled to open in 2017,

The survey was conducted online in February. GRCC says it conducted the survey because "The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce advocates on a local, state and national level for the interests of our member companies and the general Dulles Corridor business community. We want to more fully understand local companies’ perspective on the impact that the Silver Line will have on the Dulles Corridor business community. The results of the survey will enable us to speak to stakeholders and project funding partners about local business interests in our advocacy outreach around this project." 

More than 400 individuals representing over 20 industries responded to the survey. 

Among the key findings:

 
• The business community expressed overwhelming support for the project. A large majority does not want the Silver Line to end in Reston, but wants to see the rail extend to Dulles Airport in Loudoun County or beyond. 

• The top industries that responded to the survey represent the top industries cited for major economic growth in a recent study on Metropolitan Washington D.C.’s economic forecast, released by Dr. Steven Fuller of George Mason University’s Center for Regional Analysis (http://bit.ly/wlNC0e). 

• A large majority of employers believe that the presence of rail will have a positive impact on recruiting and view the proximity to rail service as an important factor in deciding where to locate an office. 

• There is a high level of awareness among the business community about the project. However, a majority of employees feel that their employers are not communicating internally about the project. The business community wants the Chamber to provide more information to educate the business community about the Silver Line project. 

• A majority of employees want to receive an incentive to use the rail to commute, while employers are split on providing incentives to their employees. 

Said chamber represntatives: "Given these findings, our Chamber plans to share the results with key decision makers, stakeholders and project funding partners. We will increase our advocacy for Phase 2 to reach completion. We will push for more state funding to be dedicated to the project and work to secure federal funding as well, which will help keep the tolls at a manageable amount for the Dulles Corridor business community."

 Key responses:

• Familiarity with the Silver Line Metrorail Project 
-92 percent of respondents are somewhat to very familiar with the project details. 

•Where to End the Silver Line 
-4.1 percent of respondents think the Silver Line should end at Wiehle Avenue in Reston/Fairfax Co., which is the end of Phase I of the project. 
-32 percent think that it should end at Dulles Airport in Dulles/Loudoun County. 
-47 percent think that it should end at Brambleton in Ashburn/Loudoun County, which is the end of Phase II of the project. 

• Impact of the Silver Line on Business Recruiting Efforts 
-35 percent of respondents think that the presence of rail will have a very positive impact on recruiting efforts; 
-30 percent think that the presence of rail will have a somewhat positive impact; and 
-28 percent think that the presence of rail will have no impact. 

• Proximity of Rail Stations and Office Locations 
- 36 percent of respondents think that proximity of rail service is very important when deciding where to locate an office; 
- 27 percent think that proximity of rail service is somewhat important; and 
- 12 percent think that proximity of rail service is not important. 

• Use of Public/Alternate Transportation to Get to Rail Stations 
- 22 percent of respondents would be very likely to use public/alternate transportation to get to a rail station; 
- 31 percent would be somewhat likely; and 
- 27 percent are unsure. 

• Likelihood to Use the Silver Line to Commute 
- 24 percent are very likely; 
- 22 percent are somewhat likely; 
- 15 percent are somewhat unlikely; and 
- 38 percent of respondents are very unlikely to use the rail to commute. 

• Employer Incentives to Use Rail to Commute 
- 62 percent of employees would like their employer to provide an incentive to use the rail to commute. 
- 29 percent of employers would be willing to provide an incentive to employees to use rail to commute; 
- 13 percent would not be willing; and 
- 27 percent are not sure.