When it comes to getting residents and others to use public transportation, there are few jurisdictions that can compete with Arlington County. I just took a tour of the Commuter Store and its related facilities in Rosslyn, and I was more than a little impressed.

The store, located in an indoor mall over the Metro station, offers information on everything a commuter could need to get around without driving their car. There are brochures, there are computer terminals that offer routing and direction information, there are well-informed staffers who can offer advice as well as sell passes and tickets. For those wondering when the next bus will arrive, there are video displays with up-to-the-minute information.

The beauty of this operation is that it isn’t only focused on services within the boundaries of Arlington County. They offer brochures on just about every transit operation in Northern Virginia and even those in Maryland and the District. The philosophy is sound; it is that many commuters in this region tend to move across borders on a daily basis and it is therefore important to provide as much information as possible.

A staff located in an office building across the street works with residential building managers as well as human resource personnel at businesses in the county to provide information to those who live and work in the county. It is a well-thought-out operation that takes a very pro-active approach. The success of the operation is in the low number of residents who drive by themselves and the high number who take transit. They take transit because it is made easy.

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This operation isn’t cheap — it costs roughly $6 million to make it happen — but it appears to be money well spent. Some of that money went to help support David LeBlanc’s Web site for slugs (commuters who wait to be picked up by solo drivers looking to qualify for the HOV lanes). The site, www.slug-lines.com, was at risk of going out of business until Arlington County did some partnership deals that allowed it to survive.

This past year the county even sponsored LeBlanc’s grant request for money to keep the site up and running. Why do this? Because slugging is one of many things that helps reduce the acars on the road and it fits into the county’s mission.

Reader comment

Jeff writes: “I usually enjoy reading your column ... but I object to your take on red light cameras. The fact of the matter is that laws require us to stop at red lights and obey speed limits. They are among the responsibilities that come with the pretty awesome privilege of driving an automobile. If technology helps keep us be responsible, I’m all for it, as long as there is a way for people to challenge citations they consider erroneous.”

While I agree that all drivers need to obey speed limits and that both drivers and pedestrians need to stop for red lights, I don’t agree that lights and the situations around them should be selected and even manipulated to increase the revenues that can be received.

Questions, comments, random musings? Write to Steve@SprawlandCrawl.com.