A year ago, I moved to a multi-family residential community in Falls Church over a mile away from the East Falls Church Metro Station. I planned to reform my driving commute and start commuting via the Metrorail to ATP's office in Rosslyn, even with the distance, due to a convenient shuttle service offered by the community. This March, the community management announced the shuttle would be discontinued, I felt at a loss after having such a quick, easy, and stress-free commute. After weighing my options and utilizing the resources at my disposal, I’ve been walking to the metro ever since the shuttle ended and have since fallen in love with my commute again.
As someone who drove alone to work, living close to a Metro Station along the Orange and Silver Lines that can take me to work with no transfers is a dream! I refuse to return to sitting in traffic, white knuckling all the way to Rosslyn, then paying for parking. Also, thanks to my employer’s direct benefit for public transportation, I pay zero dollars out of pocket or pre-tax for my transit commute. Therefore, I was determined to keep my commuting costs at zero and as sustainable as I could manage.
I considered driving to the parking lot at the East Falls Church Station, which I would do occasionally when I missed the shuttle, but ever since the Federal return to office I’ve found the lot is usually full by 7:30 AM. There are bus routes in Falls Church but the closest stops to me are at least a 10–15-minute walk, not to mention the 20-minute bus ride to the station, followed by a 15-minute metro ride to Rosslyn - making the walk directly to the metro the fastest option. All these factors led me to transition to an active commute and start walking to and from the metro.
I’ve spoken with many active commuters throughout my time at ATP and even wrote a blog with their tips to prepare for an all-weather active commute. When I first started this commute, I was worried the 30-minutes walking would impact my routine by having to wake up earlier, especially on the occasional days I snooze the alarm one too many times, but it’s been the opposite. I put on active wear, usually compression leggings and whatever layers on top will keep me comfortable in the weather and pack my work clothes in a backpack the night before. Taking the time to do this the night before work without having to get up earlier than I’m used to allows me to get out the door 10 minutes earlier than I would when riding the shuttle.
Although I love my secret neighborhood footpath with tulips, cherry trees, and giant steppingstones down to the Four Mile Run Trail, I opted to bike to the East Falls Church Metro Station on Bike to Work Day. I had to get to Rosslyn early and I left before the sun rose, so I felt more comfortable biking anyway. It challenged a different muscle group than my usual walk, but it was quick and fun! There was a slight chill in the air, but I was ready to take off my outer layer once I pulled into the public bike parking at the station. I used ATP’s Tips for Locking Your Bike resource to ensure I would return to my bike as I left it at the end of the day and was off in no time to greet other bike commuters at the Rosslyn pit-stop.
The first month I started walking to the metro this spring it was sunny and slightly chilly, and it didn’t rain a single time. I experienced my first days of rainy walks recently, and while it wasn’t the most fun (I call it “character building”), my experiences from all the other days keep me coming back. I smile at neighbors and dogs as I pass them, and occasionally I see deer, or three! My commute gets me outside enjoying nature every day. I noticed subtle differences along my route each day: the cherry blossoms were blooming, then the tulips rising, and now the irises and roses. Although I could walk along the streets in the neighborhood to shave off two to three minutes, I opt for the scenic route. Many of the streets lack sidewalks, forcing me to walk in the road. The trail, on the other hand, is shaded and cool, and overall, more enjoyable than walking along Broad Street, busy with cars. I feel like there’s a greater life lesson about taking the scenic route even though it comes at the cost of time, but I’ll just say it helps me to focus on enjoying the little things, like a rain-free walk along a tulip patch, especially compared to my old commute rushing to work and enduring the traffic.
Finding the commute of your dreams is one email away with the help of ATP. Through our custom Commute Planner tool, an ATP rep will send you a list of sustainable commutes you can try that utilize options like public transit, walking, and biking. If your employer offers a pre-tax, direct, or combination commuter benefit or a benefit for biking/walking, we recommend reaching out to your Human Resources (HR) department to learn how you can start to take advantage of it. If your organization in Arlington doesn’t offer commuter benefits at all, ATP can work with your HR directly to help establish one. You can check out and share ATP’s Commuter Benefits Guide to get an idea of the different commuter benefit options.
If you’re interested in biking but don’t own a bike yourself, Capital Bikeshare is an accessible, low-cost option. You can suggest your employer offer a Capital Bikeshare Corporate Membership as a benefit to get a discounted or free annual membership.
There are so many ways ATP can advise your organization on commuting to tailor to your company’s goals and meet employees’ unique needs. A great first step is to read ATP’s Understanding the Commute Toolkit and contact an ATP representative to discuss what programs and benefits would be best for your workplace and employees.