CRYSTAL CITY, Va. (WUSA9) -- New bus-only lanes in Arlington are decreasing the time commuters spend getting to and from work.
The new lanes opened Sunday and by Tuesday morning commuters were already noticing a difference.
"It got me to work on time," said Theresa Gary, who works in Crystal City.
From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. one northbound lane of Crystal Drive and one southbound lane of Clark Street are restricted for buses only.
The lanes are marked with a diamond. The updated lanes are a part of the Crystal City Potomac-Yard Transitway that connects the Crystal City and Braddock Road Metro Stations.
County officials say the lane restrictions allow bus commuters to travel with greater ease and bypass congestion.
When asked why better service was important, Gary explained she rides the bus every day in order to get to work. So better bus service means her morning commute is a little less stressful.
Terri Jones, another commuter, wished she'd known about the changes earlier.
"I wasn't aware of the fact that they were changing the route. It would have been helpful to disseminate that information to our guests," Jones said.
"It was faster getting here this morning. It's a little further than where I normally get off. It used to stop in front of the building but I'll adjust."
Police were out enforcing the lane restrictions during the morning rush along Crystal Drive. Drivers will receive a warning ticket for the next 30 days and a $200.00 ticket after that period.
