The open escalators weren't the choicest design decision.
A good 4 years ago they chose coverings for the escalators; there's one at L'Enfant Plaza, but I guess the money isn't there.
50% of Metro's ridership is Fed Govt workers, but all it gets from the Feds is for new building, nothing for general funding. And they don't have any other dedicated, always there, funding source. This is unique among public transit subway systems.
Metro *could* be incredible. But the jurisdictions that are benefiting from its taking pressure off the roads are always reluctant to fund it.
I really hate that if there are too many code red days it kills funding for both public transit and roads.
I would be an extraordinarily happy camper if they just extended metro to Dulles. At the rate we're going, I'll be a grandmother before that happens.
Metro to dulles would effectively eliminate the vast majority of traffic on the access road, and would take huge chunks off the toll road traffic... As it is, if I want to get into DC, I have to drive seven miles to catch a bus that doesn't cost $5 a pop (if I took a bus from where I live, it would cost $5 to get to the Vienna Metro, if I drive to the Herndon park and ride, it's 50 cents, but defeats the purpose of taking public transit).
The jurisdictions that would benefit from taking pressure off the roads are unfortunately a lot of ones that are also in the opinion of "not in my backyard".
I've riden the metro in Barcelona, and it's as complicated a series of tunnels as I've ever seen, but you're no farther than three blocks from it anywhere in the city, and a ten trip pass is cheap.
I've done Chicago without a car. Shuttle bus from hotel to airport, metro downtown, then transfer to a bus for the last leg. No sweat.
DC's has put me anywhere I wanted to be in DC for the 10 years I've been riding it, and for not too bad a pricetag.
Baltimore's Crime Rail Light Rail doesn't actually meet the Metro anywhere. We have two freakin' lines who don't actually meet anywhere. You have to walk a block and a half through what may not be the best neighborhood in the city. Who the hell planned that crap out? The only time it's ever been conveinient for me to go anywhere on the Light Rail was Timmonium to BWI to catch a flight. Saved airport parking, but the return flight had to be back before 11:00 pm or you were taking a cab.
Yup... only good for three things: Getting to the State Fairgrounds, getting to the stadiums (not Inner Harbor and downtown, just the stadiums), and getting to the airport.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 08:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 08:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 08:50 am (UTC)A good 4 years ago they chose coverings for the escalators; there's one at L'Enfant Plaza, but I guess the money isn't there.
50% of Metro's ridership is Fed Govt workers, but all it gets from the Feds is for new building, nothing for general funding. And they don't have any other dedicated, always there, funding source. This is unique among public transit subway systems.
Metro *could* be incredible. But the jurisdictions that are benefiting from its taking pressure off the roads are always reluctant to fund it.
I really hate that if there are too many code red days it kills funding for both public transit and roads.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 09:11 am (UTC)Metro to dulles would effectively eliminate the vast majority of traffic on the access road, and would take huge chunks off the toll road traffic... As it is, if I want to get into DC, I have to drive seven miles to catch a bus that doesn't cost $5 a pop (if I took a bus from where I live, it would cost $5 to get to the Vienna Metro, if I drive to the Herndon park and ride, it's 50 cents, but defeats the purpose of taking public transit).
The jurisdictions that would benefit from taking pressure off the roads are unfortunately a lot of ones that are also in the opinion of "not in my backyard".
no subject
Date: 2004-09-28 09:55 am (UTC)I've done Chicago without a car. Shuttle bus from hotel to airport, metro downtown, then transfer to a bus for the last leg. No sweat.
DC's has put me anywhere I wanted to be in DC for the 10 years I've been riding it, and for not too bad a pricetag.
Baltimore's
Crime RailLight Rail doesn't actually meet the Metro anywhere. We have two freakin' lines who don't actually meet anywhere. You have to walk a block and a half through what may not be the best neighborhood in the city. Who the hell planned that crap out? The only time it's ever been conveinient for me to go anywhere on the Light Rail was Timmonium to BWI to catch a flight. Saved airport parking, but the return flight had to be back before 11:00 pm or you were taking a cab.Baltimore's transit system really kinda sucks.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-29 06:38 am (UTC)