Posts by Michael Perkins — Contributor
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Should Metro switch to zones? (No.)
Last week, a suggestion to charge riders a flat fare no matter where in the Metro system they travel surfaced, we ran a post saying that's not a good idea. One alternative that came up was using a zone system, which would charge based on how many times a passenger traveled into a new region in the system. But Metro shouldn't do that, either. Keep reading…
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Metro’s “pick your own price” pass will become permanent. Here are 3 ways it can continue to grow.
WMATA’s SelectPass, new this year, is a good deal for almost anyone who rides Metro daily. It’s been a pilot program, but soon will likely be permanent. Keep reading…
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WMATA wants a private company to run its parking facilities. That’s a risky move.
WMATA recently announced that it’s looking to have a private concessionaire take over operations and maintenance of all of its parking facilities, including garages and parking meters on its property. In exchange for a big up-front payment equal to 50 years of parking fees, the concessionaire would have to operate and maintain almost 60,000 parking spaces. It’d also get to collect… Keep reading…
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With Metro, “on time” doesn’t mean what you think it means
There’s a lot of wiggle room in how WMATA reports Metro’s on-time performance. We need something more accurate. Periodically, Metro reports its on-time performance to both the public and the WMATA board. In 2014, more than 90% of Metrorail trains were “on time.” But Metro doesn’t arrive at those numbers in a way that makes sense for passengers,… Keep reading…
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DDOT’s newest performance parking program will be its best
In May, DDOT will launch its most robust performance parking experiment to date. The program, called ParkDC, will significantly change how people park in Gallery Place: the cost to park a car on some of downtown’s most in-demand blocks will rise or drop according to demand. Keep reading…
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WMATA plans bus and rail fare increases, and double increases for those who transfer
WMATA staff presented to a plan to raise bus and rail fares to the agency’s board yesterday. For riders taking both bus and rail, the proposed increase will hit them doubly hard. The proposed budget increases rail fares by about 3% (the rush hour base fare increases from $2.10 to $2.15) and by 15¢ on bus (from $1.60 to $1.75 for SmarTrip, which will now be the same as the… Keep reading…
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Live chat with Chris Zimmerman
We’re talking with Chris Zimmerman today from 12-1. Zimmerman is stepping down after 17 years on the Arlington County Board to work for Smart Growth America. Update: The chat has ended. Here is the transcript, edited only for formatting, to correct typos and punctuation, and to insert paragraph breaks. Michael Perkins: Hi and welcome to our Greater Greater Washington… Keep reading…
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Join Chris Zimmerman for a live chat next Thursday
After 18 years in office, Chris Zimmerman will step down from the Arlington County Board in February. Next Thursday at noon, join him for a live, moderated conversation about his accomplishments in Arlington, where the county’s headed, and his future role at Smart Growth America. Zimmerman has been a defining leader in transportation and smart growth in our region, serving… Keep reading…
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Can motorcycles fit in an urban context?
Where do motorcycles fit in a city? Should we promote them more, because they take up less space and use less gas? Or should we discourage them because they’re noisy and dangerous? This past July, I finally gave in and took the motorcycle safety course, bought the gear (helmet, full textile suit, gloves, boots), got my license, and bought a 1983 Honda Shadow 500. In good weather,… Keep reading…
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Sexist Metro ad asks “Can’t we just talk about shoes?”
WMATA thinks talking about reliable buses is boring, asking “Can’t we just talk about shoes?” Instead, many riders are talking about how sexist the agency’s new ad is. Keep reading…