Posts by Matt Johnson — Editorial Board Alum
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How Chicago provides warmth to waiting transit riders
It’s been a cold winter in DC this year. Transit riders, stuck waiting for buses and trains, are particularly susceptible to extreme cold. Chicago, where these sorts of temperatures are more regular, has a nice way of keeping their riders warm. Keep reading…
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Cars don’t kill people, irresponsible drivers do
Every year, tens of thousands of people are killed in auto collisions. In 2012, there were over 34,000 fatalities in the United States alone. This ad from Pakistani newspaper the Frontier Post puts the issue in context. Keep reading…
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See Metro’s first 7000 series train as it arrives for testing
This morning, WMATA showed the press its newest acquisition: the 4 “pilot” cars of the 7000 series. The new cars are safer and feature many new elements that should please riders. Keep reading…
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Three ways Metro’s loop proposal could get better
Metro’s proposed loop has generated much discussion about the future of the transit system. While new capacity is an important goal, it’s not the only goal. Metro should also try to avoid designing in problems. A few tweaks could greatly improve the proposal. One of the challenges of adding in a new crosstown line where one was never envisioned is dealing with transfers. It’s… Keep reading…
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How would Metro’s loop work with an Arlington express line?
Last week, we discussed Metro’s proposed new downtown loop line in terms of the Blue and Yellow lines. Metro also plans to feed the loop with a new “express” line along I-66 in Arlington. While Metro’s plans are still in the early stages, at the moment, they seem to be focusing on a new line that would follow I-66 between East Falls Church and Rosslyn,… Keep reading…
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How might the new Metro loop work?
Last week, WMATA planners released a proposal for a new Metro loop downtown to help relieve capacity issues on the other lines. How might this new line operate? Details are scarce, but we can talk about some possibilities. Keep reading…
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How does DC’s proposed Metro loop compare?
After Metro announced last week that it hopes to build a new loop line between downtown DC and Arlington, many people immediately started comparing it to the other cities that have transit loops. How would Metro’s line compare to the others? There are actually a variety of loop types. Each type tends to operate differently and have different characteristics. Keep reading…
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Metro pollutes alerts with ads
Yesterday afternoon, subscribers to WMATA’s MetroAlerts across the region got an alert advising them of dire service impacts that could affect their commute: a discount on tickets to a basketball tournament. As you can imagine, many found the spam message irritating, and Twitter lit up with snarky responses. MetroAlerts is, of course, a tool meant to alert riders to… Keep reading…
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How can Metro make Yellow Line service clearer?
With the start of Rush Plus service last year, Metro riders know they can now get the Yellow Line north of Mount Vernon Square at rush hour. But many are surprised to find that they can only catch it every 20 minutes. Metro hasn’t done a whole lot to clarify the situation, and the outcome is confusion and wasted time for some riders. The current map shows the Yellow Line as… Keep reading…
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Metro proposes new Wilson Bridge bus service
As part of its round of service changes for June 2014, Metro has proposed rerouting the NH1 line, which serves National Harbor, to run across the Wilson Bridge to Old Town Alexandria. The new service could help connect communities on both sides of the Potomac that aren’t always easy to go between by transit. Keep reading…