Posts by Matt Johnson — Editorial Board Alum
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Where has Metro done most weekend trackwork?
Ever get the feeling that WMATA is working on your line every weekend? You might be right. I took a look at WMATA’s weekend work over the 12 month period between May 1, 2012 and April 30, 2013. What sections of the system get saddled with work the most? Keep reading…
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Long-term closures: A solution to single-tracking?
Yesterday morning, the Chicago Transit Authority closed the southern end of the Red Line for 5 months of reconstruction. Should WMATA consider a similar approach? There are advantages, but also big dangers as well. WMATA’s rebuilding problem, which it dubs Metro Forward, has been going on for over 2 years with no end in sight. Almost every weekend brings at least one major… Keep reading…
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O’Malley announces first projects using new gas tax money
Today, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the transportation funding bill that passed the legislature this year. The governor also announced a list of projects that would get some of the money, including MARC expansion and studies for the Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line. The tax will start this summer, and will help fund transportation projects across the state. Keep reading…
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Shocking rhetoric from John Townsend and AAA
This week’s Washington City Paper cover story quoted AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend calling Greater Greater Washington editor David Alpert “retarded” and a “ninny,” and comparing Greater Greater Washington to the Ku Klux Klan. Many other reporters, people on Twitter, and residents generally have clearly stated in response… Keep reading…
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Animate Google Street View in “hyperlapse”
New technologies continue to make it possible to see things in creative, new ways. A group of people at Teehan+Lax created a program to allow users to create videos animating Google’s Street View. This demo video shows an awesome “hyperlapse” across various settings. Google Street View Hyperlapse from Teehan+Lax Labs on Vimeo. Keep reading…
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A misinformed driver almost right hooked me
Tuesday morning, I was commuting along my normal route by bicycle when a driver almost hit me in a “right hook” turn. I wasn’t especially surprised by that, which is sadly very common, but I was surprised by her reaction. I commute from Greenbelt to Silver Spring. Generally when I bike, I ride 7 miles to College Park Metro, and park in the bike cage there before… Keep reading…
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Amtrak shouldn’t axe the national network
The Brookings Institution released a report earlier this month on our national passenger rail system, Amtrak. Many news and blog articles about the study took the report to mean that if Amtrak were to get rid of its long-distance trains, the company could provide rail service without taxpayer subsidy. That’s not actually true, nor is Brookings suggesting getting rid… Keep reading…
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Some at-large council seats would help Prince George’s
Late last year, I testified before the Prince George’s County Council about the Greenbelt Sector Plan. During my testimony, my councilmember, Ingrid Turner, watched and listened to me. Several other councilmembers never looked up. They had no reason to do so; they don’t represent me. In Prince George’s County, each councilmember represents a single district. Keep reading…
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Upper Marlboro is too remote for most Prince Georgeans
Access to government is an essential part of a functioning democracy. When a county’s government is too far away from its citizens, it impedes many who would otherwise participate. Prince George’s County’s seat in Upper Marlboro is a particularly poor location. I created this map showing where the county seats relate to the geographic and population centroid of each county… Keep reading…
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Does Metro ask riders to pay too much?
Metro is one of the most expensive rail systems in the country, with fares ranging as high as $6.75. But aside from pure sticker shock, Metro riders pay a much higher percentage of the cost to provide the service than riders in other cities do. All transit systems in the United States provide information about their “farebox recovery ratio.” This ratio is the percentage… Keep reading…