Posts by Matt Johnson — Editorial Board Alum
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Metro’s terminal-based wayfinding confusing for visitors
For out-of-towners, navigating the Metro system can be a daunting task. Metro could make directions easier and improve wayfinding in the system by providing more information about train directions on signs. The system’s use of colored lines and destination station to identify train direction works fairly well for Metro, especially given the structure of the system,… Keep reading…
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UMD tries another Purple Line route
As reported yesterday by the UMD Diamondback and Rethink College Park, the University of Maryland has proposed yet another alignment for the Purple Line on campus. Under the title “Purple Line may be built partially underground”, the Diamondback reports on a meeting between the campus administration and the University Senate. The author reports that a deal is… Keep reading…
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Get station names back to short and sweet
Over time, Metro’s station names have gotten longer with the addition of nearby sites and neighborhoods. This “name sprawl” has gotten out of hand. Metro should return to the original 15-character limit on station names. Station names range in length from Takoma’s 6 letters to 44 characters for U St/African Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo. In fact,… Keep reading…
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New calendar shows scheduled Metro track work and delays
On Monday, Metro announced its schedule of weeknight and weekend track work. With so much of the system being upgraded and maintained, it’s difficult to remember when to expect delays and disruptions. Keep reading…
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New railcars miss key opportunities
WMATA will soon order new 7000 series railcars. These will be the most advanced in the fleet when they arrive in 2013. However, they miss the chance to make several key improvements that could add capacity and speed boarding, including more doors and articulation. Doors limit boarding With this addition to the fleet, Metro had the opportunity to rethink its railcars based… Keep reading…
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Hiccups hamper new railcars, could delay Silver Line
Metro needs new railcars soon, but efforts to order new cars have hit a few bumps. MWAA, which is managing the Silver Line project, is objecting to costs, and Maryland’s cuts to capital spending could imperil the needed commissioning facility at Greenbelt. If Metro can’t buy and commission new cars, the Silver Line might not be able to open in 2013. MWAA balks on railcar… Keep reading…
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The 7000 series: Not your father’s railcar
Metro will soon place an order for a new series of railcars. The new cars, the 7000 series, will be quite different from Metro’s current fleet of cars. One notable difference with the cars is that they will be quad-sets. They will still be married pairs, like WMATA’s current rolling stock, but instead of having a cab at each end of the pair, a cab will only be present at… Keep reading…
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Montgomery rewriting 33-year-old zoning code
Matt Johnson works for the Montgomery County Planning Department. Normally, his posts are his own opinions and not those of the Planning Department, but is writing this series on Montgomery County’s rezoning in his capacity as an employee of the department. Zoning, the main tool to enact land use plans, is perhaps the most important part of planning. By specifying what,… Keep reading…
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DC’s unknown landmark, the 1972 “most beautiful bridge”
Washington is a city of monumental, often award-winning architecture, but one sweeping masterpiece of engineering seems to have missed the spotlight. Did you know that DC is home to the 1972 winner of the “Most Beautiful Bridge, Elevated Highways and Viaducts Category” according to the American Institute of Steel Construction? Keep reading…
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CSX plans for Virginia Avenue Tunnel replacement
One of the worst rail bottlenecks on the east coast is Washington’s Virginia Avenue Tunnel. While the tunnel originally carried two tracks, it was narrowed to one to allow taller and wider freight cars. With growing freight rail traffic across the united States, the century-old tunnel is in dire need of replacement. As a part of CSX’s National Gateway initiative,… Keep reading…