Posts by Matt Johnson — Editorial Board Alum
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What’s the most crowded part of the Metro system?
With an updated model of rider flows thanks to better data from WMATA, we can better understand crowding on Metrorail. Last week, We Love DC analyzed Metro crowding. They argued that Red Line riders have it worst because the Red Line carries 48% more riders than the Orange Line. However, the overall number of riders on the line as a whole is not enough to accurately measure congestion. Keep reading…
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Directional rider flows on Metro
In July, I analyzed how people travel within the Metro system, using a survey to estimate riders’ choice of alternate routes. Because the data used was for average daily travel between origin and destination stations, it was not possible to determine which stations were primarily ‘commute from’ stations and which were primarily ‘commute to’ stations. However, after my July… Keep reading…
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Many buses stop too often
Taking the bus in Washington often requires quite a lot of patience. Some buses top at every corner, seeming to take an eternity to go only a few blocks. Removing some stops could improve travel times without negatively impacting ridership. Closely spaced stops reduce the efficiency of bus lines. Keeping the number of riders constant, a bus with fewer stops would spend similar… Keep reading…
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How has Metro responded to NTSB recommendations?
WMATA has had a few rough months with worker deaths and bus-pedestrian collisions, and with the June 22 Metro accident still fresh in our minds, the agency has come under fire for its safety record. Dave Stroup recently wrote the second installment in his “Price of Safety” series looking at WMATA’s safety culture. Some of the comments there wondered about WMATA’s… Keep reading…
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Rail transit modes fall on a continuum
Despite wide variety in transit systems around the world, here in the United States we only have a few words to describe transit modes, such as commuter rail, heavy rail, and light rail. In my recent counterpoint post on the Silver Line and the viability of a Dulles Express Line using the Washington and Old Dominion Trail, I touched briefly upon the differences between American… Keep reading…
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Was the lack of express tracks a lack of foresight?
One of the more common complaints about Metro, especially with increasing ridership, is the lack of a four-track subway downtown. Last week, a set of point-counterpoint posts by myself and Spencer Lepler touched off more calls for express tracks in GGW’s comment threads. They say hindsight is 20/20, and that is precisely what these past express track criticisms are. Keep reading…
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Could Virginia reactivate the W&OD?
Last week, Spencer Lepler called for reactivating the Washington & Old Dominion rail line, currently used as a hiker/biker trail. He posits that the W&OD would make an excellent airport-express-type link between Dulles and downtown Washington. He also argues that it would be an excellent addition to our commuter rail system, ferrying Loudounites to their center-city… Keep reading…
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The Silver Line is what the region needs
This is one-half of a point-counterpoint about transit in the Dulles corridor. Read the opposing viewpoint. Because it’s often called the Dulles Rail project and managed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, many people think the point of the Silver Line is to connect Dulles Airport to Washington. Now, don’t get me wrong, connecting Dulles is one… Keep reading…
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Washington’s rails, part 5: Unbottlenecking Baltimore
Last time, I discussed the National Capital Planning Commission’s study about relocating freight rail out of downtown DC. Their proposed bypasses would be expensive, but would have advantages for freight traveling up the East Coast. However, the NCPC Report notes the proposed Washington bypasses will not expand capacity much without other projects are in the Mid-Atlantic. Keep reading…
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Washington’s rails, part 4: the long way ‘round
In the earlier installments of this three-part series, I discussed Washington and Baltimore’s rail networks, CSX’s plans for upgrading their infrastructure in the region to handle taller trains, and projects for which Maryland has requested stimulus funding. Many of the comments referenced a study on detouring freight trains around Washington which completed… Keep reading…