Posts by Michael Perkins — Contributor
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Google Street View now shows bus stops
Google Maps recently rolled out a new feature that will help potential transit customers use bus services in cities that participate in Google Transit. You can now see the location of a bus stop in the Street View mode of Google Maps, as well as upcoming departures according to the published schedules. This should reach the Washington area soon: WMATA says they are checking all… Keep reading…
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WMATA creates 15-minute bus map
After we suggested making a map of high-frequency bus routes or combinations of routes and I attempted making a 12-minute map, Metro planners created one. On the new PlanItMetro blog, Metro released a draft 15-minute bus map highlighting bus routes or combinations of routes that run every 15 minutes or more. This is an important step in getting people acquainted with using buses… Keep reading…
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Can Metrorail fares be simpler?
During a review of fare policies, WMATA recently conducted focus groups in which customers said they wanted fares to be simpler. They said they especially didn’t like confusing three-column fare table available in Metrorail stations. Here’s one way the Metrorail fare structure could be simplified. Keep reading…
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Arlington planning changes, 1960s to 1970s
In 1961, Arlington approved its first General Land Use Plan (GLUP). Fourteen years later, the next version of the GLUP reflected a major shift in Arlington planning, removing many planned highways and setting the locations of future Metro stations. No change in Arlington’s history has been more instrumental in setting how the county developed to the combination of grid-pattern… Keep reading…
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How do people cheat on transit fares?
The New York Subway recently announced a fare hike for their unlimited monthly pass, after debating whether to limit the pass to only 90 rides in a month. What’s behind this move? Are there really transit users that ride too much transit? Should Metro consider such a move? Keep reading…
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Arlington meters should run after dark
In Arlington, VA, the parking meters shut down at 6pm, but many streets stay busy until much later. The crowded streets and overfull parking contribute to a sense that parking in downtown Clarendon, Crystal City or Rosslyn is hard to find. But there are many off-street garages available, either for free or for a nominal fee with validation. Charging for parking on… Keep reading…
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SmarTrip prices? Fare principles? Bomb jammers?
While the projected $90 million budget gap will likely generate the most debate at Thursday’s WMATA Board meeting, the finance committee will also consider the ongoing discussion of dropping SmarTrip prices, adopting general fare principles, buying bomb jamming equipment and more. WMATA’s finance staff have done even more analysis of three of the SmarTrip… Keep reading…
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WMATA faces $90 million budget gap
WMATA faces an estimated $90 million budget deficit (PDF) for next year, assuming the same level of service, fares, and jurisdictional contributions. The budget gap includes a 10% growth in MetroAccess usage, increased fuel and energy costs, and ongoing labor and health care cost increases, including the 3% annual increase mandated by an arbitrator last year. Metro also projects… Keep reading…
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East Falls Church needs more bike racks
The East Falls Church Metro station is popular among bicyclists. Next to the W&OD trail as well as a network of on-street bike routes and bike lanes, its 126 bicycle racks (PDF) fill quickly in the morning, and the station’s bicycle lockers are among the busiest among any Metro station. According to the bicycle and pedestrian improvement study materials produced by… Keep reading…
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Metro safety presentation still doesn’t prioritize
WMATA will hold its first meeting of the new Safety and Security Committee tomorrow, split off from the previous Customer Service, Operations and Safety Committee. The staff presentation still needs more information to help the board oversee safety, including a sense of priorities. The presentation lists the status of NTSB recommendations and the cost to complete each. That… Keep reading…