Roads, Airports, Mass Transit
Lyndsey Layton and Steve Ginsberg
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, June 13, 2005
11:00 AM
Do you think Metro has grown unreliable and become downright unpleasant? Or are you happy with your commutes on rail and bus? Does the thought of the intercounty connector (ICC) keep you up at night or does it seem like it's long overdue? And what of the moves by Maryland and Virginia to encourage the private sector to build road projects, such as widening the Capital Beltway?
Washington Post staff writers Lyndsey Layton and Steve Ginsberg were online Monday, June 13, at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, feel your pain and share the drama of getting from Point A to Point B.
A transcript follows.
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Steve Ginsberg: Good morning commuters. Let's get right to it.
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Arlington, Va.: Is there a sudden increase of street closures that are taking place for roadwork or am I just suddenly more aware of the closures?
Steve Ginsberg: Summer is the season for the beach, the Nationals and, alas, roadwork. So, yes, there is an increase in road closures.
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Gaithersburg, Md.: I am getting fed up with a growing trend: people who won't "turn right on right" until the far left lane is open and available! You turn right into the RIGHT lane, and then move OVER! They hold up traffic! It happens over and over and, when you honk, they don't understand why! You turn LEFT into the LEFT lane and RIGHT into the RIGHT lane! GAH!
Steve Ginsberg: a "growing trend?" this is one of the oldest peeve's in the book. slow left-laners, no blinker people and turning to the far side of the highway..
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Washington, D.C.: Does Metro release the on-time statistics for its bus routes? It seems to me that the busses are usually late.
Lyndsey Layton: Good Morning, Washington. Metro does not keep on-time statistics for buses. To know if a bus is on time, Metro traditionally dispatches personnel to the streets to see when buses make their stops and match it against the schedule. It's labor intensive. The transit system has been outfitting the fleet with GPS devices, however, and, in theory, this should make it possible for managers at a central location to electronically track the movement of buses and know whether they are adhering to the schedules. But that kind of electronic shadowing has not been done yet.
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Arlington, Va.: I have heard that the beltway will be widened in Virginia by a private company and they will have tolls in use. I also heard that the lanes will remerge back into the main beltway at the American Legion Bridge and Wilson Bridge. Won't this cause even more congestion with the potential bottlenecks created by the additional merging? If Virginia is going to widen its beltway, wouldn't the only way it would really work is if Maryland widen its beltway at the same time so the merging can be avoided?
Steve Ginsberg: What you heard is about half right. Virginia is planning to add toll lanes on the Beltway from Springfield to Georgetown Pike, a mile or so from the bridge. The lanes will remerge back to the Beltway and that is cause for concern. The private firms building the project say that most people will get off before that point and that they may have a series of merges so everyone doesn't do it in the same spot. Maryland is also considering widening the Beltway, but that's a few years off.
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Fairfax, Va.: Why was there a complete lack of coverage on the Blue and Orange line problems near Rosslyn last week? Everbody in the city seemed to know about the situation, but there wasn't a word from The Post or on Metro's Web site with explanations.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Fairfax. I can't speak for Metro's Web site. The Post ran a brief on the Orange and Blue line problem. I would have done something more extensive if I hadn't been otherwise tied up with our four-part investigative series about Metro that was published last week.
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Arlington, Va.: Has Metro lucked out so far this year in that the weather has been very mild? When things got hot last week everything went down hill in a hurry. And whenever we get a lot of cold or rain everything seems to break more. Is there any prospect that they will be able to hire enough people in the maintenance department to keep things running?
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Arlington. Metro is short some 50 plus train mechanics, and I can't see it eliminating those vacancies any time soon.
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Alexandria, Va.: Will HOT lanes on the Beltway allow motorcycles access with no toll, as all local HOV lanes do?
The HOV rule is a federal requirement and is in recognition, I assume, that a motorcycle can't (or shouldn't) have 3 "occupants," so that requirement is not realistic for them.
Steve Ginsberg: Who will and won't be allowed on HOT lanes remains up in the air. The federal government is considering rules for HOT lanes as part of their transportation bill that is on the table right now, and the states are still figuring out about motorcycles, (off duty) law enforcement, hybrids, etc.
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Arlington, Va.: Traffic after the Nationals games is awful. The signage to the stadium is poor, the routes out of the lots back to the highways are poorly marked too. I've taken Metro and I recommend that. Is there anything being done to improve signage on the roads? And can anything be done to improve traffic after the game?
Steve Ginsberg: Really? I've driven to a few games and it's been great, and that's what most everyone else says too. I agree the signage is weak in some spots. Can you be more specific about your route?
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Re: turning right into the right lane: The reason I don't turn until all lanes are clear is, you never know what knucklehead from the left lane is going to move over into the right lane at the last minute. And naturally, he'll move over without a turn signal. It's happened to me more than one time, and that's more than one time too many for me to risk trying it again.
Steve Ginsberg: Here's another point of view. Do you regularly find yourself at the head of a long line of cars with everyone honking at you?
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Annoyed by traffic calming measures in Arlington: Local politicians are fond of putting in speed bumps and little circles at intersections. They claim that it "calms traffic." Instead of spending thousands of dollars to install speed bumps and traffic circles, how about a cheap stop sign? I think the circles and speed bumps are too much already. You can't get anywhere in Arlington without having to dodge traffic at a circle or drive over some large bump in the road. It's littering the roadways, if you ask me. Your thoughts?
Steve Ginsberg: My thoughts are that speed bumps are the WORST, most annoying thing on the road. Traffic circles, however, I like, especially if the alternative is a stop sign. At least I keep moving.
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Northern Virginia: Steve: Can you tell me where to look for areas that slug lines form so I know where to go to catch a ride downtown and back? Are there certain areas to park and stand in a slug line?
Steve Ginsberg: There are lots of these areas up and down the I-95/395 corridor. Take a gander at www.slug-lines.com and you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about slugging.
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Olney, Md.: In general, I am satisfied with METRO. It gets me in and out to work every day, and the amount of delays are not a major factor. However, the escalators are a different story. I work near Judiciary Square and having to climb up and down the steps every day is getting old.
Why is it that there are two escalators at the 4th St exit instead of three like most other stations? When there are three, one can be worked on while the other two are running. I know it is only 38 steps up, but every day I watch old and disabled folks struggle up the stairs. They could go out the other exit, but then they have a 2 1/2 block walk to get back. It is interesting that the only elevator is at the exit that gets very little traffic compared to the 4th St. exit.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Olney. I don't know what the designers were thinking when they crafted the original plans for that exit at Judy Square. You're right that those escalators are relatively short compared to, say, Wheaton. But climbing up any Metro escalator is especially taxing because the rise is steeper than what you'd find on a standard staircase. The escalator rise is 8", compared to 6" on a typical set of stairs. In short - the escalators were not designed to be used as stairs. And in this heat, climbing up is a struggle, even for the young and able.
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Fairfax, Va.: For Gaithersburg, the reason I wait until both lanes are clear before turning right on red is because I can't stand it when people make those kinds of turns when I'm driving in the far left lane. How do I know they aren't on a cell phone and won't stray into my lane. It's called defensive driving.
Steve Ginsberg: There comes a point, though, where you have to have a little faith in your fellow drivers. It's good to be defensive, but not to the point of paralysis.
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Arlington, Va.: Congratulations to the road crews who have decided it would be wise to let people know which exits dump people onto the GW Parkway. I've noticed a new highway sign or two that point people to the GW Parkway instead of making them guess which exit leads to that highway. More signs is a good thing. Let's help people get around town by letting them know which highways are which. Do you know if they're going to put up more signs or are they finished? I know that you can be on I395 North in Virginia heading to D.C. and miss exit 10 to the GW Parkway because it's not marked as being the Parkway. Visitors to my house who need to take that route home miss it all the time because it's not marked -- yet. Do you know if they're going to put a sign up to let people know that exit 10 is the GW Parkway?
Steve Ginsberg: I don't know. Anyone from VDOT out there??
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Driving to the game: 395 North, stay in the left lane, wait till the freeway ends, go through the tunnel and your at the game....Doesn't seem very difficult to me.
Steve Ginsberg: That part is easy. I think the chatter might have been talking about leaving the game, which can be a little trickier if you get pushed to one of the far parking lots.
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Re: right lane turning -- me again: No, I don't regularly find myself at the head of a long line of cars with everyone honking at me. Once in a blue moon there's the impatient individual who will honk. But doggone it, I'm not going until I see that it is safe to my satisfaction. (I started to type "perfectly safe" but let's face it -- it's never perfectly safe to be on the road.)
Steve Ginsberg: okay..
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Lanham, Md.: The Board of Directors, who are supposed to represent the citizens of the jurisdictions, can't be contacted by regular customers. The Metro web page states that Charles Deegan works for Prince George's County Department of Public Works. Yet, when I called the Dept. of Public Works, I was told he no longer works there.
I guess the Board of Directors answers only to themselves and the customers who live in the jurisdictions.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Lanham. Charlie Deegan retired from the PG DPW several months ago. I guess Metro needs to update its web site. You're right, there is no direct way to contact the board of directors. The Metro web site has an email address for the board, but that email is answered by Metro staff and there is no way to contact an individual member. Likewise, any correspondence sent to the board is also opened by the Metro staff. The board recently started to allow a 10-minute public comment period at its monthly board meetings, but that's limited to the number of people who can be accommodated in that window. You could always attend a meeting, conveniently scheduled for the public during the middle of a workday, and try to buttonhole one of the directors.
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Re: right on red: Gaithersburg should keep in mind that a vehicle turning right on red is unfavored compared to the vehicles that have the green light and the driver of the vehicle turning right on red could be liable even if the favored vehicle started in the left lane and switched to the right lane. This is the so-called "boulevard rule" in Maryland. I would suggest that prudent, defensive driving counsels in favor of waiting until all lanes are clear before turning right on red. Alas, most area drivers in this area seem to share Gaithersburg's impatience, which to me is a much larger problem than waiting a few extra seconds at a stop light.
Steve Ginsberg: I agree it's a little different at a red light. But, in general, you don't wait for all lanes to be clear. You turn into the nearest lane, and then merge over later if you want. And while we're at it, you don't brake on a road unless there is no turn lane. If there is, that's where you do all your braking.
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Arlington, Va.: Lyndsey -- Are cars allowed to park where there is a Metrobus stop? I thought that cars weren't supposed to park at Metrobus stops. I know that in D.C. the stops are usually marked for no parking, but in my neighborhood there are bus stops, but no signs that say no parking for cars, so the cars block the bus stops all the time, making people walk between cars and wave for the bus driver to make sure he or she sees us.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Arlington. I can't imagine Arlington County allows cars to park in bus stops. A quick call to the police would answer that with certainty.
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Northern Virginia: Some public works department is doing a wonderful job of repaving areas leading from the GW Parkway to I-395. What I find odd is that it didn't appear to be needed in most of those areas. Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful that they're repaving, but it just seems that there are other areas that are in greater need of repaving.
Steve Ginsberg: I find this a lot too. Paving is generally done on a schedule--say, every 6 years or so. Sometimes it doesn't seem that it's needed, but transpo folks say this protects the road and prevents costlier problems. Still seems like a lot of inconsistency to me, though.
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Fairfax, Va.: Wow. Great project on Metro last week and wonderful story about the Wilson Bridge this weekend. You guys are the best.
Here's my question. You outlined Metro's problems so well, but what should they do? More money won't help because this team would just mis-manage it, as you wrote. So how to they fix the woes you detailed?
washingtonpost.com: "Off the Rails: About This Series (Post, June 5 - 8)
Determined to Rise To the Challenge (Post, June 12)
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Fairfax,
Thanks so much for your kind words. Metro does have a legitimate need for funds but I think the series pointed out many of its problems stem from a lack of aggressive, external oversight.
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Right on red: One of the reasons people are extra cautious when making a right on red is that people often don't use turn signals when changing lanes. So even though someone might not be coming in the far right-hand lane, they might change lanes without warning...and the person turning right on red would be at fault.
I think what I wish more is that people would have patience with everyone around them. Even though it's a little silly, I always liked Maryland's advertising campaign to "drive gently".
Steve Ginsberg: This seems to be a popular reason for waiting to turn. "Drive gently" is nice. I also like Exxon's "Happy Motoring!" Not sure if they still use that one. I can only picture it at old, locally-owned garages.
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Stuck on the Orange Line: Thanks for your great series of articles ! Can someone please explain the significant backups on the Blue-Orange Lines every afternoon Tuesday-Friday last week? Ironic that they started the very day Metro was handing out fliers saying how everything was under control.
Train operators reported the problem as a down track circuit between Foggy Bottom and Rosslyn. Perhaps someone can answer why this wasn't fixed (is it fixed yet or will commuters face yet more delays). Further, why has Metro not owned up to this SIGNIFICANT delay? Friday was the first time there was an eAlert about the delay (and even that was wrong) or announcement about the web site.
The way I understand it, eAlerts show up in Metro system statistics. That means the problem didn't exist as far as Metro is concerned.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Orange Liner. I hear you. And I'll get some answers. (Interesting about the lack of email alerts. I heard that from several folks)
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Washington, DC: Just a comment -- I'm astonished that Metro does not keep statistics on on-time performance of buses. Isn't it management 101, "What gets measured gets done" ? How can they set schedules or evaluate drivers? Is the implication that the timeliness of buses is something that Metro management never considered particularly important?
It's astonishing, just astonishing.
Lyndsey Layton: Thanks for your comment.
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Fairfax, Va.: I really take offense at Steve saying that I'm defensive to the point of paralysis. I don't think so! What I am is a good driver, not an aggressive little punk. And by the way, I've never been honked at. But if I was, I'd ignore it. Because I could care less what some aggressive little punk behind me thinks. I'm more concerned with driving safely.
Steve Ginsberg: Sorry, didn't mean to offend. And nobody was suggesting you were an aggressive little punk. What I mean is that drivers should be defensive, but regardless, we're all still sharing the road with thousands of other people and to a certain degree you have to trust those people.
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Kingstowne, Va.: The secret in driving to RFK, if you live in Virginia or Northwest D.C., is to use the Southwest-Southeast Freeway route as described above, then to stay to the left when you reach the car parks. The personnel do not guide people to a specific space, so you have your choice. Park at the first available space. It's a longer walk to the stadium, but it ensures that you can get back out to the Freeway. If you go too far into the car park, you get herded onto East Capitol Street and that exit is a LOT slower. (I live outside the Beltway and I'm usually home 20 to 25 minutes after I get in my car at RFK. Metro takes an hour and a half if you count the time to walk to the station, wait for the train, walk from the train to the car, etc.)
Steve Ginsberg: Thanks for giving away your secrets!
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Arlington, Va.: Steve, traffic on I-395 in D.C. headed back to Virginia after a Nationals game is awful. Traffic comes to a crawl.
Steve Ginsberg: How long does it take to get from the stadium to where traffic doesn't crawl?
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Washington, D.C.: I second the comments about buses being untimely. On many routes, buses come as infrequently as twice an hour. I find myself coming as much as 10 minutes early, since they sometimes arrive early and if you miss it you're stuck -- and then waiting 10 or 15 minutes longer if they are late. Not fun when it's 15 degrees out, and not safe when it's dark. When will Metro consider sign boards that let you know how long until the bus arrives -- as they do in Montgomery County on the Rideon. At least if they have GPS capacity there shoudl be a way to track this through hand held devices like a blackberry or cell phone ...?
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Washington,D.C.,
Metro has been talking about making that kind of technology available for years and is taking steps towards it. The problem is many, many bus riders don't have Blackberries or even cell phones. What would really help are electronic signs posted at the bus stops that say "Next bus...8 minutes" or whatever. They've got it in San Francisco.
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Clifton, Va.: Was on Compton road stuck behind two roadies (road bike riders and Lance wannabes). These two fools made every effort to keep me behind them and they sure weren't turning Lance type pedal revolutions. I am a mountain biker and don't mind sharing the road, but these two fools were lucky they did not end up splattered all over the road. They kept me from passing them safely by riding two across. I could have been by with plenty of room to spare. And then these two idiots wanted to fight. If I wasn't running late we would have had a nice little discussion with these two spandex clad fools. Rules of the road apply to bikes too. If you can't handle riding on curvy, dangerous backroads at 9:30 a.m. then stay off them.
Steve Ginsberg: I had this very discussion yesterday with a friend of mine, as we were biking along roads near Annapolis. It's wrong for those bikers to ride two across, they should be single file and as far over as possible.
There seems to be a lot of animosity between bikers and drivers, and my impression is that both are to blame. Some bikers get all righteous about themselves and some drivers feel like roads were built exclusively for them, a view inflated by the size of their vehicles compared to bikes.
That said, lay off the spandex. We wear it cause cotton is heavy and uncomfortable and gets more so when you sweat.
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Arlington, Va.: Steve Ginsberg: Here's another point of view. Do you regularly find yourself at the head of a long line of cars with everyone honking at you?
Interesting, I walk to work and sometimes find myself behind somebody moving too slowly for my desired pace. Should I shout in their ear to MOVE IT? The level of civility of motorists is an interesting reflection of what our society has become.
Steve Ginsberg: Well I wasn't endorsing honking, I was just curious. I also walk to work and when I find myself in that situation and if there's no room to pass, I ask politely to go by. However, in a car you can't do that and the horn is your only recourse. Again, I'm not endorsing this!! I was just asking the question!
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Re: ..Traffic comes to a crawl: It was slow last week because they were doing night time construction on 395. Prior to this and on Saturday I can be home in Loudoun County, VA within 35 - 40 minutes. When it is slow I just cut through DC to 66 West.
Steve Ginsberg: well that sounds pretty good
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Alexandria, Va.: Since we're on the topic of "right on red" today, I have another minor complaint. While you're staring left waiting for the break in traffic, don't forget to occasionally glance at the light to make sure it didn't change. I sat behind someone Saturday morning through an entire (short) green light cycle while he stared left, worried about traffic. I finally honked when the light turned yellow and I got the bird for it. Sheesh!
Steve Ginsberg: double sheesh!
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Please get off the road so I can drive...: "and the driver of the vehicle turning right on red could be liable even if the favored vehicle started in the left lane and switched to the right lane. This is the so-called "boulevard rule" in Maryland."
It is illegal to change lanes within an intersection in Maryland. If you are turning right on red and the turn lane is clear when you begin the turn, then the other driver clearly changed lanes in the intersection and broke the law.
If you drive briskly and in control of your vehicle (meaning you can make it stop and go properly, not at a snail's pace) then right on red should never be a problem (except for the odd idiot who changes lanes within the intersection -- and you should account for this and be prepared to act in this circumstance).
Steve Ginsberg: and another thought on the matter
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Re: Fairfax, Va.: I work for an insurance lawyer. "Faith in your fellow drivers" is what keeps me in business.
Steve Ginsberg: Point taken.
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Alexandria, Va.: Lyndsey, thank you for your eye-opening look at Metro last week .
I've got a question about trains overshooting stations. Your articles said that Metro isn't very concerned about overshooting trains because the trains have an extra system to prevent one train colliding into another. But do the trains have an extra system to prevent them from overshooting a station and also a switch? I take the Yellow line from Virginia into Washington every day and am concerned about stations like the Pentagon, where the Yellow and Blue lines diverge. Could a Yellow line train overshoot Pentagon station's switch and derail? After a Blue line train wound up on the Orange line tracks last Wednesday, I'm very troubled about how safe Metrorail is.
Thanks for your time, and keep up the terrific reporting!
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Alexandria,
Thanks for your note. There is no special system in place to prevent derailments at switches. In fact, very generally speaking, railroad switches are often the spot where derailments take place because that's where the train is changing direction, so different forces are acting on it at the same time.
But the incident last week - when a Blue Line ended up on the Orange Line has nothing to do with derailments. That was the likely the result of a malfunction of the train's on board computer, which sent the train down the wrong track. It happens occasionally at Metro and is certainly not as common as a train overrunning a station.
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Arlington, Va.: On last week's blue-orange delays: After sitting on a train (Tuesday, I think) for about 15 minutes with no information forthcoming, I went to the emergency intercom and asked the driver to make an announcement about the cause and duration of the delay.
You would think -- especially with the attention focused by your series -- this would be a no brainer for Metro management, and even the most humble train driver.
Metro, in my opinion, has never successfully transitioned from the culture needed to -build- a railroad to what the need to -run- a railroad.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Arlington,
Several years ago, after a spate of tunnel fires which caused all sorts of delays, Metro's Chief Executive Richard White declared a "we stop, we tell" policy. If a train stops for more than a moment, the train operators are supposed to make announcements to tell passengers what's going on. Seems this policy is either no longer in effect, or is not being enforced.
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Driving at Hains Point: Entering the Hains point area there is an intersection with a stop sign. It says that bicycle riders must stop too. They don't. I think that bicycle riders need to be courteous on the roadways too. It's not just automobile drivers that need to be courteous. I think the expression is that "it's a two way street."
Steve Ginsberg: Absolutely. We bike riders are subject to the same rules as drivers, but many don't abide. Nonetheless, this doesn't give drivers license to run 'em off the road.
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Re: how long until the next bus: Lyndsay's solution for signs at the bus stops announcing how long until the next bus seems impractical. After all, they're stuck in the same traffic that everybody else is stuck in. As far as "Next bus -- 8 minutes" you could be watching your bus slowly inching toward your bus stop from the last stop for 8 minutes if it's stuck in traffic.
Lyndsey Layton: But wouldn't you rather know? If I know I've got eight minutes, I can go get coffee. If I know it's going to be 20 minutes, I might start walking.
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Washington, D.C.: When driving at night I've noticed that there is an increase in the number of cars that have TVs or videos in them. Are these positioned so that riders in the rear of the cars, minivans and SUVs are the only ones who can see the screens or do drivers also get to watch TV while driving? Am I wrong, or is this a safety issue?
Steve Ginsberg: There are many more videos in cars and I have seen some in the front seat. And, no, you are not wrong. I think it's a big safety issue.
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Washington D.C.: Fairfax accused another driver of being a "little punk" but it sounds to me if Fairfax is just sitting there waiting when their lane is clear to turn into, then they're the one who is the little punk. They just do what they please and hold up traffic in the process. Listen people, if you can turn into a clear lane and you don't take advantage of it, then you're impeding the flow of traffic, which in many jurisdictions is a ticketable offense.
Steve Ginsberg: alright, alright, no one is a little punk.
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Orange Line Blues: I too had the same question about the problems on the Orange and Blue Lines last week -- my ride from new Carrolton to Farragut West every morning and evening took about 1hr+ each way (usually about 35-40 minutes) with no Metro E-Alerts. EVER. Add to that the heat and the Nationals fans, it was a VERY bad week, and as usual, no (adequate) explanation from Metro. The only mention by drivers was "We are sorry for the delay and the slight inconvenience." SLIGHT? It is getting REALLY tiresome.
Lyndsey Layton: Orange Line Blues. I like that. Send me the first stanza.
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Electronic signs: "What would really help are electronic signs posted at the bus stops that say 'Next bus...8 minutes' or whatever."
Errr.....no offense here, but what about that matter of a funding gap?
Lyndsey Layton: What about the matter of an equipment gap between bus and rail? Is it ok to spend millions on electronic signs for rail riders but fail to give bus riders even an accurate paper bus schedule at their stops?
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Arlington, Va.: How is Metro doing with Nationals fans heading toward the game? I got on an Orange Line at Rosslyn at 11:45 on Sunday and the train was packed. Are they running more trains for these weekend games?
Steve Ginsberg: My experience with Metro has been good. The most complaints seem to be from people who transfer. It's not so bad to get on the Blue or Orange lines, but folks often wait a while when they try to transfer to other lines. Was your trains so packed that you couldn't get on, or just uncomfortable?
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NE Washington, D.C.: It is not always Metro's fault when buses are late. A week and a half ago I had a very long ride on the 80 bus up North Capitol St. at rush hour. The problem was radio station 93.9 giving away gas at the intersection of FL/NY/N Cap. It was a disaster and tied up traffic in all directions. While all on the bus were unconvenienced, the bus driver had no choice about meeting her on time performance.
Lyndsey Layton: Hi NE. That's true. But here's the beauty of a GPS system and proactive managers: They're electronically monitoring the movement of the buses, see them tied in knots around a traffic jam, and TA DA, they dispatch a spare bus to skirt the problem area and pick up marooned passengers down the line! Or they direct one of the stuck buses around the trouble spot and back on the line. I know, it sounds ideal. But we should dream big.
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Beautiful Silver Spring, Md.: Every so often, Metrobuses begin sporting incredibly cool stickers. I just saw a couple with this awesome picture of a Metrobus and a (foreshortened) Metrorail train against a Washington Monument backdrop with a caption of something like "Why bother riding anything else?" This follows up the 70s-style font of the Metro 25th anniversary sticker. Both were instantly classic kitsch as well as effective Metro ads. Do you know how can I get a few of these awesome stickers to plaster all over my own possessions?
Lyndsey Layton: Ok, you're a little weird. But we welcome all types here. I will find out if this is possible and post it here in two weeks. (Maybe there's a big market for this stuff and Metro should be selling it)
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Alexandria, Va.: A couple of weeks ago I started noticing a new trend at the Franconia-Springfield metro station: Cars are dropping off passengers at the bottom of the exit from the Parkway, rather than driving around to the designated drop-off area. This creates a bit of traffic back-up. What could metro do to prevent this? Where can I report this problem?
Lyndsey Layton: Alexandria, you just did. Metro reads this chat. Thanks.
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Reston, Va.: Good morning!
Thanks for having these discussions. I have my sister and nephew coming into town and want to go to the Zoo. I saw on Metro's Web site that they sell one day passes (versus having to buy SmartTrip cards for everyone, because I rarely use Metro). Has anyone done this? Did you order online or get them from the station? Thanks in advance
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Reston,
You can buy one at the sales offices at Metro Center, as well as Metro's headquarters 600 Fifth Street NW (Judy Square or Gallery Place metro)
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Metro Rider: Lyndsey-Why have you stopped running briefs that announce Metro's weekend track work? That's helpful to know about as I plan my weekend trips. Please start doing that again!;
Lyndsey Layton: You got it. Thanks for writing.
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Arlington, Va.: Thanks for your series last week . I thought it was ironic that Richard White and Dana Kaufman were touting Metro's on-time performance during a week in which my trip home took 90 minutes instead of 30 minutes every day last week. When are they planning to fix the switch at Rosslyn that was causing all of the problems.
Lyndsey Layton: Good question, Arlington. I'll find out.
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Fairfax, Va.: For D.C. ... Frankly I don't "do what I please" or impede traffic. As I stated, I've never been honked at. I go as soon as it's clear and I drive safely. Other posters have made some additional good arguments against this practice, especially the one who mentioned drivers in the far left lane who change lanes suddenly without signaling. I'm not going to endanger myself because someone like you is aggressive and in a hurry.
Steve Ginsberg: okay, okay. let's not get too aggressive here either. let's say that if people don't feel safe making a right on red it's within their rights to wait and that people who are trying to make rights where there's no light may have to be a little more aggressive because the lanes may never be fully clear. and, let's say that in either scenario you should still pull into the nearest lane.
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Bethesda, Md.: Is it legal for bikers to ride between lanes? I was driving south on Old Georgetown Rd. right before the exit at 495 and nearly took out a biker who decided to not wait for the light, but move around everyone and cut me off before the exit! Grrrr. Anything I could have done?
Steve Ginsberg: Bikers should follow the same rules as drivers. But, I gotta say, sometimes it's hard to know what to do. Yesterday, we rode in the middle of two lanes--one going straight and one turning lane--because we weren't sure whether that was better or if we should have stayed to the right and risked holding up turners. We decided going down the middle made the most sense.
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Shady Grove: This is a week late, but...
Why on earth was there scheduled track work on the Red Line on Saturday, June 4th, the same day metro opened EARLY to accommodate the Race for the Cure runners? It doesn't matter if you open early if it's 28 minutes between trains, Metro!;
Lyndsey Layton: Hi Shady Grove,
Track work is happening all the time now - on weekends during special events, at night after Nats games. Part of the reason stems from Metro's decision a couple years back to extend subway hours until 3 a.m. on weekends. That made a serious dent in the window that Metro has to do track maintenance work (the system used to do most of its work overnight when the subway was closed). Metro officials are also ordering up more track work because they're finding more problems that need to be addressed.
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Washington, D.C.: Greetings! In response to the bus scheduling questions: GPS technology has been installed in the Metro bus fleet. Now, we're inputing route and schedule information into our computer systems to monitor on time performance. The goal is to have real time bus location information available by the end of the year. In the meantime, Metro sends out street supervisors to monitor on time performance. Candace Smith, Metro media relations.
Lyndsey Layton: A helpful tidbit from Metro's friendly media relations team.
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Rosslyn, Va.: Another reason to wait until the left lane clears when making a right turn is when you need to make an immediate left. Crossing 2 lanes of traffic in a very short space may not be possible - you'd miss your turn. And, yes, I have had people honk at me for this.
Steve Ginsberg: That's true. But it better be an immediate left. Some drivers think a quarter mile, half-mile or a mile down the road is immediate.
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Bethesda, Md.: "What would really help are electronic signs posted at the bus stops that say "Next bus ... eight minutes" or whatever." I'm not sure how this would "help." The bus will still get there when it gets there.
Lyndsey Layton: Oh come on! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Wouldn't you like to know if it's coming in three minutes or 23 minutes? I think most people would.
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Arlington, Va.: Is there any sort of law about people driving with their dogs on their laps? I think it's awful that people do that. What if the animal is startled and scratches or bits the driver? Or if the dog jumps out the window? There's a law about cell phones, there should be a law about keeping pets off of the drivers.
Lyndsey Layton: Now, are you working the pedals while the dog steers?
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Arlington, Va.: For riders of the Blue line, The Post's series on Metro couldn't have been timed any better. Last week we had several major delays outbound to Franconia-Springfield. Then, today, at Pentagon City at around 8 a.m., the platform for inbound Yellow/Blue was so packed that even the upper level lobby was crowded. I got on the 4th train, which was packed, and I was one of the lucky ones. But if I look on Metro's web site, there's no record at all of any service disruption. I still have no idea what happened that so thoroughly screwed up my commute. It drives me nuts that Metro never discloses its disruptions. If they ever get serious about transparency, they can start by disclosing major service disruptions on the web site. They have a spot on their site for it, but I've never seen them use it. Apparently they only report delays as they are happening, and even then they don't start reporting until the information is too old to be helpful.
Lyndsey Layton: Arlington, from your keypad to Metro's computer screens.
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McLean, Va.: Lyndsey: Outstanding series of articles last week! Until about two years ago, I was a regular Metro commuter for more than 20 years. I was SO glad when I changed jobs and could drive to work. (Yes, that's how horrible it had gotten.) Most riders are well familiar w/the "quality of life" surface problems (poor train service, escalator/elevator breakdowns, dirty stations and cars, lack of security), but your behind the scenes info on everything from squandered funds to dangerously poor maintenance was an appalling eye-opener.
I've finally come to the conclusion that the Feds need to step in. Because of all the jurisdictions involved, neither the funding nor the oversight under the current scenario is sufficient. And Richard White needs to go -- I think we all had high hopes for him, but he's blown every opportunity.
(BTW, it comes as no surprise that the bad eggs in the WMATA get rewarded and promoted -- especially to the station manager positions. I think I've dealt w/ many of them!)
Many thanks!
washingtonpost.com: Off the Rails: About This Series (Post, June 5 - 8)
Lyndsey Layton: Thanks for reading, McLean.
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Lyndsey Layton: Well folks, we're out of time. Thanks so much for joining us. And we apologize if we didn't get to your question. If you have any story ideas, feel free to email us at ginsbergs@washpost.com or laytonl@washpost.com. See you in two weeks!
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