Metro: Roads and Rails

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 Eric Weiss and Lena H. Sun were online Monday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, feel your pain and share the drama of getting from Point A to Point B.

Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.

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Lena Sun: Hello everyone. It's a holiday for some of you but I bet lots of other folks are at work today. Let's hear your questions and comments.

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Washington, D.C.: It discourages me that Metro can't do something simple like post "Walk Left, Stand Right" signs on the escalators. The single biggest annoyance for regular metro riders is the irregular riders who block the entire escalator. The London and Berlin metros have such signs, and better signage in general. Little things like this make a big impression on riders.

Lena Sun: Hello Washington. Metro gets asked this question all the time, and apparently, the problem with posting the signs has to do with individual jurisdictions regulations on such signage.

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Eric Weiss: Hi, I'm Eric Weiss, hereby known as "The New Guy.'' I just started on the transportation beat after covering federal courts, D.C. City Hall and Prince William government (pulling a daily reverse commute from the District to Manassas). For now, I'll be learning more from you than vice versa ... What's up out there?

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Arlington, Va.: Traffic seems so much lighter today! Seems like all our investments in new roads, rails, and buses have finally paid off.

Eric Weiss: Arlington, you sound like an optimist. Your easy commute was most likely due to the fact that the federal government, banks, courts, schools, libraries are closed today for Columbus Day holiday.

However, if you still feel like celebrating your quick commute, some liquor stores are open today.

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Mount Airy, Md.: My Shady Grove to Farragut North commute costs $3.90 each way. I've been paying with my SmarTrip card (total cost for one week is $39). I just learned it would be >cheaper to use the 7-Day Fast Pass for $32.50. (It's almost as good as getting one day for free.)

How does the 7-Day Fast Pass work? If I start using it on Monday is it good through the following Sunday? What if I don't start using it until Wednesday? It still stops working on the following Sunday? Any "gotchas" I should know before buying a 7-Day Fast Pass?

It seems like Metro should offer some sort of cost savings to those of us that use the SmarTrip card (day in and day out, 52 weeks a year) rather than offer cost savings to those that buy one 7-Day Fast Pass.

Eric Weiss: It looks like the 7-day fast pass would be a good option for you. Unlike other Metrorail passes, it offers unlimited Metrorail travel. The 7-day short trip pass, for $22, is much cheaper but restricted to shorter trips (under $2.20) during rush hours.

The passes are valid for seven days beginning on the day you use it for the first time.

Good suggestion on the hard-core pass.

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Arlington, Va.: I Metro every day from Pentagon City to Bethesda. I can't recall having EVER seen the Metro this empty on a weekday morning! Even on other weekday holidays.

Lena Sun: Enjoy it while it lasts! Metro decided to switch from holiday service to regular service for four federal holidays, including today, because of the uptick in passengers over the years. Maybe everyone else is taking advantage of the gorgeous weather.

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Fair Lakes, Va.: Re: Stringfellow Road HOV-only off-ramp from westbound I-66 (evenings) ... the HOV ramp is wide enough for two vehicles (lanes) side by side, with the presumption that those on the left will turn left onto southbound Stringfellow and those on the right will turn right (northbound). Dangerously, when the line of vehicles on the left gets long, some move to the shorter line on the right -- but turn left. No signs or striping are present to define legal movements -- shouldn't there be? Turning left from the right lane should be posted as against the law.

Eric Weiss: I'm not familiar with that intersection. Is southbound Stringfellow Road two lanes? Is there a right-turn only sign or one prohibiting a left turn from the right ramp lane?

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D.C.: I'm starting a job soon in the Fairfax area and will be relocating. I'm trying to decide where to buy a home and am considering NoVa or Western Montgomery County (Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, etc.), the latter which would be central to all the jobs in this area. Can you or the good people out there tell me whether the commute from that area in Maryland across the American Legion Bridge is bearable or hellish?

Lena Sun: Hi there. Maybe the folks out there will have some tips. But based on what you hear every morning about the commute on the Beltway from the Maryland side to Virginia, it's pretty bad. Bethesda and Rockville are pretty close to Metrorail stations on the Red Line, and you could transfer downtown to catch the Orange Line out to Vienna.

I believe Dr. Gridlock weighed in on this on Sunday when a reader wrote in to ask about the commute from Montgomery County to Tysons Corner area.

Anyone out there have good suggestions?

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Washington, D.C.: Do you know whether the Washington Metro buses are going to have a GPS tracking system that will post when the next bus will arrive at the stop (I think Arlington has started this type of system)?

Lena Sun: Hi. Metro has been working on this "Next Bus" system for a while. I think the goal is to have a pilot up and running by the end of the year, and yes, you are correct, Arlington already has something like this.

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Reston, Va.: What happened on Route 50 at the Bay Bridge Friday evening? Out of season, on a rainy weekend, at 10:30 p.m. on a Friday, the traffic was stop-and-go for miles. There were several toll booths open, and there didn't appear to be any wrecks. What gives?

Eric Weiss: Did you see anyone looking under and around the bridge? Last Monday through Friday, one lane of eastbound US 50/301 across the Bay Bridge was closed for bridge inspection from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning. Two-way traffic operated on the westbound span.

For Bay Bridge users this week, the left lane of westbound US 50/301 across the Bay Bridge will be closed for two-way operations from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. today through Friday.

And today through Thursday, the westbound span of the Bay Bridge will be closed for contractors from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following morning. Two-way traffic will operate on the eastbound span.

No work scheduled is scheduled eastbound.

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Lena Sun: Let's turn the tables for a sec. Here are some questions for you riders out there. Last week Metro started express lanes for SmarTrip users at some stations. How is that working? Do you like it?

Also, last week, the first new 6-car train was put into service on the Green Line. You would know if you're on it. There are fewer poles in the doorways and stanchions from the back of every seat to the ceiling.

And it smells new. Do you like it?

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Kingstowne, Va.: In general, I think VDOT is doing a pretty good job on the Springfield Interchange. I drive through there every day since I live about three miles east of there and the improvement has been amazing.

With that said, is there any chance that VDOT will improve any of the signs for the local roads? I can find my way around with no problem, but I live here. The problem with the signs is that if you don't know where you're going already, the signs don't help. Example: Yesterday I went to the ATM at the Bank of America on Loisdale Road. I then wanted to get on I-395 North to Landmark. Easy enough for me because I knew I wanted I-395 North.

The problem was the people with out-of-state plates, who were all crawling along staring at the signs on Loisdale indicating which lane to use. The signs give ONLY the road numbers and the direction, the inside lane is marked for 644 West, the next lane for I-95 North, I-495 East and I-395 North, the next lane for I-95 South, the next lane for I-495 North, and the final lane for 644 East. That's all, no destinations such as I-395 North to Washington. The out-of-staters were clearly trying to figure out which road goes where and were botching up the traffic (and I'm sure that having I-495 North and I-495 East as the two options for that route didn't help).

Any chance that VDOT might add destinations to those signs? The whole point of signs is to help people who DON'T drive on a particular stretch of road every day! After all, if we all knew where we were going all the time, we wouldn't need signs.

Eric Weiss: To Quote "Mr. T," I pity the fool from out-of-state who must navigate around the Mixing Bowl area. It is confusing even for a native Springfieldian (is that how you folks like to be addressed?)

Life is full of sink-or-swim moments. And a guy from Alabama trying to find his way on Loisdale Road qualifies.

However, many are giving VDOT some rare kudos on the Mixing Bowl work for meeting deadlines and keeping disturbances to a minimum. Maybe they can work on the signage.

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Forestville, Md.: I wondering why Metrorail and Metrobus don't start running at 4 a.m., so workers can get to work if they have to be at work at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. That would save a lot of workers from driving to work. If the Metrorail can't start at 4 a.m., let the buses throughout the whole area run earlier. They should have some kind of transportation throughout Virginia, Maryland and D.C. 24 hours a day.

Lena Sun: Over the years, the system has been extending its hours on both ends. The problem with staying open longer means there is even less time to do all the track maintenance and other work that can only be done when the trains aren't running.

As it is, Metro says it doesn't have enough time to do all the things it has to do in that small window in the wee hours of the morning.

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Washington D.C. - Shaw: So what is going on with the signs for 395 on inbound GW parkway? If you follow the signs you end up in some crazy side lot of the Pentagon, which then eventually sends you to the 14th St. bridge...what is going on here? Why do they do that? If you are in the know and stay to the left on the parkway and follow signs for Reagan Airport there is an exit for the 14th St. bridge but those wild signs make it very difficult to give directions.

Eric Weiss: Yes, I've been caught in that trap. Every fiber of your driver body is saying you are lost, especially when you come up to that guard tower by the stop sign. I would hate to be the guy that blows that stop sign.

Your suggestion to follow signs to Reagan and then get on the 14th Street Bridge is a great tip.

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Downtown, D.C.: Metro DOES have signs telling people to stand right, walk left! They're small and easy to miss, but they're there. Look at the base of the handrail on the right, just as you get on the escalator.

Lena Sun: Thank you! But I guess these signs aren't big enough for your average out-of-towner or tourist.

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Bethesda, Md.: I just wanted to comment on the new express SmarTrip lanes they are trying out in the Bethesda station. When you come up off the trains to exit there are seven lanes, out of those they made five express and two regular. Well of course the two regular ones backed up terribly and others were just sailing through the SmarTrips. Please leave more regular lanes for people who have the regular farecards. Some of us can't use a SmarTrip card.

Lena Sun: Thanks Bethesda. Metro is testing these for customer reaction. Anyone else have similar experiences? Do the SmarTrip users find they are whizzing through that much faster?

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SmarTrip express lanes: The SmarTrip express lanes are long overdue. But where they're really needed are not at stations with lots of faregates. They're needed when there are only 2-4 gates. That's where the backups really occur.

Lena Sun: This was debated quite a bit when the proposal first came up. Metro figured they needed to try it first at stations where there was substantial usage. And they needed to find stations with enough faregates.

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Washington, D.C.: I'd like to echo the comment from the reader in Fair Lakes about unclear lane markings, but as to a different spot. On Madison Drive at 14th Street NW, there are three lanes, one marked left only, one marked right only, and the one in between unmarked. Lots of people turn left out of the middle lane. Is that legal? I've always assumed that since it's not marked to authorize a left turn, it's to be presumed to be straight-ahead only because there is a designated left turn lane there (if there were no designated left turn lane, I'd think otherwise).

Eric Weiss: It is dangerous to make a left turn from the middle lane unless it is specifically marked as such.

A driver in the left lane making a left is supposed to turn into the left-most lane of the intersecting road. However, some folks don't always do that, and you risk being sideswiped if you turn left and hide in the driver's blind spot.

It may be dangerous, but the unmarked center lane you describe may not be specifically illegal.

Any MPD or Park Police folks out there know the answer to this one?

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Washington, D.C.: Everyone who is involved in Washington mass transit seems to really like the Circulator buses because of the saturation service, usefulness of routes, and the ease of use. I use the Circulator almost every day on the Georgetown-Union Station route, and during the day, it works great -- I hardly ever wait longer than 5-10 minutes for a bus. In the evenings, however, it seems like the buses run much less frequently -- I often wait 20 and sometimes as long as 30 minutes for a bus when I ride between 6 and 9 p.m., and when the bus arrives, it's usually PACKED (presumably because it has 20-30 minutes worth of riders). Has any thought been given to improving service during this time period?

Lena Sun: It could be that the buses in the evening hour are running into the same traffic backups. I know earlier this year they were considering installing better technology to track the intervals between buses. I'll post the question and check with them.

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Md.: EVERYONE can use a smart card. Why in the world couldn't you use it?

Eric Weiss: My wife was totally against the "newfangled'' SmarTrip cards until I ordered one for her. Now she loves it and can't believe she lived without one.

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Smart Trip stiles: I hate them. As a previous poster said, some daily Metro riders cannot use SmarTrip cards. It's more economically feasible to buy fast-pass or other weekly pass cards.

Now, every time I exit at the Bethesda Metro station, I either have to wait in a long line to go through the turnstiles, or sprint past other Metro riders to sail through quickly.

Lena Sun: There you go. Another person who hates the SmarTrip express lanes. Anybody out there LIKE them?

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Walk Left, Stand Right: As a daily Metro rider who often uses the escalators as a workout, I would love to see signs posted about walking on the left, standing on the right. However, I have come to the conclusion that this isn't a problem because people don't know any better. Those kinds of folks, if you ask them to move, they do. The problems are people who know the idea but don't care. Last week on the escalator up from the Van Ness platform, a woman was kindly asked to move over so people could walk. She responded "No" flat out and rudely. This was one day after I was blocked by a woman who stood on the right and put her rolling briefcase on the left.

Lena Sun: Good point. It's happened to all of us. For some people, it doesn't matter how big the signs are. They're simply not going to move.

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Joe, Gaithersburg, Md.: For the post above,I live in Gaithersburg, work in Fairfax. The drive is pretty bad, about 1:15-1:30, but if you leave at off hours (which I do), it's about 45 minutes. Just don't expect to leave the office at 5 or 6.

Joe

Eric Weiss: One of the biggest commuting issues on the Beltway is that many folks live in Montgomery and Prince Georges and commute to jobs in NoVa. It creates the severest rush-hour snags.

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Eric Weiss: Mark today's date: The first complaint about crowded Circulator buses.

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D.C.: I'm surprised the express lanes weren't tried at Woodley Park. Lots of working commuters in the neighborhood, plus tourists and conventioneers from the hotels. There are many days where locals like me would rather not miss our train (esp. if it's the Shady Grove and not the Grosvenor) because of some clueless out-of-towner who doesn't know that green means "go."

Eric Weiss: I agree. I used to use the Woodley Park station daily and have been caught behind confused conventioneers.

As for the signs telling folks to stay to the right, I haven't seen them either.

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Annandale, Va.: I don't like to ride Metro subway or buses anymore. I"m over 50 and I need bathroom access and Metro can't even put Porta Potties outside their stations. Plus, I'm sick of racial hatred against whites on the part of black workers, and a general arrogance of the union workers against riders. I've seen some nice workers but in twenty years of bus and subway it stunk. I haven't rode in a few years, so maybe it has improved. I kind of doubt it.

Lena Sun: I know this question about bathroom access has come up repeatedly. 84 out of the 86 stations have bathrooms that the public can use. Ask the station manager.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Twice in the last week I've seen cars illegally parked in the fire lanes right inside the entrance to the garage at the Shady Grove Metro station. Why are these cars allowed to park there and impede traffic and endanger everyone else and get off with a parking ticket? They should be towed and impounded.

Lena Sun: Good question. Will post and hope that Metro folks will read and ask transit police to check this out.

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Bethesda, Md.: RE: EVERYONE CAN USE A SMARTRIP CARD,

No they can't. I ride the MARC train and the Metro and use what's called a Transit Link monthly card which is just like a regular farecard. So until they come up with one that's similar to the SmarTrip for us, that's what I have to use.

Eric Weiss: Maybe transit folks at MARC and VRE can work something out, similar to what states did with EZ-Pass, which is the greatest thing since vinegar met olive oil.

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Blowing that stop sign: I'm the guy (well, gal) who blew that stop when I was trying to get to 395 from the GW Parkway at night by following the signs. There were a group of cops there waiting, but they didn't give me a ticket, maybe because I had been driving so slowly (thinking I was lost) that I wasn't likely to have caused an accident. They did ask me what I was doing there, and didn't seem to believe that I was just following the signs trying to get to 395. So if you're a cop who hangs out there: it's not just me. There really is a sign directing you that way and I'm not a complete moron.

Eric Weiss: I was thinking of worse things that can happen if you run a stop sign inside the Pentagon parking area...

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D.C.: What does everyone think of the new lights and construction around the Lincoln Memorial and Constitution? I think it's a horrible mess and makes traffic 100 times worse on Constitution during the afternoon rush hour. What IDIOT designed it?

Eric Weiss: Our intrepid colleague Dr. Gridlock is on the case. He has been monitoring the situation and trying get the thing unclogged.

How would YOU structure the traffic flow in the area?

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Metro escalators: "Last week on the escalator up from the Van Ness platform, a woman was kindly asked to move over so people could walk. She responded 'No' flat out and rudely."

So be rude back and do what would happen in New York--shove past her. She'll get the message.

Eric Weiss: In New York, you would also get a lecture about the dangers of smoking and trans fats...

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Crystal City, Va.: I know that Metro policy dictates that bikes are taken on elevators rather than escalators, but what is the rule when a particular elevator is out of service? I've used the escalator in this case in the past, because it is really not that hard to carry a bike on there and it doesn't cause a problem in non-crowded conditions. I can't imagine that cyclists are supposed to call for a shuttle at the next station, nor would it be convenient to do this. What is the official policy?

Lena Sun: Not sure what the answer is, but we'll take the question and find out for you.

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UpMo, Md.: Keeping up the constant drumbeat for another cell phone provider on the subway....

Lena Sun: Hang in there. Metro is in discussions to see if there is a way so ALL cell phone users can get reception in the subway. The bad news is that it's not likely to happen quickly.

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SmarTrip Express: Yes, this sounds great. But I'll probably always be stuck behind the people who think you have to wait for the gate to close completely from the previous user before swiping a SmarTrip card. Takes just as long if everyone waits like that

Eric Weiss: I got caught in a closing fare gate when my SmarTrip card didn't register. It was an unpleasant situation. Now I always wait a split-second until my SmarTrip balance comes up before proceeding.

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Arlington, Va.: SmarTrip cards -- I use a Marc monthly transit link card (TLC) that is honored on Metro and all MetroBus and RideOns. It's much cheaper than a SmarTrip card.

Lena Sun: Ah, another person who doesn't use SmarTrip.

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SmarTrip: I also use a weekly pass. It's cheaper that way instead of having to buy a SmarTrip card -- which charges more on a per/trip basis because of the high number of trips I take every week.

So yes, I don't like the new SmarTrip card readers either. It makes me want to use the Metro less and just drive.

Lena Sun: Okay, good feedback for Metro as they decide whether to change more fare gates into express lanes. Thanks.

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Eric Weiss:

Here is the link for the TLC card...

http://www.mtamaryland.com/fares/specialprograms/marctransitlink.cfm

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Lena Sun: Thanks everyone for writing in. Have a good commute home.

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