Without Transit, Wilson Bridge Comes Up Short
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D ear Dr. Gridlock:
I am a Metro commuter from Alexandria (Eisenhower Avenue) to the Census Bureau (Suitland Station) and was wondering if there will be a bus alternative across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge once the second new span is complete?
Do you know the latest information about possibly having a Metrorail component to the new bridge?
Bernard L. Bundy Jr.
Alexandria
The idea of putting Metrorail across the bridge, considered a realistic option just a few years ago, now looks more like a forlorn hope.
The transit authority, no longer capable of building a rail line, is struggling to maintain the system. Any new rail construction, such as the Dulles link, must be done by the interested jurisdictions.
It's possible that the new NH-1 Metrobus route, which links National Harbor in Prince George's County with the District, could be extended across the bridge to Alexandria, but as of now, Metro has no bus service changes scheduled.
We haven't had much luck with express bus service across the Potomac, but we ought to keep trying until the right formula is found.
The new Wilson Bridge was designed with transit in mind. The inner two lanes could be used by express buses, light rail or Metrorail. We need an action plan for transit and the money to finance it, but as yet we have neither.
When all the new lanes of the bridge become available at the end of the ear, those two lanes will serve as really wide shoulders.
The new bridge is a magnificent -- and expensive -- achievement. Let's get the most out of it by completing the transit link.
