johnhenrehan's Blog

There was a "discussion item", today, at the WMATA board meeting:  coping with the predicted over-capacity crunch coming in either 2020 or 2030 (depending on how many rail cars are purchased).

Even if every single rush hour train is an eight-car train, by 2030, some riders will not be able to board the first train into the station.

One of the solutions:  build a NEW LINE from Rosslyn, Va. thru Georgetown into downtown D.C. (mostly along M Street).  The new line would have a separate crossing under or over the Potomac River.  It would draw passengers off the lines in the congested central core of the city.

Minimum cost:  200 (m) million dollars a mile!  Several board members all but said, "This ain't happening."  A far less costly alternative that was also discussed:  converting some lanes on roadways to dedicated bus lanes. 

The theory is:  get buses rolling faster than traffic, and more people will leave their cars at home.