I've noticed a few newsworthy items recently. I thought I'd pass along some links.Metro advises patrons to walk--if you live within 2 miles of the Capitol. Expecting large crowds, perhaps up to 1 million riders by noon on January 20th, WMATA officials are encouraging urban riders who can to walk to the Mall. It is likely that even if you go to a Metro station near your home, trains coming in from the 'burbs will be pretty full already.
Who will be the newest Navy Yard Metro commuter? The Washington Post discusses the prospects for the next Secretary of Transportation. And there certainly are hurdles. From Reauthorization to an empty Trust Fund, our nation's crumbling infrastructure needs a big advocate from USDOT.
Space-Age Transit for the Silicon Valley: The measure to extend BART from Warm Springs (near Fremont) to San Jose narrowly passed on November 4, but we're just finding out about it now. After counting absentee and provisional ballots, it seems the transit tax achieved the requisite 66.67% needed to pass. The extension will be 16 miles in length and will charge a 1/8 cent sales tax to fund construction and operations. The tax will only be collected if federal funding is obtained. The line will open in 2018.
West Virginians speak out against MARC Cuts: Apparently, MTA is considering a proposal to terminate all MARC service at Brunswick, Maryland. Riders from the West Virginia Panhandle aren't too happy, either. This would eliminate service to Harpers Ferry, Duffields, and Martinsburg, WV. An interesting aside, West Virginia does not seem to subsidize the service, something I was not aware of.
Got a transit headline? Send it to me: matt.tracktwentynine@gmail.com
2 comments:
I would like to note that Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry are both served by Amtrak at those stations. Granted, one train a day in each direction hardly qualifies as 'service' but that's a completely different issue. It does seem, though, that WV should help subsidize the Brunswick line if it wants service.
West Virginia provides minimal station maintenance for the MARC service, and that's about it. I think WV also paid for a layover track in Martinsburg. This seems to be a perennial dance for MARC, to try to get WV to pay for operating expenses. It's arguable that Marylanders do use Harper's Ferry and Duffields, even though they are not physically located in Maryland.
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