Washington DC: Rail transit

[paytonc]

Nope, the figures are correct. Metro only handles 1M+ passengers on inauguration days and the like, so 330K daily would be an insane amount for a single station (outside Asia). 20K passengers per hour is certainly plausible (1,400 pax/8-car train x 26 trains/hour = 36,400 pax/hr line capacity), but remember that Metro's ridership is very highly peaked, with 2/3 of travel at peak hours.

If you were out on inauguration day, you know how busy that was, with lines to enter stations stretching for blocks. That afternoon is what 300K passengers entering the Metro system looks like:
http://planitmetro.com/2013/01/23/me...uguration-day/

Now, some perfectly valid reasons you might want to consider before cavalierly dismissing Metro as "not that busy":
1. Metro counts "boardings," TTC counts "customers travelling to and from each station platform," so its reported numbers are twice as high, and double-double-count intra-station transfers. You would think, since Metro's turnstiles count exits and TTC's do not, that it would be the other way around, but no. It might have something to do with FTA or APTA reporting requirements.
2. TTC is -- for many reasons including higher gas prices, high-rise TOD, cheaper bus transfers, lower incomes, and fewer highways -- a busier system with fewer stations, so naturally its station pax counts are higher. Just as Metro is a busier system with fewer stations than CTA, particularly in the core, so 8 Metro stations beat the busiest CTA station.
3. As I mentioned, Metro is very highly peaked, probably more so than just about any system in the Americas, so all-day ridership numbers understate the crowds at peak hours.

FWIW, the two Farraguts, with 46,371 daily pax, beat Union Station with 33,697. That would make it the 18th busiest NYC subway station, edging out Canal St (NQRJZ6). Or, in Japan, the Farraguts would also probably just edge out "Cat Heaven Island" (pop. 100, plus cats) in rail ridership.

[afiggatt]

Several developments in the topic of rail transit in DC and Baltimore region today. Weekend service on the Penn Line is now about to be a reality. Governor O'Malley signed the transportation funding bill announcing $1.2 billion in new funding for highway and transit projects in the linked press release. The funding includes:

•$100 M for MARC Enhancements (Penn-weekend service, Camden-weekday 2 new roundtrips, New locomotives) – Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions;

•Transit Funding for Final Design (Red Line $170M, Purple Line $280M, Corridor Cities Transitway $100M) – Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions.

The Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line LRT projects got significant amounts of funding for the next several years to get through the final design and contract bid & award stage. And at the $280 million and $170 million funding levels, probably money for property acquisition and pre-construction ROW projects.

On the Virginia side, MWAA announced the award of the major construction contract for Phase 2 of the DC Metro Silver Line to extend the Silver Line to Reston Town Center, Herndon, Dulles Airport, and Ashburn. To be completed by 2018.

Interesting thinking about where the DC-Baltimore region could be in 8-1/2 years by end of 2021 if all the transit projects stay on schedule (hey, it could happen!):

1. Silver Line to Tysons, Reston, Dulles, Ashburn.
2. Purple Line LRT spanning across 4 Metro lines in MD.
3. TBD miles of the DC Streetcar 22 mile core system running, probably just the major east-west One City Line. But a streetcar line from Benning Road to Union Station to K street to Georgetown would be a major accomplishment.
4. Columbia Pike Streetcar in VA.
5. Crystal City to Potomac Yard to Braddock Road Transitway BRT (should be a streetcar line).
6. MARC running a 7 day a week Regional rail service between DC, BWI, and Baltimore.
7. Red Line LRT in Baltimore connecting West Baltimore MARC stop to downtown Baltimore and providing a east-west transit line across the city & a start of a semi-connected rail transit system.
8. TBD miles of a Montgomery county Corridor Cities Transitway BRT system.
9. WMATA finally wrapping up the Metro Forward project with far fewer weekend service disruptions. As an extra bonus, escalators outages are less frequent.

Any other DC-Baltimore transit projects that could be in service by 2021/2022 that I'm leaving out?

[202_Cyclist]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

Several developments in the topic of rail transit in DC and Baltimore region today. Weekend service on the Penn Line is now about to be a reality. Governor O'Malley signed the transportation funding bill announcing $1.2 billion in new funding for highway and transit projects in the linked press release. The funding includes:

•$100 M for MARC Enhancements (Penn-weekend service, Camden-weekday 2 new roundtrips, New locomotives) – Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions;

•Transit Funding for Final Design (Red Line $170M, Purple Line $280M, Corridor Cities Transitway $100M) – Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions.

The Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line LRT projects got significant amounts of funding for the next several years to get through the final design and contract bid & award stage. And at the $280 million and $170 million funding levels, probably money for property acquisition and pre-construction ROW projects.

On the Virginia side, MWAA announced the award of the major construction contract for Phase 2 of the DC Metro Silver Line to extend the Silver Line to Reston Town Center, Herndon, Dulles Airport, and Ashburn. To be completed by 2018.

Interesting thinking about where the DC-Baltimore region could be in 8-1/2 years by end of 2021 if all the transit projects stay on schedule (hey, it could happen!):

1. Silver Line to Tysons, Reston, Dulles, Ashburn.
2. Purple Line LRT spanning across 4 Metro lines in MD.
3. TBD miles of the DC Streetcar 22 mile core system running, probably just the major east-west One City Line. But a streetcar line from Benning Road to Union Station to K street to Georgetown would be a major accomplishment.
4. Columbia Pike Streetcar in VA.
5. Crystal City to Potomac Yard to Braddock Road Transitway BRT (should be a streetcar line).
6. MARC running a 7 day a week Regional rail service between DC, BWI, and Baltimore.
7. Red Line LRT in Baltimore connecting West Baltimore MARC stop to downtown Baltimore and providing a east-west transit line across the city & a start of a semi-connected rail transit system.
8. TBD miles of a Montgomery county Corridor Cities Transitway BRT system.
9. WMATA finally wrapping up the Metro Forward project with far fewer weekend service disruptions. As an extra bonus, escalators outages are less frequent.

Any other DC-Baltimore transit projects that could be in service by 2021/2022 that I'm leaving out?

Infill Potomac Yards station and an improved and enlarged metro-rail station.

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

Infill Potomac Yards station and an improved and enlarged metro-rail station.

Yes, overlooked the infill station. The most recent tentative completion date I saw for it in a presentation from from earlier this year was mid-2017. Since they are deciding where to put the station, I figure the date for opening the Potomac Yard station will slide. But if the PY station is completed by 2018, by the end of 2018, the DC Metro will be a 129 mile heavy rail system with 98 stations. Respectable size.

By end of 2021, some of the station expansion and upgrade projects should be completed. And PE/EIS studies will be underway on the next system expansion.

If WMATA ever gets going on it, the pedestrian tunnel for the Farragut Square stations should not take that long to build and be done by 2021. As a side note, I think they should have tied the building of that pedestrian tunnel to the Silver Line project for Tysons commuters living along the Bethesda to Rockville axis who will try to take the Red Line inbound and the Silver Line to Tysons. Metro Center will get even more swamped on poor weather days as the Red to Silver line commuters skip the virtual tunnel connection.

[dc_denizen]

What's the plan for Potomac Yards? "tear down that mall" I hope...

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

What's the plan for Potomac Yards? "tear down that mall" I hope...

The Potomac Yard Center strip mall was always intended to be mostly "temporary" as a stopgap until the area was fully re-developed. It has been there for, what?, over 10 years, so it not all that "temporary". The Potomac Yards area has seen a number of new residential and mixed use buildings go up in recent years with the Crystal City - Potomac Yard Transitway BRT is under construction.

The City of Alexandria website on the PY development plans. Quite extensive TOD plans.

The Potomac Yard Metro Station study website with the EIS drafts and maps showing the alternate locations for the infill station.

[202_Cyclist]

Mae culpa-- I meant to type: "Infill Potomac Yards station and an improved and enlarged metro-rail station at Rosslyn. Work is well underway for an expanded, modern station at Rosslyn to help accommodate and added passengers from the Silver Line.i

[mthd]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

33,000 and 26,000 a day is not that busy for a major transfer station.

There are suburban subway stations that clock in those figures and higher, without crowding problems, for example.

what suburban subway stations have 33,000+ boardings?

[dc_denizen]

It (Potomac yards) does feel a little challenging to develop, given the sewage treatment plant is on Jeff Davis across the street (and was recently renovated/expanded)...

[JG573]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

As an extra bonus, escalators outages are less frequent. 2

Made me laugh because I just realized every time I am in DC for business like this past march at least half the escalators are not working or shut down. I never stopped to think what is wrong with this system or to look it up.

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

Mae culpa-- I meant to type: "Infill Potomac Yards station and an improved and enlarged metro-rail station at Rosslyn. Work is well underway for an expanded, modern station at Rosslyn to help accommodate and added passengers from the Silver Line.i

The Rosslyn station is not the only one that will be upgraded in the near term. The Red Line Medical Center station has a $68 million project to build getting a new entrance, escalators, high-speed elevators and underground walkway under Wisconsin Ave for better access to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Supposed to be completed by 2015. Dug up an agreement and project summary PDF file that describes the project. The $68 million is all federal funding, $40M from DOD and $28M FHA.

There are a number of station expansion and/or new second entrance studies on the WMATA website, but most of them appear to be on the shelf waiting for funding or a driving reason to expand the station. While some of the planned station upgrades can be lumped into a general station improvement category which won't effect ridership, adding a new entrance on the other end of the station for the underground stations expands the easy pedestrian reach of the Metro and can grow ridership. But I have not read much about some of the proposed new station entrances, such as Foggy Bottom, in some time.

[cambron J]

Lane Closings Continue Day and Night as Paving, Stations Finish Work, Mark Silver Line Progress


View From The Top: Significant progress is taking place at the Tysons Corner Station along the northwest side of Route 123 at Tysons Boulevard. Crews continue to work on installation of elevators, the pedestrian bridges and access pavilions. Escalators are under construction; these are some of the highest escalators in Phase 1, according to construction officials. The barrel canopy, the concrete topping on the slab and skylights are almost done. Pedestrians will be able to access Tysons Corner Center via a bridge across busy Route 123.
Photo by Stephen Barna, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

With completion of the construction of Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project expected in September, some major milestones have been reached but lots of work is still taking place. Construction is 92 percent complete. Utility work is virtually complete. Aerial guideway is complete. Heavy station construction is complete and pedestrian bridges have been installed. Inside those stations and bridges, systems and finishing work is taking place.

While traffic impacts are easing all along the alignment, lane closings continue during the day and overnight.

Roads/Infrastructure
As work on final touches for Routes 7 and 123 and nearby roads continues, the framework for the sidewalks along Route 7 is clearly visible. Other work includes:

• Pavement restoration on I-66, the Dulles Connector Road, the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Airport Road where crews are also removing traffic barriers and installing permanent guardrails.
• Lane closings continue on Routes 7 and 123, Tysons Boulevard and other adjacent streets because of paving and other work related to significant shifts to complete the final reconfiguration.
• Significant closings, especially overnight, are happening on the Toll and Airport Roads near Wiehle Avenue.</li><li>Installation of electrical work for new traffic signals.
• Installation of permanent sidewalks, curb and entrances ongoing.</li><li>Installation of light pole foundations (Dominion Virginia Power will install light poles).

Drivers and pedestrians must remain aware of substantial nighttime milling and paving on Route 7 and Route 123. Specific details are available daily at www.dullesmetro.com.

Testing

• Test trains are running all along the alignment, with a focus on safe braking.
• Testing continues at all Traction Power Substations.

Stations

Stations are at various levels of completion with Wiehle-Reston East and the McLean Station (at Route 123 and Scotts Run/Colshire Drive) being closest to completion. Work continues on pedestrian bridges and entrance pavilions. Work includes:

• Installation of ceiling panels and curtain walls.
• Installation of elevators and escalators, primarily in pedestrian bridge pavilions.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is a 23-mile expansion of the existing Metrorail system. Known as the Silver Line, the extension is being built in two phases by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). Phase 1 construction completion is anticipated in September. The project then will be turned over to the Washington Metropolitan Washington Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for additional testing and scheduling of opening day.


Expansion At West Falls Church Rail Yard: The basement floor slab for the Service and Inspection Building has been placed and the steel framing is underway. In addition the wall and pier foundation for the Long Track Sound Cover Box, designed to minimize noise, is done.
Photo by Stephen Barna, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project


Finshing Touches: Crews work along the aerial guideway while others prepare for sidewalks along the westbound lanes of Route 7.
Photo by Chuck Samuelson, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Airports Authority Awards Contract for Phase 2 of the Silver Line

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has awarded the contract for the major design-build portion of Phase 2 of the Silver Line to Capital Rail Constructors, a joint venture consisting of Clark Construction Group and Kiewit Infrastructure South Co.

The contract, which was officially awarded on May 14, formally names the team to design and build the 11.4-mile segment of the Silver Line, consisting of six stations and running from Reston, Va., through Washington Dulles International Airport and into Ashburn in eastern Loudoun County.

"This is the first of many milestones to come for the second phase of the Silver Line," said Jack Potter, President and CEO of MWAA. "The Phase 2 contract, awarded through a competitive bid process, and with the coordination and collaboration of our project partners, is moving forward to construction. Its completion will improve the transportation options for those traveling through the region and serve as a major driver for the local economy."

This contract is the largest of several Phase 2 procurement packages and represents approximately 50 percent of Phase 2 work. The stations are at Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Route 606 and Route 772/Ashburn.

The next step will be the issuance of a Notice to Proceed which is expected in July.


Evidence Of Sidewalks: Dulles Rail crews are continuing to build sidewalks and create spaces for plantings and street lights along Route 7. The light poles will later be installed by Dominion Virginia Power.
Photo by Chuck Samuelson, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Information Please!

Fairfax County has information about many items of interest to future Silver Line users, including:

• Phase 1 Silver Line stations
• Fairfax Connector Draft Silver Line, Phase 1 Service Plan
• Metrobus Final Silver Line, Phase 1 Service Plan
• Reston Area Metrorail Station Access Projects
• Reston Master Plan/Dulles Corridor Special Study
• Tysons Area Metrorail Station Access Projects
• Tysons Redevelopment Efforts

Information about these topics is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/dullesmetro.

###

Link to PDF version should be at Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project web site soon.