O'Hare, Midway, and Heathrow are all at the ends of their respective rail lines. I don't see where there is a requirement in engineering or law that says MWAA has to build a giant commuter lot or run any shuttle buses.

by Michael Perkins on Jun 8, 2012 9:06 am • link • report

Yeah, I don't see the problem. Parking at IAD for commuting purposes would be prohibitively expensive and not convenient at all. The economy lots at Dulles would cost $10 a day (twice that of Metro's most expensive lots) and the need to shuttle from the economy lot to the rail station and then catch a train just wouldn't induce anyone to do that on a regular basis.

Michael - Atlanta also has their airport at the terminus of one of the MARTA lines.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 9:15 am • link • report

There is a very big garage right next to the proposed Dulles station. Its rates may be higher than those at WMATA garages, but so what?

There's no obligation on MWAA to cater to Loudoun park and ride commuters if Loudoun doesn't want to.

There's nothing stopping Loudoun from building a park and ride with shuttle buses, should it feel that its residents need that.

by jim on Jun 8, 2012 9:16 am • link • report

So what we're saying is that if you're from Loudoun and your government doesn't want to pay for you to have Metro, then you don't have Metro?

Ok.

by Michael Perkins on Jun 8, 2012 9:20 am • link • report

I think the IAD-metro parking problem is the other way round. When airline passengers drive to IAD, instead of parking in the long-term parking for $10/day, they could park in the convenient metro lot which also has a shuttle for only $4.25/day. Thus metro parking is undercutting the price of IAD long-term parking.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 9:20 am • link • report

Re:the commuter parking lot being built at Dulles.

MWAA does not have to build this. The station at Dulles is for the airport not for daily commuters into the city. Since Loudoun taxpayers are not paying for Metro, they will have to go to the penultimate station to find parking or pay Dulles parking rates.

I'm sure the principled conservatives in Loudoun county don't expect special treatment and don't want to be perceived as "free riders". So, I think they will understand.

by Tom on Jun 8, 2012 9:22 am • link • report

If Loudoun is going to run a bunch of shuttle buses, they should probably end at Herndon-Monroe, where there's already a big bus facility.

by Michael Perkins on Jun 8, 2012 9:23 am • link • report

Thus metro parking is undercutting the price of IAD long-term parking.

Metro only allows overnight parking at Greenbelt, Huntington, and Franconia-Springfield - all of which would feature an awful long metro ride to the airport. I don't think that's going to undercut IAD's on-site parking revenues.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 9:26 am • link • report

I think the sane antis in Loudoun expect to run county subsidized bus service to the "coppermine" station (the penultimate station on Rte 28 between the airport and herndon) LC already subsidizes bus service to tysons, DC, and I think maybe to West Falls Church. Of course driving to coppermine without paying the dtr tolls will be problematic, IIUC. The insane antis (of which there is no small share) may well assume they can drive into Dulles and get park there, and avoid the DTR tolls. MWAA is simply making clear that that will not be an option. As part of the positioning around the LC BoS decision.

by AWalkerInTheCity on Jun 8, 2012 9:27 am • link • report

Why should Metro parking lots be at the airport? Loudoun already has a number of park and ride lots. These can simply go to the Dulles stop instead of Reston or Falls Church. For weekened or other non-rush traffic, people can part at Herndon-Monroe.

by movement on Jun 8, 2012 9:29 am • link • report

Alex B: Metro only allows overnight parking at Greenbelt, Huntington, and Franconia-Springfield - all of which would feature an awful long metro ride to the airport. I don't think that's going to undercut IAD's on-site parking revenues.

Yes, but what about parking along the new silver line, with giant new parking garages? Surely they will allow overnight parking somewhere on this line.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 9:35 am • link • report

The sudden change in "hot" neighborhoods is that many of them are all at once.

When I came into Dupont/Logan (14th Street) eons ago to rehabilitate there was only Logan Circle, Adams Morgan and Capitol Hill that were rehabiltating. There were so few of us that we had to gather in certain neighborhoods for what little security we could have (and it was little). LeDroit Park, Logan North, Shaw, Columbia Heights and certainly Bloomingdale weren't on the horizon.

Today when I visit Eckington, Brookland, Petworth, Bunker Hill, and Michigan Park there are middle income renovations everywhere. In fact there are few neighborhoods WOR that aren't safe now for rehabilitation. My view is that all of Ward 5 is going to recover very fast (as it should- it was DC's middle income neighborhood).

I don't think new people understand what a difference it is that now the vast majority of the city is "hot" and middle-class livable. And these are the types people (unlike those in the human file cabinets) who will register and regularly vote, get involved in local affairs, and do the hard civic work of the city.

by Tom Coumaris on Jun 8, 2012 9:38 am • link • report

Surely they will allow overnight parking somewhere on this line.

Surely? What makes you say that?

Metro lists 42 stations with parking of some kind on their website, and 3 of those allow overnight parking.

There's nothing sure about that, at all.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 9:39 am • link • report

@AlexB; yes, the overnight thing is an issue. But WAMTA will run the lot, no -- not MWAA. They have an incentive to undercut the pricing.

But a truly bizzare way to make the argument for extendint Silver to further. More evidence of how tone deaf MWAA is.

Would you be entitled to use the Dulles Access Road if you are driving to the meto station to park?

by charlie on Jun 8, 2012 9:41 am • link • report

David Catania has once again demonstrated why he's an idiot. What's up w/this dude? Seriously.

I would rather VO become chair but considering the ABY's, he likely won't. Don't know much, well nothing, about Mendelson but he doesn't instantly turn my stomach sour. So sure thing!

by HogWash on Jun 8, 2012 9:44 am • link • report

@Alex B: please don't be obtuse. Metro has built large parking garages for commuters at all the ends of its lines, and to not provide one at the presumed end of the line at IAD would discourage the very purpose of building the line. But then if they do, they need to charge the same as in all the other lots, which would seriously undercut the prices IAD charges. The station will be at the other side of the daily lot, and any parking they may provide compete directly with the IAD hourly ($36/day) and daily lot ($17/day).

This is a problem.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 9:47 am • link • report

@Tom Coumaris

My wife and I are perfect examples of that. We moved into northern Petworth in October 2010, and couldn't be happier. We are engaged, both vote, and follow the issues. We also call the 911 when necessary, and plant grass, clean up our street, and just built an awesome Trex deck. The wheels of progress are certainly moving forward.

by Kyle W on Jun 8, 2012 9:48 am • link • report

"And these are the types people (unlike those in the human file cabinets) "

I'd love to see data on the number of brilliant intellectual works produced by NYers (esp on the UWS) who lived in apts, vs rowhouse dwelling Washingtonians. I hope the rowhouse dwellers in Trinidad, Bloomingdale, etc, are less narrow minded about different forms of urban living than some of the folks who pioneered Logan circle and Du Pont Circle seem to be.

by ExNYer on Jun 8, 2012 9:51 am • link • report

"Would you be entitled to use the Dulles Access Road if you are driving to the meto station to park"

The people at issue are from Loudoun County, they would be driving on either the Greenway or on local roads to get to Dulles to park.

And I doubt that WMATA is going to establish overnight parking at Herndon or Reston - they will want good relations with MWAA. And if theres a fear of that, MWAA could enter an MOU with WMATA to avoid that.

by AWalkerInTheCity on Jun 8, 2012 9:54 am • link • report

Goldfish,

please don't be obtuse. Metro has built large parking garages for commuters at all the ends of its lines, and to not provide one at the presumed end of the line at IAD would discourage the very purpose of building the line.

Not all of the other Metro lines end at International Airports. For commuting purposes (if the line does indeed stop at IAD), the Route 28 station would be the effective end of the line. It would also likely be far more convenient for a driver looking to park and ride, since it would be right there adjacent to the toll road.

But then if they do, they need to charge the same as in all the other lots, which would seriously undercut the prices IAD charges.

First, there's no obligation to build a commuter lot at all. Second, if they did, there's no obligation to charge the same price as other Metro lots. Third, Metro charges substantially different prices for its parking garages, depending on capacity and utilization.

This is a problem.

No, it is not. I don't know how much simpler I can put it.

Charlie,

yes, the overnight thing is an issue. But WAMTA will run the lot, no -- not MWAA. They have an incentive to undercut the pricing.

WMATA will run what lot? WMATA will most certainly not be building or operating any parking facilities on the IAD grounds, therefore the pricing argument is moot. Off-site lots won't undercut IAD's parking any more than current remote parking sites already do. No big deal.

But a truly bizzare way to make the argument for extendint Silver to further. More evidence of how tone deaf MWAA is.

Yes, it is odd. I get what the MWAA guy is trying to get at, but he didn't go about it very well.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 9:58 am • link • report

@Goldfish

I don't see hime being obtuse at all. If Loudon County does not see fit to ensure Metro makes it into the county, then there is absolutely no reason to build parking to accomodate people from mostly Loudon County. The people directly south and north of the station can easily be accomodated by Metro Bus.

Outside of potentially overnight parking at the last two Loudon County stops (if built) I highly doubt there will be overnight parking at any of the Fairfax County stops. Not a good use of the space in the least.

by Kyle W on Jun 8, 2012 10:05 am • link • report

This has already been said a few times, but I feel it necessary to chime in as well.

If Loudoun drops out of the system, the Route 28 station will be the primary park+ride for those commuters, not the Dulles Airport station. The primary reason being that Route 28 is more convenient to the Dulles Greenway, but also because MWAA is not going to let commuter parking displace airport parking.

Atlanta is a perfect example of this. Despite the fact that it's the southernmost station on the Red/Gold Line, it has no MARTA parking. Commuters bound for Downtown Atlanta by subway park at the penultimate (second-to-last) station, College Park.

by Matt Johnson on Jun 8, 2012 10:06 am • link • report

If the Loudoun county board backs out, wouldn't Coppermine/Rt. 28 become the effective end of the line stop for commuters? Coppermine is slated to get 2,000 parking spaces, which presumably could be expanded if needed, albeit costing Fairfax additional money. Dulles Airport should stick to airport parking. If too many commuters start parking there, taking up capacity (although Dulles has HUGE amounts of parking), that would give MWAA an excuse to raise parking rates to discourage the commuters.

Hopefully the Loudoun board will not back out, because those 2 stations in Loudoun will eventually get built, but it would take another 10+ years and cost more money to restart the project as a Phase 3 build-out.

by AlanF on Jun 8, 2012 10:06 am • link • report

Advice to new metro riders:

The advice in the Post article pretty much sums it up. But I will add a few:

Don't smoke. Our subway platforms are relatively tolerable places to breathe (when the brake lubricant odors are under control) compared to other nearby cities. A big part of that is that folks are considerate enough to not smoke in an underground space shared with hundreds of other people. I was incredulous when I encountered this behavior regularly in my few months in Philadelphia. In my many years in DC, I've encountered a smoker on the platform once. Don't be that guy.

Don't look over the shoulder of the person you sit down next to and comment on what they're writing.

Please don't use any song with autotune as your ringtone.

Don't turn your back completely on the person sitting on the inside seat and listen to loud headphones. Keep that person somewhere in your peripheral vision in case s/he needs to get off before you.

Pay attention to where the green arrows are lit up on the faregates. Use those. Not the ones with the red Xs.

On the regular narrow gates with the SmarTrip sensor on top, you don't need to wait for the gate to close before swiping yours. Keep moving.

The wide faregates with the SmarTrip sensor on the inside allow traffic in both directions and DO need to close before swiping your card.

by Lucre on Jun 8, 2012 10:07 am • link • report

@alexb; well, maybe that is the crux of the argument. He doesn't want a WMATA lot on MWAA property. Or even that possibility.

by charlie on Jun 8, 2012 10:17 am • link • report

I'm not seeing the parking issue at Dulles either - I see the point, but they're not building a parking lot there for commuters anyway, that they now have to enlarge. The point of the stop is to *avoid* the need for additional parking. All they need to do is make clear that, as Michael Perkins points out, the commuter/bus endpoint should be a different station.

by ah on Jun 8, 2012 10:21 am • link • report

As a taxpayer, I am quite tired of the expense of all these special elections, especially those occasioned by CMs' greed and avarice.

I think that any CM who vacates a seat early for any reason other than death or serious incapacitation should be required to pay a substantial portion of the costs of that special election. At a minimum, this rule should apply to any CM who resigns in connection with criminal charges or to run for some other office (or fill another office).

by ah on Jun 8, 2012 10:24 am • link • report

Re: advice for interns - how pathetic is it that this is actually a piece of advice from the Post?

● Expect delays.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the transportation system for the (once?) most powerful city on the planet: Metro. Now, expect delays.

by Shipsa01 on Jun 8, 2012 10:31 am • link • report

If Loudoun drops out of the system, the Route 28 station will be the primary park+ride for those commuters, not the Dulles Airport station. The primary reason being that Route 28 is more convenient to the Dulles Greenway, but also because MWAA is not going to let commuter parking displace airport parking.

Right: so they build a multi-billion line (don't know how much if IAD is the new end of it) and make it impossible for commuters to use it, so that it can be used by a small fraction of the potential passengers, the airport people? Without ridership, the project is by all accounts -- even people here -- a failure. Parking is going to happen.

The point about MWAA-parking indicates a textbook conflict of interest.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 10:48 am • link • report

@goldfish Except for the commuters that take a bus to the metro station, of course.

by Michael Perkins on Jun 8, 2012 10:52 am • link • report

Goldfish,

and make it impossible for commuters to use it,

There's going to be a 2,000 car garage at the Route 28 station. The Herndon-Monroe station will have parking for 3,500 cars. How you square that fact with the thought of 'making it impossible for [car] commuters to use it,' I'll never know.

Parking is going to happen.

I assume you mean at the airport. And if it does, how will that be a problem? They're free to park there if they like, they'll just be paying the same rates as if they were catching a flight.

Again, I'm failing to see what the problem is here.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 10:55 am • link • report

"Right: so they build a multi-billion line (don't know how much if IAD is the new end of it) and make it impossible for commuters to use it, so that it can be used by a small fraction of the potential passengers, the airport people? Without ridership, the project is by all accounts -- even people here -- a failure. Parking is going to happen"

There's going to be plenty of parking @ rte 28, Herndon, and Reston Wiehle (in phase 1) - it just probably won't be overnight parking. leaving aside all the users who won't need park and ride.

by AWalkerInTheCity on Jun 8, 2012 10:55 am • link • report

@ahI think that any CM who vacates a seat early for any reason other than death or serious incapacitation should be required to pay a substantial portion of the costs of that special election.

Besides the constitutional question, how would you enforce this idea?

I wonder how taxpayer money is used in special elections. What are the actual costs.

by HogWash on Jun 8, 2012 10:55 am • link • report

@Alex B: How you square that fact with the thought of 'making it impossible for [car] commuters to use it,' I'll never know.

After re-reading what I wrote, is was apparaent that I was not clear. I was refering to the last section, from the rte 28 stop to the IAD stop.

The cost of this line is about $287 million/mile. So you think they will build that last piece, around 2.5 miles and costing over $700 million, and not provide for commuters?

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 11:02 am • link • report

@Hogwash - I'm not sure what the constitutional question is, but the obligation could be written into statute. It might be funded by diverting a portion of each CM's salary to a trust account held in reserve until the end of the CM's term. The trust account might also be able to provide loans that must be repaid.

A quick google search shows that they can cost $500k, although it depends on whether the election is for a single ward or citywide.

by ah on Jun 8, 2012 11:09 am • link • report

The cost of this line is about $287 million/mile. So you think they will build that last piece, around 2.5 miles and costing over $700 million, and not provide for commuters?

Yes.

Because IAD is a major employment center as well as a major traveling destination. Because IAD is an inappropriate site for park and ride facilities.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 11:10 am • link • report

@goldfish, Dulles is not and never was supposed to be a commuter parking stop on the Silver Line. I don't quite understand your point. The Dulles station will get people flying in and out of Dulles, people who work at Dulles, and visitors to the Udvar-Hazy Center. If the parking capacity at Coppermine/Rt. 28 has to be increased, it will be. Americans may get into political foodfights over building transit, but by god, we will build parking garages and parking lots with nary a complaint.

by AlanF on Jun 8, 2012 11:13 am • link • report

I wonder how taxpayer money is used in special elections. What are the actual costs.

Forget that. Special elections don't receive the full attention of the electorate, and it's unnecessarily difficult for people who work during normal business hours to go out and vote. That's the real cost.

It's not a *huge* imposition, but it does keep people away from the polls. Cutting down on the number of elections will almost certainly be a good thing for the democratic process in DC.

by andrew on Jun 8, 2012 11:14 am • link • report

Alex B: Because IAD is a major employment center as well as a major traveling destination. Because IAD is an inappropriate site for park and ride facilities.

Do the numbers work? i.e., are there enough workers that will use the metro to justify $700 million? That is a lot of money.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 11:23 am • link • report

@goldfish, as noted elsewhere, a number of other cities have had success with heavy rail lines that terminate at major airports without commuter parking, so it would seem likely that there are enough airport customers/employees to make this leg of the Silver Line feasible.

by cminus on Jun 8, 2012 11:35 am • link • report

In addition to the fact that airport access from Tysons is probably considered important to Fairfax County development plans, and that MWAA's participation assumed the line would serve Dulles. To redo the plans for termination at Coppermine is not in the cards - both MWAA and FFX county have said that if LC doesnt play, they will build to DULLES and USDOT seems okay with that, as does the commonwealth (now that the eevil unions are out of the picture).

by AWalkerInTheCity on Jun 8, 2012 11:39 am • link • report

@goldfish, the primary driver behind the Silver Line extension has always been to build a Metro line to Dulles. We might have built a short branch line to Tysons Corner if that all there was in that direction.

The Silver Line can not end at Coppermine/Rt. 28 because the service yard is to be located on the grounds of Dulles Airport pass the airport station. The airport station looks to be roughly 1.5 miles from the Coppermine station, BTW.

As for passenger numbers, Reagan National averages around 6700 passenger boardings on weekdays. Is that enough to justify a station at Reagan National, in your opinion? For comparison, Reagan National handled 18.8 million passengers in 2011 compared to 23 million for Dulles.

by AlanF on Jun 8, 2012 11:46 am • link • report

@cminus: the examples cited were O'Hare, Midway, and Heathrow, and successful amounts of ridership was not supported. Regardless, the lines to these airports might have significant amounts of airline passenger traffic, enough to make them a feasable; however for IAD, they do not expect much of this kind of traffic.

To the point: today, all workers must commute by car to IAD, and I will bet that of these, most do NOT live near a silverline stop. Most workers will continue to commute by car. Without commuter parking, there will be very few riders to IAD. It would be better to run a shuttle from the rte 28 stop.

Thus: $700 million for the IAD stop is not justified without providing for commuters.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 11:48 am • link • report

goldfish,

Go to page 6-10 of this pdf, the EIS:
http://www.dullesmetro.com/pdfs/FEIS_I/FTA_FEIS_Chapter_6.pdf

You'll see that projected weekday boardings for the locally preferred alternative (i.e. metrorail) by station for 2025. You'll also notice that amongst the 11 metro stations, the 6,200 daily boardings projected at IAD would rank that station the 4th busiest along the Silver Line.

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 11:58 am • link • report

I go to DCA, IAD, and BWI a lot and I know I won't be tempted to use the silver line to IAD because of all the stops and how unbearably long it will take from DC. If it were a dedicated rapid rail to IAD like European cities have it would be different.

I'll still take the dedicated bus.

by Tom Coumaris on Jun 8, 2012 11:58 am • link • report

@Goldfish

Facts? Anything? Are you just spouting from the mouth for fun? A prior poster just informed you that 6700 passengers a day used the DCA stop. First, where do you get your info that most of the people do not live near a silver line stop?

It would be better to run a shuttle from the rt 28 stop.

No. No it wouldn't.

I suppose none of the people who work in Tysons will decide to use the metro for the few stops to Dulles to fly out?

by Kyle W on Jun 8, 2012 12:00 pm • link • report

all workers must commute by car to IAD, and I will bet that of these, most do NOT live near a silverline stop. Most workers will continue to commute by car. Without commuter parking, there will be very few riders to IAD.

Where do they park now? The issue isn't workers commuting to IAD. It is commuters from Loudon county and elsewhere parking at IAD to use the silver line to commute from IAD to Tysons, DC, etc.

by ah on Jun 8, 2012 12:10 pm • link • report

Re: IAD commuter lot

A commuter lot that required folks to take a shuttle to the IAD Silver Line station would be very poorly used, if at all. It would be one thing if folks could drive to an IAD commuter lot and then walk to the station like is possible at every other park-n-ride facility in the system. However, if they have to park-n-shuttle, it is quicker and cheaper for them to park-n-shuttle to the West Falls Church station (or directly to Tysons) using the existing park-n-shuttle lots. The only reason anyone would park-n-shuttle to the IAD station is if they were going some place between IAD and Tysons (like Reston).

by Falls Church on Jun 8, 2012 12:14 pm • link • report

Alex B: thanks for the link. But those boardings assume two more stops in the westward direction, which will feed people from Loudoun county to the airport, that will not be available. How much I do not know, and at this stage probably nobody does. But it surely is a goodly fraction, like 30-45%. Picking 30%, the number is reduced to 4340. It also assumes a park-and-ride center at Dulles, which you think should be deleted. Surely the IAD P-and-R will be the source of a significant number of boardings. Take that away, you've got hardly any. I'll generously give you 1500 boardings/day.

Is that worth $700 million, particularly in a largely car-dependent area that is very sensitive to how its tax dollars are spent? My bet is no, and that the Park and Ride will get built.

by goldfish on Jun 8, 2012 12:14 pm • link • report

and it's unnecessarily difficult for people who work during normal business hours to go out and vote.

Normal business hours are 9-5. Why is it difficult for people who work during those times to go out and vote. Polls are usually open until 7 or 8.

by HogWash on Jun 8, 2012 12:16 pm • link • report

goldfish,

I'll generously give you 1500 boardings/day.

Gentlemen's bet on that?

Is that worth $700 million, particularly in a largely car-dependent area that is very sensitive to how its tax dollars are spent? My bet is no, and that the Park and Ride will get built.

Look, there's nothing against the idea of parking and riding at Dulles. You could do that now (if the train magically appeared tomorrow) - but you'd just be paying the airport parking rates. It's that simple - park at the airport, pay airport rates. There will be a nice large parking garage next to the metro station. It currently charges $17 a day.

Are you going to go on a crusade to get MWAA to lower their parking rates at DCA so that they match WMATA's garage rate range, too?

by Alex B. on Jun 8, 2012 12:41 pm • link • report

@Goldfish

There is no proposal for a park-n-ride at IAD. The proposal is for a park-n-shuttle to the station.

by Falls Church on Jun 8, 2012 12:41 pm • link • report

If Loudon County doesn't want the silver line then don't give it to them, which also means no parking for their commuters either. They get nothing. Dulles Management should grow a pair and tell the Loudon BoS to step off. Let 'em sit in the traffic of their own creation. In 5-10 years they'll be screaming for stations.

by DC on Jun 8, 2012 12:44 pm • link • report

Other airports that have rapid transit that terminates at an airport w/o commuter parking: Atlanta, Cleveland, Seattle, San Francisco. All but Seattle are hub airports and Seattle sortof is (for a smallish carrier< Alask; United used to be a major player as was Northwest).

by Rich on Jun 8, 2012 12:59 pm • link • report

"How much I do not know, and at this stage probably nobody does. But it surely is a goodly fraction, like 30-45%. "

I would expect loudoun to dulles air passenger would make up much less than 10% of dulles riders. Not sure about the dulles airport workers, but I would think well under 20%. where do you get the 30% + from?

by AWalkerInTheCity on Jun 8, 2012 12:59 pm • link • report

Examiner links for a non-scandal?

by Rich on Jun 8, 2012 1:00 pm • link • report

Another Metro tip for new riders:

Don't wait until you are standing in the faregate to fish through your purse/pocket for your farecard.

by Catoe No Mo' on Jun 8, 2012 2:34 pm • link • report

Normal business hours are 9-5. Why is it difficult for people who work during those times to go out and vote. Polls are usually open until 7 or 8.

So, that leaves the entire working population (many of which have families, and work later than 5 etc) with 2-3 hours to vote.

Considering that comparatively little is at stake in an off-cycle election, it's very difficult to get voters out to the polls.

by andrew on Jun 8, 2012 3:12 pm • link • report

Considering that comparatively little is at stake in an off-cycle election, it's very difficult to get voters out to the polls.

I don't disagree w/that in theory. But in practice, the hours are the same in every US jurisdiction. My point was that the hours for special elections are no different than those in normal primary/general elections. The limitations have always been the same.

by HogWash on Jun 8, 2012 3:33 pm • link • report

@goldfish, "But it surely is a goodly fraction, like 30-45%. Picking 30%, the number is reduced to 4340". Do you really think that 30% of the passengers getting off at a Dulles station would be coming from the 2 further out stations in Loudoun county?? Yea, there will be some, mostly those commuting to work at Dulles from Ashburn and a few dropped off at the station to get to Dulles to catch a flight. But 30% of all passengers who would be traveling to Dulles versus the other 94 stations in the Metro system if the full Silver Line is built?

No, if Loudoun drops out (for now), Dulles will see only a marginal effect in ridership numbers. Coppermine/Rt. 28 will see the biggest effect with more commuters.

by AlanF on Jun 8, 2012 4:41 pm • link • report

If Loudon doesn't want Metro then so be it. But if they want to use the parking at the Rte 28 stop I have no problem with making them pay toll fees on the Greenway and Toll Road for it.

by Rain17 on Jun 8, 2012 4:49 pm • link • report

Alex B: I'll generously give you 1500 boardings/day. Gentlemen's bet on that?

OK, I'll bet you a scoop at Baskin-Robbins.

But since it is based on IAD being the end of the line, which I am doubtful will come to pass -- it'll go to LC -- chances are small that we will ever know.

by goldfish on Jun 9, 2012 4:44 pm • link • report