Too bad that fifteen minutes is pretty unacceptable for any rider, however casual. Ten is generally the upper bound, and even that can be painful.

by WMATARage on Aug 10, 2012 10:40 am • link • report

Great idea! Unfortunately, its utility is contingent on WMATA actually maintaining such headways, which is often a dubious proposition at best.

by Dizzy on Aug 10, 2012 10:41 am • link • report

Awesome map, Dan! Really useful.

One suggestion: the lightest blue color used for the 42 and other routes is a little too light for me to read the route numbers along it.

by MLD on Aug 10, 2012 10:49 am • link • report

I agree headways need to be shorter. That's not a WMATA decision, though, but from local elected officials. How about a LocalBudgetersWhoUnderfundTransitRage Tumblr?

by David Alpert on Aug 10, 2012 10:52 am • link • report

There is no Whitehaven Street - it is Whitehaven Parkway and the Circulator route now continues past it and terminates at 35th and Wisconsin.

by Evan on Aug 10, 2012 10:56 am • link • report

WMATA and DA

from the linked article.

"However, frequency is so expensive that it's often affordable only where the capacity is required. "

And once again, density, density, density.

by AWalkerInTheCity on Aug 10, 2012 10:57 am • link • report

The 10A/B as a 15-minute bus? LOL! That route is absurdly unreliable. I tried to use it on Wednesday, saw a 75 minute wait on NextBus, and walked home.

by movement on Aug 10, 2012 10:59 am • link • report

The problem with this kind of maps is that they loose their value as place finder. The spatial distortion is huge. In Georgetown for instance, the intersection of M & WI Ave is closer to Whitehaven than to Key Bridge, while Key Bridge extends longer over land than the distance between M&WI and Whitehaven. With rail systems, this is not an issue, because metro stops are generally easy to find.

For bus stops, it's a lot harder. You've penciled in street names in minuscule font and very light grey, but how is a casual user to figure out that the C1 moves from M to K St without making a turn? In other words, where is the last stop on M, and the first on K St?

Finally, making a good map is really hard [and sooooo easy to criticize, I know], because you're missing an opportunity to point out that you can get from the Pentagon to Shirlington a gazillion times an hour, except that you can take whichever's first of 7A/C/E/F, 22A, 25A/D and or ART87/X.

by Jasper on Aug 10, 2012 11:00 am • link • report

I took the next step, and turned it into a more user-friendly diagram.

I think that's debatable. It's easier to see the interplay between the routes with the diagram, but given that the diagram does not show individual stops, I'd argue it's not particularly user-friendly unless someone is going to and from the key stops shown.

The Metrorail diagram wouldn't be very useful if all of the stations were omitted except for Metro Center, L'Efant, Gallery Place, Rosslyn, etc.

by Alex B. on Aug 10, 2012 11:02 am • link • report

@Alex B.: Sure, let's debate that. Look at any of the frequent bus network maps Jarrett Walker has blogged about: http://www.humantransit.org/frequent-networks/. How many of them show individual stops? The individual stops only matter if stop spacing is so far apart that there are huge coverage gaps. For better or worse (and it's often for worse), a lot of our bus lines have the opposite issue.
That's not to say that a few other pieces of orienting information, like the key streets on the grid (including major streets crossing the bus lines) wouldn't be helpful.

by DE on Aug 10, 2012 11:29 am • link • report

One correction - the southern third of the L2 is missing. It ends at Farragut Square, not Woodley Park.

by Frank IBC on Aug 10, 2012 11:32 am • link • report

DE,

I don't think depicting individual stops is necessary if the map still shows the topography of the street grid - that context (cross streets, etc) and whatever the stopping paradigm of that city (every block, every other block, etc) provides a great deal more context than just a pure diagram.

All of the institutional products on Jarrett's site (that is, maps produced by transit operators as opposed to just interested citizens) provide a great deal more context either via the underlying street network or something similar.

by Alex B. on Aug 10, 2012 11:38 am • link • report

Great work as always. One suggestion might be that instead of having the metro colored circles under the subway stops, you could make the circle a little bigger generally (they don't stick out the way they should) and make them colored according to the lines that stop there. E.g., the circle for Union Station should be red, while Fort Totten should be red, green, and yellow, etc.

and yes to Alex B's comments about underlying map details, which I think are a lot to expect Dan to have to produce for this concept.

And re the points people make about 10 minutes, which I sort of agree with, e.g., the frequent network in Montreal is defined as 10 minutes, I think you can do a map that distinguishes between 10 minutes or less and 15 minute frequencies.

Yes, 10 minutes is way better than 15 minutes, but 15 minutes is pretty good compared to 30 minutes or more.

E.g., I love how people complain about the X bus on H St. NE as being inadequate, when it has more service than most buslines in the city, for something like 22 hours/day. Of course, what they are complaining about are conditions, and that a majority of the riders are low income...

by Richard Layman on Aug 10, 2012 11:45 am • link • report

A good tool in determining where reserved bus lanes ought to be.

by Steve S. on Aug 10, 2012 11:46 am • link • report

Plus the trunkline buslines should truly be distinguished out, and they aren't in most maps.

X2, 30s, 50s, S, 70s, 90s are the highest used buslines in the city, all have 15,000 or more riders daily.

People's love of the Circulator comes from its legibility--they don't have to figure out too mcuh in order to successfully use the bus.

If we had a map of just the subway system + the trunklines + the Circulators (I have lots of problems with the tertiary Circulator services but that's another issue) as a rendition of the DC PRIMARY TRANSIT NETWORK (http://www.scribd.com/doc/34657145/Metropolitan-Transit-Planning-Towards-a-Hierarchical-and-Conceptual-Framework) that would go a long way towards making the system legible.

If a 10 minute map were produced, it would pretty much capture that, it would be of the DC Primary Transit Network, that we would define by frequency of service.

by Richard Layman on Aug 10, 2012 11:54 am • link • report

The problem with a 10-minute bus map is that I think there are maybe 2 WMATA bus lines that have all-day 10-minute headways. There's circulator (in theory), the S-buses, not sure what else. The 70s run every 12 minutes during the day. It's possible that along Columbia Pike the buses sync up to run more often than 10 minutes during the day.

by MLD on Aug 10, 2012 11:56 am • link • report

Steve S's point is spot on. That point is not mentioned in my mass transit planning presentation and needs to be added--about providing a priority lane network for surface transit in the core of a city, commensurate with the number of riders it supports with no priority.

E.g., on H St. NE, there are about 24,000 motor vehicles that maybe move 36,000 people while 15,000 transit riders are moved up and down the corridor on a couple hundred buses--almost 40% of the total throughput.

We aren't promoting these facts when it comes to promoting the value of transit. Even if all those buses are articulated (60 feet), each takes up the space of just over 3 cars.

by Richard Layman on Aug 10, 2012 11:58 am • link • report

This map shows how much room for improvement there is in bus service.

by NikolasM on Aug 10, 2012 12:05 pm • link • report

Another correction - the 80 runs on H St between 13th and Mass Ave.

by FN on Aug 10, 2012 12:20 pm • link • report

The 10A/B connects some of the neatest neighborhoods in Alexandria (Old Town, Del Ray and Arlandria) but these 15-minute headways are pure fantasy.
Southbound, they are generally bunched tighter than summer lovers, leaving untenable gaps. And northbound, it's anyone's guess; NextBus has a tendency to lie.

by Sean on Aug 10, 2012 12:59 pm • link • report

@ Richard Layman:E.g., on H St. NE, there are about 24,000 motor vehicles that maybe move 36,000 people while 15,000 transit riders are moved up and down the corridor on a couple hundred buses--almost 40% of the total throughput.

We aren't promoting these facts when it comes to promoting the value of transit.

That is very true. It generally blows people's minds when shown numbers like that. Or that the Orange Line moves more people along I-66 than I-66 itself. So, you are very right that such numbers need to be published and publicized much more.

It will not win the debate though. For two reasons. First, many people are numerically illiterate. Worse, that is not seen as a problem. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/is-algebra-necessary.html Second, the opposition does not deal with reality. Just look at that WaTimes editorial about the car-hating libruls on the fine committee. There is no substance there. Just fantasy, anger, and fear.

by Jasper on Aug 10, 2012 1:05 pm • link • report

Another minor error I noticed: just east of Archives station you have 31/32/36 labeled, but the 31 doesn't continue past Foggy Bottom, so it should actually be labeled just 32/36 there.

by Douglas Bell on Aug 10, 2012 1:29 pm • link • report

Thanks for the effeort but where are the street names? How do you tell what street the line runs on?

This just follows the bizarre spaghetti that Metrorail lines are in DC.

by Tom Coumaris on Aug 10, 2012 1:48 pm • link • report

Alex B.: We're in agreement on the street grid on the maps.

NikolasM: This map shows how much room for improvement there is in bus service.
It depends what you mean. If you mean, as Steve S. does, that this shows where we ought to prioritize dedicated bus lanes, then I agree. If you mean, as several commenters have suggested, that it shows where 15-minute headways could be upgraded to 10-minute headways, then I agree.
If you mean that it shows large gaps where frequent bus service ought to be added, then I would say that each corridor ought to be evaluated to determine if the ridership potential justifies that level of service. Just because there’s a big geographic area between Glenmont and White Oak doesn’t mean there’s enough people to need frequent service in that area. At the same time, the gaps between the Rhode Island Avenue station and the lines on N. Capitol St. and Florida Avenue are fairly small (both on the diagram and in reality); but this map should help us question the lack of a 15-minute headway all the way down Rhode Island Avenue. But again, the street grid would help make these questions more apparent.

One other suggestion on the map: it’s a bit misleading on the eastern side to show Capitol Heights to the north of the Benning Rd. station. This could easily be fixed by bending the U8 line back to the south, instead of heading straight “east.” Another example of the limitations of using a diagram.

Still, let me add my compliments to Dan M. for this really important piece of work.

So … any word on when WMATA is coming out with an actual version for users?

by DE on Aug 10, 2012 1:54 pm • link • report

@Tom Coumaris
Thanks for the effeort but where are the street names? How do you tell what street the line runs on?
This just follows the bizarre spaghetti that Metrorail lines are in DC.

The street names are on there - they are pretty lightly-colored though.

by MLD on Aug 10, 2012 2:15 pm • link • report

Is there any way to transpose this map onto Google Maps? What would be super-useful is a button you could push on Google Maps to show the 15 minute bus routes kind of like how you can push a button to see all bike lanes or push a button to see traffic.

by Falls Church on Aug 10, 2012 2:30 pm • link • report

I would also think that with dedicated lanes, the same number of vehicles could provide service with shorter headways.

by Steve S. on Aug 10, 2012 2:54 pm • link • report

I smell a GGW competition to make the best 15 minute frequency bus map -- that or a fantasy map with some logical re-ordering of the bus network in the District.

by Tyler on Aug 10, 2012 3:09 pm • link • report

"At the same time, the gaps between the Rhode Island Avenue station and the lines on N. Capitol St. and Florida Avenue are fairly small (both on the diagram and in reality); but this map should help us question the lack of a 15-minute headway all the way down Rhode Island Avenue."

I would argue that the gap between the RIA station and the Florida Ave. crosstown lines is prohibitive to those who would cross town from NE to NW. Sure, driving 1.3 miles over hilly terrain isn't problematic, but it's a heck of a walk, and there's next-to-no even infrequent bus service making that connection. Getting across town from the NE side of the Red Line is a humongous pain. Yes, yes, I can just take the Metro, but swinging through downtown and then walking to, say, Adams Morgan takes forever. Also, that would be an efficient way to link NE with Shaw and U St., instead of the roundabout trip through Ft. Totten or Gallery Place. It doesn't make sense that there aren't good cross-town routes along a major arterial where cross-town train service is inefficiently aligned. (The opposite of this is true, that it's hard to get from NW to NE...living in NE I have a "home-centered" bias.)

by Ms. D on Aug 10, 2012 3:15 pm • link • report

Boy, we get screwed on the Hill. I wish Independence Ave and Constitution Ave had their own constantly-running express bus service.

And I've always wondered why the Circulator lines from Gtown to Union Station and Union Station to Navy Yard are combined into one single cross-town service?

by MJ on Aug 10, 2012 3:35 pm • link • report

That should say why "aren't" they combined into one single line. Bus anger makes me type too fast.

by MJ on Aug 10, 2012 3:36 pm • link • report

With you MJ. There actually is pretty decent bus service in that area to get across town, but it's complicated to figure out. The D6 will largely take you downtown from the north side (Constitution...connects to Georgetown but maybe not the most popular of locations in Georgetown; frequent during rush hour), and a couple of routes along PA Ave. do pretty well for the south side (Independence, the 36 is actually very frequent), but the routes don't seem super-intuitive when you've got these major East-West boulevards that are not used. I know it has to do with narrow roads and one-ways, but Metro could do a better job of advertising the available services and making them more frequent. It took me almost all of the 2 years I lived on the Hill to figure out how to use the buses well.

by Ms. D on Aug 10, 2012 4:03 pm • link • report

Thanks, MLD.

With the maps enlarged and 2.5 magnifying glasses I can vaguely read the street names. Maybe a bus map should be bus-centric instead of Metro-centric and have clearer street names.

by Tom Coumaris on Aug 10, 2012 4:05 pm • link • report

btw- I know DC spent half a million to rename Logan Circle "Midcity" but I don't think it stuck.

by Tom Coumaris on Aug 10, 2012 4:10 pm • link • report

MJ -- people are so screwed on the Hill that they walk to Eastern Market Metro or to Union Station... Actually they walk to those stations because they can make direct connections to the subway and because it's a nice walk. I've never tried to do a study, but my sense is in places like that with hyper nice surroundings people walk farther than is typical of the average US resident, but also of city residents.

WRT "express" services on streets like Independence or in the other places, this is actually the basis of my opposition to Circulator creep. Lots of places lack the preconditions to support that level of bus service.

And it's a costly use of resources to provide that level of service to places where it isn't justified.

- http://www.bellevuewa.gov/pdf/Transportation/King_County_Metro_-_Service_Guidelines_%28July_2011%29.pdf

E.g. you either have to have transit dependence (like the areas served by the 90s buses and to some extent, some of the other lines--70s, S, etc.) or density of either or both population and destinations.

For example, Capitol Hill lacks the big apartment buildings typical in Northwest. One of the two, either Independence and Constitution, would have been a fine corridor for apartment buildings but it never happened. Had it occurred, not only would there be better retail in Capitol Hill, but more transit service too.

by Richard Layman on Aug 10, 2012 4:29 pm • link • report

Ms. D:

I completely agree with you on RI Ave, actually. And with the uptick in commercial and residential activity in Bloomingdale, it seems like a good time to reassess the service along that corridor, and how it connects to the other activity centers you mentioned.
The crosstown connection between Brookland and Columbia Heights is also a problem, primarily because of the inefficient diversion the H buses take to the hospitals. The hospitals must be served by transit, but wouldn't it be more efficient for the hospitals to pool together for a shuttle loop from 1st and Michigan Avenue, or enhance the existing shuttle services at Brookland Metro, rather than force everyone trying to get across town to make a nearly 10-minute diversion? Headways on the Hs could them get down to close to 10 minutes.

by DE on Aug 10, 2012 4:36 pm • link • report

And another comment about the map: when you first look at it, it's not immediately clear whether the color gradients of the red/blue lines are meant to imply different levels of frequency, or just meant to help you distinguish adjacent lines from one another. Some more thought needs to be given to colors (and shades of them). Are they best used to distinguish levels of frequency? Service providers? Express vs. local? Something else?

by DE on Aug 10, 2012 4:42 pm • link • report

Richard Layman:
I've never tried to do a study, but my sense is in places like that with hyper nice surroundings people walk farther than is typical of the average US resident, but also of city residents.

Yup.
http://www.originalgreen.org/blog/walk-appeal.html

by DE on Aug 10, 2012 4:45 pm • link • report

DE, you have no idea how much money I would be spending in Bloomingdale if I could get on a bus a few blocks from my home and get there in ~10 minutes. As it stands right now, with only the very infrequent G8 as a bus option (which also happens to launch from almost 1.2 miles from my house, rather than the 3-4 blocks I live from RIA), and a circuitous rail route, I hardly ever go there unless someone offers to drive. It's a shame, really, as I really enjoy the offerings in the area and it's so close...yet so hard to get to.

We really need a "real" crosstown bus (or several) on RIA, that goes from the Eastern border to at least Dupont. At least. Should probably go further. That would even be good for commuters. If you needed to get from the eastern end of DC to Dupont, wouldn't it be better to have a one-seat trip on a direct bus than getting on the red at RIA and dipping through downtown before arriving at your destination?

by Ms. D on Aug 10, 2012 4:52 pm • link • report

Re: RI Ave.

When the DCAA was going on, I suggested to Dan Tangherlini that a streetcar be planned for RI Ave. from RI Ave. Metro up into Maryland. It turns out MTA did a streetcar study in the mid1990s in association with the creation of the Gateway Arts District.

In talking with a then board member of the Gateway CDC probably in 2008, he made the excellent suggestion that such service should actually run from Dupont Circle.

It would be interesting to test a bus service along that corridor.

WRT the distance from RI Metro, you would definitely want some type of priority lane. The biggest problem with the G8 is having to get from North Capitol to 4th St. NE/vice versa during rush periods. When I used to ride that bus line, it was weird in terms of the frequency of catastrophic service failure (buses not coming, or significantly late). It worked fine east of Brookland station, and between Brookland and RI Ave., but the other parts could really really suck.

by Richard Layman on Aug 10, 2012 5:06 pm • link • report

This is a great first step, though it could use some prettying. To critique (without diminishing its awesomeness):

- Add major stops along the way, similar to the new bus stop pylon diagrams: major intersections, schools, shopping districts, etc.
- Make it a bit more geographically accurate.
- Show when buses leave the 15 minute corridor. I'd hate to get on one bus only to have it turn left without me realizing it.
- Overlay the Metro system. It's used often enough as a kind of wayfinding tool that it would make your map more legible.

Buses are definitely a neglected part of the DC transit system. I keep intending to write something on the wretchedness of Chinatown's buses. No bulb-outs? Two-person shelters for 25 people? Ugh.

by OctaviusIII on Aug 10, 2012 5:34 pm • link • report

I don't find it weird at all that the G8 gets tied up between N. Cap and 4th/RI. The left turn lanes at N. Cap are a cluster and a half, and are the main source of congestion in the area. People end up waiting for the numerous turning vehicles that have backed up into the travel lanes. One solution, at least at rush hour, is one-way operation at that intersection. That is, eastbound gets a green/green arrow, then all red; then westbound gets the green/green arrow. This keeps people from blocking the turn, gets more people around the turn in each cycle, and keeps the through traffic moving at the same pace as the turning traffic, keeping people from jumping in and out of lanes and slowing everyone else down. It's not *ideal,* but it's better than what happens now.

by Ms. D on Aug 10, 2012 6:54 pm • link • report

The map is great Dan! Don't take the critics to seriously. Given some of the comments I'm pretty sure they would veto the London Tube map for something like New York's Subway map (No need for New York map supporters to chime in, I know you exist). Keep up the good work!

by Matthew on Aug 12, 2012 1:12 am • link • report