Good that we're not going to cancel or reroute bus service based on abuse, but is DC going to do anything to address the abuse?

by Michael Perkins on Dec 4, 2012 8:35 am • link • report

RE: Night bus service

Everywhere I have read/heard about this it has been reported in a misleading way.

The plan was not to discontinue night service on two lines. The plan was to cut out two neighborhood loops at night.

I agree with Perkins that they shouldn't reroute service just based on abuse alone, but it's frustrating that all the news reports I have heard start out with "cut service" like the service is going away completely.

by MLD on Dec 4, 2012 8:43 am • link • report

"sustainable metro funding" and " more investment in transit" are two very different animals.

by charlie on Dec 4, 2012 8:46 am • link • report

After reading the article, they're going to be deploying DC police there, rather than just saying it's a Transit Police problem.

by Michael Perkins on Dec 4, 2012 9:03 am • link • report

As part of it's week-long series on states being ripped off by subsidies, NYT has a list of some DC gives:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/12/01/us/government-incentives.html?hp#DC

It seems very incomplete and only 1% of budget while VA is 8% and MD is 4%.

by Tom Coumaris on Dec 4, 2012 9:08 am • link • report

In my fantasy world, the Obama Administration sees the future economic growth being feuled on the back of a revitalized infrastructure network, one that relied heavily on transit. Stories like the ULI conference, the Minneapolis study, and the streetsblog article all point to a promising future. Let's hope they're listening in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

by Thayer-D on Dec 4, 2012 9:20 am • link • report

Slight typo--but a big difference: the return on that MSP transit project is $6.6 to $10b, not $4.6b to $10b. Even better!

by RDHD on Dec 4, 2012 9:34 am • link • report

With interest rates at historic lows it's actually a great investment right now for gov't to borrow to fund infrastructure that produces much more income.

We're doing the borrowing but it doesn't seem to be going to infrastructure.

by Tom Coumaris on Dec 4, 2012 9:44 am • link • report

Does anyone know what will become of the strking Intelsat building at Connecticut and Van Ness? At one time there was discussion of a hotel, or expansion of the diplomatic area. Will it be redeveloped?

by Jay on Dec 4, 2012 9:46 am • link • report

RE Capital Bikeshare expansion- I'm still waiting for the station at 16th & Euclid that was announced July 2011!!! I'm pretty sure that quite a few stations from that announcement still haven't been installed. I wouldn't mind, but I was having so much trouble finding a bike that I let my membership lapse.

How can Alta / Bixi have financial problems even while it has too much demand?? Strange company. Surely the only financial problem it should have is finding the time to count all the money that is rolling in? I don't understand why it's so hard to scale.

by renegade09 on Dec 4, 2012 10:24 am • link • report

The areas off Stanton Road where Metro was proposing to stop night service are places where shootings and other violent crimes are common and include bus stops at Jasper Road, Robinson Place, Bruce Place and Elvans Road.

This is where these discussions can go horribly wrong. What exactly is the relationship between metro's decision to limit service because of "object-throwing" and the number of "violent crimes common to the n'hood."

Any regular rider of the route already know about the many times they've been startled by objects crashing against the bus windows. So the "community" doesn't need more after-care programs and rec centers. The suggestion itself likely came from someone who irregularly (if at all) rides the same route.

It's long been well beyond a transit problem.

Count Gray and Bowser as two "of the people" folk who don't ride the W.

by HogWash on Dec 4, 2012 10:33 am • link • report

I'm a fan of Uber but don't believe it should be free from regulations. I also don't get their distinction that it's not a provider of rides. Sounds like legal mumbo jumbo.

by HogWash on Dec 4, 2012 10:40 am • link • report

Sounds like CaBi's parent isn't being managed particularly well. They've somehow let a software vendor put the whole company in jeopardy? At the same time, they can't get product out to areas that are able to operate? Would be an interesting article to see how serious these problems are in terms of potential impact to CaBi? What's the chance of a CaBi failure here?

by Greg on Dec 4, 2012 10:52 am • link • report

@renegade09
I'm still waiting for the station at 16th & Euclid that was announced July 2011!!!

I have also been waiting for this station; DDOT told me a while ago that the issues are space and NPS cooperation regarding Meridian Hill Park.

by MLD on Dec 4, 2012 10:58 am • link • report

I believe that Alta switched to a different software platform due to the larger size and contractual requirements of the NYC system. The Alta/Bixi "system" is actually made up of a number of discrete components from a wide variety of vendors, and each system seems to use a slightly different combination. Apart from the bikes, London's system is almost completely different from any other Bixi installation.

The new software was untested, and has proved to be a huge stumbling block.

Once everything's been sorted out, it'll be interesting to go back and see why DC's Bikeshare rollout essentially went off without a hitch, while a theoretically-almost-identical rollout failed spectacularly in New York City.

by andrew on Dec 4, 2012 11:14 am • link • report

Today, Springfield Mall - tomorrow, Landmark, White Flint and Lakeforest. Let the wrecking ball swing!

And looking forward to the eventual demolition of the J. Edgar Hoover Building as well.

by Frank IBC on Dec 4, 2012 11:30 am • link • report

Did Metro ban tourbuses from Metrorail stations the last time around? Seems like a huge missed opportunity for traffic calming...

by andrew on Dec 4, 2012 12:12 pm • link • report

@andrew

The issue with the tourbuses for the last inauguration was that the number of passengers that would have arrived by bus onto the rail system would have a) exceeded the line capacity of the system starting at the ends of the line and b) prevented anyone from getting on the trains after they'd left Greenbelt, New Carrollton, etc.

The thinking was that once people were on buses, they should stay on them and travel downtown on what essentially became (for the day, and thanks to DDOT's good planning work for the event), bus priority lanes.

by jnb on Dec 4, 2012 1:09 pm • link • report

Don't you hate it when you get to the dock and all the bikes have already been taken by New York and Chicago?

by Lucre on Dec 4, 2012 1:24 pm • link • report

Perhaps Alta shouldnt keep signing contracts if they cant fulfill their existing ones?

But naturally, theres absolutely no consequence in failing to meet contracts. Even after they screwed up Boston, Chicago and NYC, they STILL won the Portland contract.

Fines? Being put on a black list? Of course not.

Obviously, it doesn't make sense for DC to switch suppliers, but all the latecomers should have seen the problems that began to be very clear in Boston (year long delay, couldnt meet even initial launch numbers) and stepped back to ask what would happen if 5 more cities signed up with the same company.

by Bikesbikesbikes on Dec 4, 2012 1:41 pm • link • report

@HogWash:
Ticketmaster:Your favorite band or venue::Uber:Your favorite black car

(My apologies to Uber for comparing them to Ticketmaster)

by 7r3y3r on Dec 4, 2012 2:19 pm • link • report