My biggest concern/question is what impact this will have on existing blue/orange service. We're already have seen a decrease in blue line trains servicing the system with Rush+. I have to imagine we'll see even more reduction in blue and then some reduction in orange to accommodate the new silver line trains passing through downtown.

by Matthew on Mar 13, 2013 10:14 am • link • report

I think at some point we may have to switch to NYC style nomenclature. If you left the color on the map but lettered or numbered them you could say take the 1,2,3 / 1,2 /1,3 or ABC /AB / C instead of Silver/Orange/Blue etc.

by Alan B. on Mar 13, 2013 10:15 am • link • report

@Alan: I disagree. I found the NYC system confusing because the lines go to some locations, not all. Some are express, some aren't. Some follow the same track, some don't. I think the color system (while limiting in amount of usable colors), actually makes navigating the system very easy - especially for the high population of tourists that come to DC.

by Matthew on Mar 13, 2013 10:18 am • link • report

I've always thought the map should abbreviate as much as possible. Friendship Hghts, Dupont Cir, Van Dorn St, Naylor Rd, W Hyattsville, E Falls Church, etc.

by Tim on Mar 13, 2013 10:20 am • link • report

Looks kind of third-rate. I assume metro decided in the end not to pay the map designer guy for the final map design?

The 'whiskers' concept for the three-line stations is not a logical extension of the the map's representation of a two-line station. It's confusing, its meaning is not immediately clear to someone unfamiliar with the system, it's unusual, and it reeks of Metro trying to hold onto a tradition (in the form of a station dot) rather than striving for a more clear, efficient and practical way to communicate with riders. (Maybe that's what we should expect from Metro these days?)

A 'pill-shaped' station dot would make much more sense here, and would still be compatible with the overall design.

by nativedc on Mar 13, 2013 10:23 am • link • report

I agree with Matthew that the NY subway map is not a model of clarity. I really like the "whiskers" on this DC one. They're visually minimalist but get the point across.

by aaa on Mar 13, 2013 10:24 am • link • report

Metro has tried to avoid "crossing lines", or making lines go over or under other lines at separation points - I'm assuming it's because of aesthetics.

For that reason, I think they will re route the Silver line to New Carrolton. Actually, just run six car Silver line trains and use the pocket track. Any reason why they can't just run six car trains and save a little money especially since they don't have enough cars now?

by Randall M. on Mar 13, 2013 10:26 am • link • report

* The tics on the OR/BL/SV line downtown are ugly.
* I am no fan of the abbreviations.
* The angled names always were and remain ugly, and often unnecessary. On the Silver and Southern Green Line, they could be straight, just as on the Red and Eastern Orange Line.
* Why is the Rush Plus service called Rush Only on the legend?
* Why are Rush times explained in the legend on the top right, and not in the Operating Times on the lower left?
* They need to use a darker color for all the P, H and other icons on the map.
* The slightly thinner lines will look very ugly if in printed versions the colors to not line up exactly, as in many of the current maps in the trains.
* Why is there no H sign at Medical Center? Those H signs are stupid anyway.
* They need to work on the spacing between the P icons and the station names. It is inconsistent.
* Van Dorn St is on the Alexandria-Fairfax border, not next to it.

Overall, there were much prettier versions in the GGW map contest.

I am also annoyed at even less Blue Line service. Blue Lines are seriously overcrowded as it is. Yellow Rush Plus trains are relatively empty. People are - for whatever reason - not switching to the Yellow Line. WMATA needs to work quickly on getting all remaining Blue Lines to be 8-car trains. 12 minute intervals during rush hour is not acceptable.

Overall, WMATA will have solved the sardine packing on the Orange Line by moving it to the Blue Line. Thanks!

by Jasper on Mar 13, 2013 10:35 am • link • report

@Randall M.

Seems like a bad idea to route trains based on map aesthetics.

by jh on Mar 13, 2013 10:35 am • link • report

I've been thinking they should have the Blue Line go to Huntington and have the Yellow Line go to Franconia-Springfield. This would resolve the issue of too many riders at Franconia-Springfield waiting for Blue Line trains. That issue would get really bad once there are so few Blue Line trains. Also, I think they should have the Blue Line go to Largo only during the peak periods but terminate at Stadium-Armory otherwise. I doubt they really need two full lines running out to Largo. Since most of the trains going to Largo will be Silver Line trains during peak periods, it makes sense to keep that line during off-peak times as well.

by Mario on Mar 13, 2013 10:39 am • link • report

The crossover of the Silver Line band over the Orange Line from Stadium Armory to Benning Rd looks awkward. Don't know one would fix it though. As for the station markers with extended "whiskers" versus oval shaped markers, it could be useful to evaluate the map against a randomly selected group of tourists. See what percentage correctly interprets that all 3 lines stop at the station.

Farragut North is so close to the Silver Line band in the new map, how many will be confused by whether Farragut North is a Silver Line stop? Or think that the FN label is for the Foggy Bottom or Farragut West stations?

by AlanF on Mar 13, 2013 10:43 am • link • report

Ugly. It needs a wholesale redesign. The original map was great, but it's not capable of showing the more complex details that are emerging now. Bring in Cameron Booth!

by BeyondDC on Mar 13, 2013 10:46 am • link • report

Ugh. Those whiskers are a terrible design choice. Pill stops would be a far, far better solution than this. It feels like the stops are straining to encompass all the lines at once.

Terrible design.

by David Edmondson on Mar 13, 2013 10:47 am • link • report

As I said yesterday- when I look at those whisker-icons all I see are clowns staring back at me.

by Bossi on Mar 13, 2013 10:52 am • link • report

Is WMATA still consulting with Lance Wyman, the graphic designer who created the original Metrorail map? Judging from some of the design decisions on that example, my guess would be no.

by Ron on Mar 13, 2013 11:13 am • link • report

I am definitely not a fan of those whiskers. Seems that it's probably time to put thinner lines on the map.

by Ben Schumin on Mar 13, 2013 11:27 am • link • report

Between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory, what if they decreased the width of each of the lines by 1/3? That way, the combined lines would be the same width as the Blue/Orange lines on the current map and the stations wouldn't have to have the tics added to the symbols.

Quick math to show this (unit = line thickness being used for the rail lines on the map):

WMATA's version: 1 unit Silver + 1 unit Orange + 1 unit Blue = 3 units wide
My proposed version: 2/3 units Silver + 2/3 units Orange + 2/3 units Blue = 2 units wide

by bobco85 on Mar 13, 2013 11:35 am • link • report

The whiskers are bound to be confusing for non-Washingtonians. Same with the abbreviations - foreign tourists aren't necessarily familiar with our jargon.

by Ben on Mar 13, 2013 11:36 am • link • report

The whiskers make it look like Silver and Blue trains will be express, and Orange trains will be local.

by Tom Veil on Mar 13, 2013 11:37 am • link • report

It's fine. I can read it and know where I'm going and how to get there. Which is, you know, the point.

by OX4 on Mar 13, 2013 11:41 am • link • report

"Since the pocket is on an aerial structure, there's not room to expand it without massive expense,". WMATA has not substantiated the cost of building a new pocket track alignment that would allow them to turnback 8-car trains. The cost of a new turnback must be compared against the capital and operating costs of running underutilized trains to Largo Town Center at all times for say 50 years.

by Steve Strauss on Mar 13, 2013 11:48 am • link • report

Remove the whisker-lines, and reduce thickness of Rosslyn-Stadium lines per @bobco85's suggestion.

Donezo!

Also @Steve Strauss - I agree. Is the pocket track at Stadium really that different than the pocket tracks at Grosvenor or Silver Spring where they turn around trains regularly (also at high frequencies)?

by Nick on Mar 13, 2013 11:59 am • link • report

@Steve Strauss: 50 years is probably overly speculative. If/when the blue line is separated, there's a fair chance that the silver line will become the sole line with service to Largo, anyway. The general point still stands, though.

by Andrew Pendleton on Mar 13, 2013 12:14 pm • link • report

Mario, that doesn't take into consideration where the current Blue line riders are going. I'm sure Jasper and thousands of daily users would complain even more if they lost all of their current Blue line for a permanent Rush+ scenario.

by selxic on Mar 13, 2013 12:21 pm • link • report

This "new" rail system map looks suspiciously like the system map we have today and the map we had back in 2008!

I like the station dot whiskers between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory. It seems clear to me what they represent.

The Reston East designation at Wiehle really needs to be formatted as subtext, like how Seat Pleasant is noted as subtext at Addison Rd.

Not sure I like the abbreviation of Center and Heights, was there a reason WMATA abbreviated those words?

As someone else noted before, I think the station dot locations for Van Dorn St and Capitol Heights are slightly off. They should sit at the jurisdiction borders.

I actually like the Metro system map and think the "new" map works. Even with the Silver line, with the removal of Rush Plus Orange service, our relatively simple map does not need to show the various lines in NYC.

by Transport. on Mar 13, 2013 12:48 pm • link • report

Seeing as how they had to add room to the western part of the map why not just space out the stations on the Orange and Silver Lines such as West Falls Church and East falls Church and then having the Silver Line cross the Orange Line between West and East Falls Church so that it is beneath the Orange Line then there would be no awkward cross at Stadium Armory

@ Jasper

Medical Center is not listed as it is not a Public Hospital, however they did forget Southern Ave as United Medical Center is 2 blocks from it.

by kk on Mar 13, 2013 1:15 pm • link • report

I'd second @bobco85's suggestions for thinner lines through downtown--like the NJT map showing lines into Hoboken and Penn Station http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/Rail_System_Map.pdf

by Dan on Mar 13, 2013 1:20 pm • link • report

@ Transport

Actually its more than just Capitol Heights and Van Dorn on that map; Silver Spring and West Hyattsville. The only ones that seem to be correct are Deanwood and Friendship Hgts.

Capitol Heights is solely in Marlyland none of the above or below ground parts of the station are in DC

West Hyattsville, Silver Spring and Addison Road are not in or near DC they all are .5 miles to 2.5 miles from DC

Brookland and Ft Totten are further apart now

Benning Road and Capitol Heights are way to close; Benning Road is closer to Minnesota Ave than Capitol Heights.

Minnesota Ave is way too close to Deanwood it should be right after the curve on the Orange line

Van Dorn Street should be in Alexandria

New Carrolton and Largo are closer to the Beltway

Morgan Blvd is further from the Beltway

Beltway should be further from West Falls Church and closer to Dunn Loring and in the middle of Tysons Corner and McLean not touching either.

----------------------------------

Perhaps they should not adding separate lines for when trains meet each other and travel the same route and instead use one line that is like a Candy Cane where the colors separate the ends.

The map is just plan terrible; were the borders added after the lines and stations. All you need to do is a blank image that has just DC the rivers then add the Red, Blue and Green Lines and you can fill everything else in with accuracy from there.

On thing that has always perplexed me is why is DC east of the Anacostia River so tiny on the map when it actually alot bigger when you look at the scale of other places on the map such as East Potomac Park or the Potomac River.

by kk on Mar 13, 2013 1:40 pm • link • report

I still like the idea of rebranding the Silver Line as a spur of the Orange Line (while possibly assigning silver to WFC->Vienna)

With regards to the Blue Line, would it be possible to run a Franconia->DCA shuttle if the Yellow Line is maxed out?

by andrew on Mar 13, 2013 1:50 pm • link • report

Wish they had stuck with the thinner lines like in this draft map WMATA made in 2007 for the Silver Line:

by dan reed! on Mar 13, 2013 1:51 pm • link • report

kk: One entry in the map contest tried candy striping:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/10895/more-map-contest-results-part-5-rounding-out-the-set/

by David Alpert on Mar 13, 2013 1:58 pm • link • report

NO WHISKERS!! Please! Use the elongated pill for stations, they eliminate any confusion.

by Ken on Mar 13, 2013 2:03 pm • link • report

Also, if you want an example of an awesome diagrammatic map, check out the new map that Art Lebedev created for the Moscow Metro.

I particularly love the symbol they use for transfer stations. Doesn't really apply to DC's Metro, but it's a seriously great design effort nevertheless.

by andrew on Mar 13, 2013 2:10 pm • link • report

@ andrew:I particularly love the symbol they use for transfer stations.

Stolen from the Tube map, except for the circular element on the stations with more than two trains.

by Jasper on Mar 13, 2013 2:45 pm • link • report

I don't think the WMATA should model their map after NYCTA's, since it would make it unnecessarily complex (it still amazes me that even the current kindergarten-level design confuses tourists). At the same time, there is some room for improvement. Here are my 2¢ suggestions:

1. change the circles with "whiskers" to pill shapes
2. remove the unnecessary "H" icons since they just add clutter.
(If you have an emergency you should be calling an ambulance, and for a non-emergency visit you can check ahead to find the nearest station)

by King Terrapin on Mar 13, 2013 2:53 pm • link • report

@ King Terrapin

What are your opinions on University names attached to stations, or places of interest (Adams Morgan) or secondary names as they would be the same as the H icons adding clutter

by kk on Mar 13, 2013 3:00 pm • link • report

The "whiskers" are confusing? Really? People are stupid, but they are THAT stupid.

by Olde Timer on Mar 13, 2013 4:21 pm • link • report

"are not"

by Olde Timer on Mar 13, 2013 4:21 pm • link • report

Whiskers are a poor design choice. An icon is supposed to represent the same thing across the board. Now we have two icons for the same thing because Metro doesn't want thinner lines. And what happens if and when we get the tunnels at Farragut and Chinatown/Metro Center? That's ANOTHER icon. So we'd have 4 icons. One for single/double lines stations. One for triple lines. One for transfer and in theory one for connected stations.

Looks low budget. I think trying to conform a modern map to a 40 year old design is more of a hinderance than anything else.

by Michael on Mar 13, 2013 6:18 pm • link • report

Since the Silver Line is not the same equipment as most of the other car series, I had heard you had to get off the orange line and reboard the silver line at the split. If that is still true there is no point at all to showing the silver line further east of the transfer station.

by AndrewJ on Mar 14, 2013 6:31 am • link • report

AndrewJ: That is incorrect. The Silver Line trains will continue on the Orange Line tracks to Rosslyn, Orange/Blue to Stadium-Armory, and then Blue to Largo.

Also, it's not a totally different set of equipment. Metro is buying new railcars, but they are compatible with the others in that they will be able to run on the same tracks. The new cars won't be able to couple with the older ones into trainsets, but a train of 7000-series cars and a train of older cars will be able to run on the same tracks.

There's also nothing definitive saying that the new cars will go on the Silver Line. They might start on the Silver Line, but maybe they will start on the Green Line since the test track is at Greenbelt:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/5332/wmata-delays-7000-series-order-to-make-it-larger/#comment-50220

Also, WMATA is buying more new cars than it needs for the Silver Line, because it also needs to replace the 1000-series cars, the oldest in the system. That means that new cars will be on more lines than just Silver for sure over time.

by David Alpert on Mar 14, 2013 8:27 am • link • report

It seems to pop up every once in a while that people think that the Silver Line requires a transfer at EFC and that trains won't continue downtown. Where did this idea originate from? As far as I know that was never in the plans.

by MLD on Mar 14, 2013 8:37 am • link • report

Each station should be shown as a solid black dot on each line; where more than one line exists there would be two or three dots in a row, for each station stop; this would follow the original Vignelli map and would be more clear than the 'hairs'. The diagonal station names work well and are easy to read.

by Brian Kaye on Mar 14, 2013 8:55 am • link • report

Where did this idea originate from? As far as I know that was never in the plans.

The only thing I can think of was the news that the 7000 series cars would use different systems and therefore be incompatible with other Metro railcars. But that's solely for the purposes of forming trainsets - they would still use the same tracks.

I suppose people hear:

7000 series = cars for Silver Line
7000 series = incompatible with rest of fleet
Therefore, Silver Line will be incompatible with rest of Metro.

Or, maybe they're confused with the Purple Line - which will indeed use different technology and will require a transfer. I don't know.

by Alex B. on Mar 14, 2013 9:02 am • link • report

MLD: I think some early concept maps when the project was being proposed/debated just showed a silver stripe splitting off from EFC because it was a lot easier graphically to draw that than drawing it all the way through. Some people probably saw that and get the idea that therefore it was going to terminate in a transfer at EFC.

Maybe the original EIS/etc also considered doing that?

by David Alpert on Mar 14, 2013 9:05 am • link • report

David beat me to it. I can only imagine it was because the maps made it look like a spur and not a continuous line.

by selxic on Mar 14, 2013 9:09 am • link • report

If I recall correctly, the EIS did study light rail as a potential option, which would have required riders to transfer (though at West Falls Church, not East Falls Church).

But I think it's probably more a problem of how the media has spun this, long before Metro was producing Silver Line maps in large quantities. Generally reports in the media talked about the Silver Line like this: "Metro's plans for the Silver Line, a new line between East Falls Church and Dulles Airport..." or "Metro's Silver Line extension will add 11 miles of track between East Falls Church and Reston".

As for the 7000-series, it's important to note, that *only* about half of the trains running on the Silver Line will be made up of the 7000-series.

This is because the 7000-series trains can only run in sets of 8. It is impractical (and unnecessary) to run 100% 8-car trains on the Silver Line, because it will take years for its ridership to build.

The 64 cars that MWAA paid for as part of the Silver Line (Phase I) project will make up only half of the trains on the line. Those 64 cars (8 trains) are equivalent to how much Phase I will increase the need for railcars. Think of it this way: The new trains required on the Silver Line in Arlington need new cars. The Orange Line trains redirected from Vienna to Reston will use old cars.

by Matt Johnson on Mar 14, 2013 9:24 am • link • report

I just noticed how they crammed all the NW DC red line stations together to further accommodate the silver line.

by Michael on Mar 14, 2013 9:32 am • link • report

So proposed service is every 6 minutes during rush hour. Does anyone have an idea of what this will translate to in actual service? I've been noticing recently that WMATA has trouble some days even running an orange every six minutes at rush hour. And that's with only two lines sharing the tracks...

by Gray on Mar 14, 2013 9:48 am • link • report

Does anyone have an idea of what this will translate to in actual service?

Probably every 10 minutes. Not very "rush".

by Historian on Mar 14, 2013 11:00 am • link • report

The map is fine, what bugs me is blue line service from pentagon to downtown (farragut west). There must be a ton of people who take express buses to pentagon from the VA suburbs (like me) and need to connect there to the blue line to get downtown. The wait time between blue trains is already bad, and it's going to get worse. Who wants to 1) take a bus 2) transfer to the yellow line 3) then transfer yet again just to get downtown? Nobody! Why is this route so ignored by metro? Why create a bus hub at Pentagon then make it difficult for anyone to get anywhere from there? Makes no sense.

by EMS on Mar 14, 2013 11:34 am • link • report

Did anyone else notice that the silver & blue color scheme for the line past Benning Rd, which serves FedEx Field, also happens to match the team colors of a certain Redskins' rival? This map will bring a sweet smile to every Cowboys fan in town.

Is it too late to reconsider the recent decision to run the Silver Line all the way to Largo?

by dt on Mar 14, 2013 2:16 pm • link • report

@ Matt,

Light rail was not listed as an alternative in either the DEIS or the FEIS.

However light rail was proposed for the corridor by various entities prior to studies that gave us the DEIS.

From the DEIS Executive_Summary

The following alternatives are considered in the Draft EIS:

“Baseline” or “No-Build”- The Baseline Alternative includes additional investment beyond the existing highway and transit service infrastructure and services within the corridor, and any investments that are committed to be implemented by 2025 aside from the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project. This alternative serves as the basis for comparison and evaluation of the Build Alternatives described below.

BRT - BRT is transit service that uses buses operating in a limited access right-of-way to provide amenities typical of rail service, such as enhanced stations and platforms and off-vehicle fare collection. BRT would extend the full length of the Dulles Corridor from the West Falls Church Station on the Metrorail Orange Line to Route 772 in Loudoun County.

Metrorail- Metrorail is service like that currently provided by the existing 103-mile regional system, consisting of rapid transit vehicles operating on a dedicated right-of-way. Metrorail would extend the full length of the corridor from a point between the East and West Falls Church Stations on the Metrorail Orange Line to Route 772 in Loudoun County.

Combined BRT/Metrorail- Metrorail would extend from a point between the East Falls Church and West Falls Church stations on the Orange Line through Tysons Corner, and BRT would operate in the remainder of the corridor, from Tysons Corner to Route 772 in Loudoun County.

Phased Implementation- BRT and Metrorail improvements would be implemented beginning with BRT for the length of the corridor. Ultimately BRT would be replaced with Metrorail service, first from the existing Metrorail Orange line through Tysons Corner, and then from Tysons Corner to Dulles Airport, terminating at Route 772 in Loudoun County.

by Sand Box John on Mar 14, 2013 2:21 pm • link • report

@ dan reid!

I completely agree. I like that map immensely. It doesn't feel cluttered at all. Granted it doesn't include the Rush + service, nor the Silver Line going all the way to Largo Town Center, but I suspect those features could still be added without cluttering up the map as much as the draft issued by WMATA. I don't understand why it's not being used? Can anyone explain the reasoning?

by Aaron on Mar 14, 2013 2:44 pm • link • report

Tradition.

by Michael on Mar 14, 2013 3:03 pm • link • report

Has anyone ever noticed that all versions of the map, this one and the current one included, has a subtle flaw? The border between Maryland and Virginia is marked northwest of the District, but not south of it.

by Fran on Mar 15, 2013 1:21 am • link • report

Really wish they'd go with thinner lines for the Rush Plus service instead of the dashed that makes it look like future service.

The silver, orange and blue lines could be thinner too running through downtown. And the silver line could stay thin out to the suburbs if they turned those trains around at Stadium-Armory off peak! I don't see the need for more frequent service there on the weekends.

by Omar on Mar 17, 2013 5:33 am • link • report

I think a map URL that shows a map instead of a 404 Page Not Found error would be a logical place for improvement.

by John on May 5, 2013 11:36 am • link • report

John: Yes, unfortunately it looks like the map on Mindmixer

You can see the higher resolution version of this map, and the 2 subsequent drafts, here:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/18736/metro-listens-to-feedback-tweaks-future-map/

Click on "previous 'whisker' draft" in the radio buttons below the image to see this map, and then you can click on the image to see the large version.

by David Alpert on May 5, 2013 12:34 pm • link • report