Even more fantastic WMATA fantasy map

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Even more fantastic WMATA fantasy map

by David Alpert • February 19, 2008 6:22 pm

Based on suggestions from Richard Layman and others, I've added to the fantasy map to create an even fantasy-er map (as before, click for big version):

There's fantasy, and then there's even more fantasy. In the world of today, a lot of these lines are probably more cost-effectively served by light rail, streetcars, BRT, or something else. They're slower, but if branded well, they could be actually achievable versus the billions required to build this system. However, who knows? Maybe one day soon we will have automated construction robots that can build Metro tunnels for a fraction of the price.

Detailed notes below (or click "read more" to see them) on what's new in this map versus the other one, again in approximate order of realism:

Arlington Cemetery. I had just forgotten this in the last map by mistake. It's now restored in the other map too.

Pedestrian walkway from Metro Center to Gallery Place. This was actually seriously proposed by WMATA. Metro Center and Gallery Place are really quite close, but a lot of people ride the Red Line one stop to transfer between Green/Yellow and Blue/Orange, or when going to or from games at the arena currently called the Verizon Center. A walkway would facilitate transfers and encourage people to walk the one stop instead of riding the Red Line.

Infill stations at Poplar Point and Oklahoma Ave. Poplar Point would serve the upcoming development and possible soccer stadium even better than the Anacostia station, and the Oklahoma Avenue station, which would be in what is now the north parking lot at RFK Stadium, would serve a potential high-density mixed-use development there along the Anacostia waterfront.

Brown Line north of Union Station. To avoid conflicts with the Red Line, this now runs along North Capitol street, serving the neighborhoods in between the current Green/Yellow and Red lines like Eckington and Bloomingdale, and then stopping at the hospital complex and the Armed Forces Retirement Home, part of which is planned for mixed-use redevelopment. After connecting with the Red Line (though not sharing track) at Fort Totten, this line turns west along Missouri Ave/Military Rd with stops at Kansas Ave and Brightwood. After crossing Rock Creek, it turns southeast on Nebraska Avenue and stops at the Politics and Prose area at Connecticut, intersects the Red Line at Tenleytown, continues to AU, then turns southeast on New Mexico Ave to Glover Park, finally going south on Wisconsin Ave to Georgetown.

19 comments

Tags: maps, WMATA

WMATA fantasy combo map (Feb 19, 2008)
What WMATA is really suggesting (Apr 28, 2008)
A cheaper route to Metro core capacity? (Jun 29, 2009)
Sci-fi coast to coast high speed rail network (Mar 3, 2008)
The Metro Express (Feb 19, 2009)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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That's hot!

by washcycle on Feb 20, 2008 10:13 am • link • report

this is looking pretty amazing, david! i was wondering if, for readability, it would be possible to move the brown line further away from the red line, perhaps by (graphically) routing it due south from fort totten with a rightward kink into union station (looking like it approaches from the northwest)? i know that the labels for mt. vernon square, etc., would be difficult to fit in here though.

still, this looks very well thought out. why the hell can't we spend money on things like this, projects that would be completely sensible and worthwhile!

by IMGoph on Feb 20, 2008 10:17 am • link • report

what about the blue line split? and Metro or even streetcar out Columbia Road (was this proposal ever really alive)?

by Steve on Feb 20, 2008 1:46 pm • link • report

well, i think these changes get rid of the need for the 'blue line split', which would just be too damn confusing, if you ask me.

as for the columbia road streetcar, yeah, it seems like there should be room for it on this map.

by IMGoph on Feb 20, 2008 9:23 pm • link • report

The Georgetown-to-Ft Totten segment is problematic. 1st, a line shouldn't terminate at a busy station like Georgetown would surely be. 2nd, Brightwood and Kansas Ave might not have the density to support a station.

I wonder if a good alternative would be to have an east-west route split off the yellow/green at U St. Instead of heading north, some trains would head west with a much needed stop in Adams Morgan. (With exits at 17th & U and 18th & Kalorama.) Then on to Kalorama (Conn Ave & T), with a ped tunnel to Dupont, then the West End and then Georgetown. Then perhaps north up Wisc Ave, and either merge with Red, or jump over to Upper Connecticut Ave by the MD border.

Lots of permutations!

by Michael on Feb 21, 2008 3:07 pm • link • report

IMGoph, this map started out as an exercise in "what's in the pipe." Plus the blue line split is not that complicated as there would (I hope) have to be a new color added.

by Steve on Feb 21, 2008 3:22 pm • link • report

How do you make these maps? I'm trying to make my own fantasy DC metro map.

by MacGyver on Feb 24, 2008 4:47 pm • link • report

This is great! I love the idea of the pedestrian walkways. It would open near NE up to new development. The only suggestion I have is to fill in the space that's empty of lines in farther-out NE. :)

by avocado on Feb 27, 2008 12:34 pm • link • report

I like the concept of the brown line but I was wondering why you stopped at the Harbor instead of taking the train line down 210 toward Fort Washington and Accokeek. I understand a Virginia extension but Indian Head is clodded with people coming as far as Waldorf. I think extending it further south would benefit Southern Maryland and bring more "jobs" to an area filled homes and no work.

by Jermaine on Feb 28, 2008 1:06 am • link • report

Great idea...good luck running the metro to Burleith and Georgetown though. Won't happen in this lifetime.

by Noggin on Feb 28, 2008 8:43 am • link • report

Great work! From a South Arlington Perspective...

Arlington is talking now about rail that leaves the Pentagon and travels West down Columbia Pike. It could hit: Navy Annex/AirForce Memorial, Columbia Pike/Walter Reed, ColumPike/Geo Mason (Arlington Hall, Guard Readiness) ColumPike/4 Mile Run, Bailey's XRoads.

The talk is then to turn it south to Skyline, but I would either keep it going to Annendale or send it up 7 to Seven Corners, Falls Church, and then throw it on the W&OD right of way to Leesburg.

On the front end, it would be nice if the South Arlington fantasy line hit Shirlington/Fairlington/Nauk Neighborhood, and the new infill parks along 4 mile run and in the shadow of the 395 bridge.

South Arlington is purposefully densifying and Columbia Pike is the busiest busline in DC.

by daniel on Feb 29, 2008 12:44 pm • link • report

Daniel: Check out this map which includes the Columbia Pike light rail and a lot more.

by David Alpert on Feb 29, 2008 1:08 pm • link • report

I think it's Potomac Yard, not Potomac Yards.

Nice map. If i were you, I'd try lowering the path of the orange/silver lines between foggy bottom and mcpherson square, so you can get rid of the bend in the new downtown blue line segment. Those new blue line stops are along M St, which is where the Mt. Vernon Convention Center station is. It's funny seeing a line bend when in reality it would be a straight shot.

by Michael on Mar 4, 2008 2:13 pm • link • report

One change I would suggest is my pipe dream of splitting the Yellow Line off at Columbia Heights and continuing it north on 14th Street rather than running it with the Green Line to Ft. Totten. Love to see someone proposing more in-town growth, as I think too much emphasis has been placed on new sub/exurban lines (Purple Line, Dulles extension).

by nate on Mar 4, 2008 3:14 pm • link • report

I didn't know it was possible to have a crush on a map, but apparently, it is.

by Shana on Sep 17, 2008 5:29 pm • link • report

I like it a lot, but there's a lot of Virginia that needs service -- south of the Orange Line and west of the Blue Line. If this is a fantasy map, include a line for that area.

by RM on Jan 6, 2009 4:34 pm • link • report

Great map, but like someone else said, the Brown Line termination at Georgeyown is problematic. Why not bring it down past the Kennedy Center, maybe even add a stop to the Lincoln Memorial, and then bring it westward and pull the Brown Line throught Arlington, down Columbia Pike? As in, INSTEAD of the light rail. And the take it on to Seven Corners or Skyline or whatever. Just sayin'.

by Kevin S.B. on Sep 7, 2009 2:06 am • link • report

David - GREAT MAP! Two things: 1.) I would love to see your map (the "even more fantastic wmata fantasy map") combined with the suggestions from the following link http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/19/stretching-the-limits-of-washingtons-dense-core/ (i.e. the pink line and proposed purple line extensions).

2.) Care to share how you go about developing these fantasy maps?

by CM on May 23, 2011 2:22 am • link • report

Am I crazy thinking that Orange should be extended along 66?

by Daniel on Jun 16, 2011 2:23 pm • link • report