Heading from Bethesda to downtown DC was extremely inconvenient yesterday, as Metro did not run trains between Woodley Park and Metro Center on the Red Line. Despite it being a federal holiday, others still had to work. And the shuttle buses used for the surface-level detour were crowded - standing room only, as you can see in these photos. Rush hour weekday station closures? There's got to be a better way.
There is a better way... drill hole and add a third track so maintenance can go on 24x7 without interruption. OR, add lines in DC to make the system more pedestrian friendly and less oriented towards commuters. This would mean more stations and slower trains, but would make the "get out of the cars" drum beat more practical. Expensive? Yes. However, if you can only work on the system from midnight to 5 AM, that has tremendous costs too.
ReplyDeleteI understand maintenance is needed, but I was surprised they shut down core stations on a Monday.
ReplyDeleteYes, banks and government close on Presidents Day, but a lot people still work on this particular holiday.