Monday, May 02, 2016

Opening day at Westfield Montgomery Mall's new transit center (Photos)

Eleven years in the making, the new Transit Center at Westfield Montgomery Mall opened yesterday. Relocated to the corner of the property adjacent to I-270, the center will replace the existing bus bays at Auto Park Avenue and Westlake Terrace. Effective yesterday, Metrobus routes J2 and J3's stops have relocated to Bus Bay F at the Transit Center.

Riders will find a better travel experience, with heated, covered shelters and information screens.

Westfield paid for the new bus bays, utilities and foundation structures. Montgomery County picked up the tab for wind and weather screens, a rain canopy above waiting riders, and a driver restroom.  There is also parking for bicycles.

The original concept for the center's location by I-270 was designed with the future potential for rail transit along the interstate in mind, according to Westfield VP of Development Jim Agliata. He said the company would welcome such a development in the future.

Montgomery County apparently botched the launch PR effort, as no wide media invitations were sent out for a ribbon cutting ceremony last week, leaving County and mall officials essentially talking to themselves at a sparsely-attended event. It's hard to generate ridership if the public doesn't know about it. We aren't likely to lead the nation in tech if our government doesn't know how to engage the new media, blogs and social media.







64 comments:

Anonymous said...

How come Westfied paid for it? Was it in exchange for somethinG?

The county didn't announce it at all? Not great PR if so. Did Westfield announce it? Any media go to the event?

Why is it so far away from the mall again?

Anonymous said...

Monday morning questioner is questioning.

Anonymous said...

The last picture should be called - "The New Urban Concrete Bethesda" . Same old crappy, pothole filled roads just more buses. Now that's ingenuity at its finest. Oh, and that's a very brave lone bicyclist taking to those raceways around the mall.

Robert Dyer said...

5:25: It was in exchange for the right to expand the mall, as agreed to in 2005. To this date, I've received no announcement from the County regarding the ribbon cutting or opening. They appear to have invited a couple of hand-picked media outlets for political reasons, forgoing all of the extra coverage they could have received. It is away from the mall to A) leave room for a future addition, and B) as I mentioned, to be in a logical spot for a future rail station should a line be added to the I-270 corridor someday.

Poppy said...

This is wonderful. Now the employees of the lower-end stores at the mall will have a green, environmentally friendly and convenient way to get to work.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what neighborhood you live in, but where I live, all the roads other than Arlington Road are glassy smooth. Maybe you just live in a crappy neighborhood?

Anonymous said...

"Montgomery County apparently botched the launch PR effort, as no wide media invitations were sent out for a ribbon cutting ceremony last week, leaving County and mall officials essentially talking to themselves at a sparsely-attended event. It's hard to generate ridership if the public doesn't know about it. We aren't likely to lead the nation in tech if our government doesn't know how to engage the new media, blogs and social media."

That's funny, your competition reported on the ribbon cutting ceremony as it happened, last Thursday. And today is what, Monday?

But keep making excuses for being asleep yet again.

Anonymous said...

Just because you were not invited dyer, it doesn't mean others were not invited. It was pouring rain, the invitees can decide if they want to show up or not.

Robert Dyer said...

6:37: Bull****. They only invited 2 media organizations from what I can tell. And as a result, the transit center was completely deserted yesterday. That's what happens when you botch a launch by playing games.

That was the ribbon cutting - my report here is about opening day, which you apparently slept through.

Robert Dyer said...

6:40: Media shows up no matter what the weather. But you have to invite them. Not inviting the leading Bethesda news site? Pretty dumb. Hey look - the transit center is empty! How's that media blackballing working out for you MCDOT?

Robert Dyer said...

Again, it's an abuse of the system and taxpayer money. Whether it's Ken Hartman illegally promoting a private media outlet via gratuitous links in taxpayer-funded emails, or MCDOT trying to limit access to a couple of media outlets aligned with it politically, that's a complete abuse of government funds and facilities that should be looked into by the Inspector General. Enough bull****.

Anonymous said...

"The leading Bethesda news site" reported this story on Thursday, as it happened, four days before you did.

Anonymous said...

Nothing wonderful about being stuck as far away as possible from everything Popper! Try using crutches to get from that far off location to the mall, to homes, to restaurants. If you hate disabled citizens, this "center" is for you.

Good work MoCoLoCo in making a "center" as absolutely as inaccessible and inconvenient as possible for everyone.

Cost? For the dollars being spent there should be a moving sidewalk from the "center" to the mall.

Anonymous said...

The previous transit center wasn't very user-friendly at all. No place to keep warm, little room to stand, etc. This is a big improvement.

They should add a smaller-scale version of this to the new Westbard. Then people can stop complaining that the T-2 and Ride-On bus taking people to the Friendship Heights station 1.3 miles away is not enough public transport.

Anonymous said...

I'm still concerned about the location. The plans for expanding the mall there will die when Sears does. Which will be any month now.

Anonymous said...

This looks like a great place for the Dyer family to sleep! I hope there is somewhere you can hang up your high school prom tux!

My only concern is that there won't be enough food thrown away in the trash cans for the "always hungry" Bobby D.

Robert Dyer said...

7:20: They should - but they won't. Equity One asked that the language calling for a transit center just like this be removed from the plan.

Robert Dyer said...

7:32: I understand that a disheveled, sartorial bum like yourself may be unfamiliar with tuxedos. But did you not know they have uses other than for prom? Let's hope you don't run into James Bond.

Robert Dyer said...

7:10: By using a time machine? Sorry, you can't report on an event 4 days before it happened. Even if you blackball reporters, only to end up with a vacant transit center. Games people play...

Anonymous said...

OK, what's this "vacant transit center" talking point? Did they cancel Metrobus and Ride-On service to Montgomery Mall?

Anonymous said...

I won't run into James Bond because he's not a real fucking person, you idiot.

Anonymous said...

@749- you must have meant [explicative] idiot as Dyer and his PG13 friends would say (if he has any)

Anonymous said...

@ 7:49 AM - <3 <3 <3

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Anonymous said...

8:00AM + 8:12AM
OMG, that's vile and over-the-top. To insinuate such a thing is beyond disgusting.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

8:00AM Now that's a defamation per se case waiting to happen. Get a lawyer, bud.

Anonymous said...

^^^Way to kill a great string there, bud

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Anonymous said...

Robert F. Dyer - the blogger Bethesda deserves, but not the one it needs right now

-Lt. James Gordon

Anonymous said...

8:44AM -Just go away if it's not your cup of tea. nobody is clamoring for you to stay.

Anonymous said...

That looks mighty sunny for 5:00AM.

Anonymous said...

5:25AM You really didn't look far enough for a County announcement. It's right at the end of your nose. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-transit/

Anonymous said...

Future rail station, get serious. That depot was placed in it's current location specifically to improve circulation and relieve the traffic congestion caused at the current depot. No rail station will ever be built in that area.

Robert Dyer said...

9:13: Are supposed to believe an anonymous commenter over an actual Westfield executive?

Robert Dyer said...

9:10: A press release is something you send TO THE PRESS, not post somewhere on a website. Ironically, WMATA said more publicly about the opening than Montgomery County! At least Ken Hartman will have an official County page he can link to about the opening, rather than illegally using government email to direct traffic to a private media website.

Anonymous said...

What is the law that prohibits a County official from linking to a "private media website"?

#DodgingDyer

Anonymous said...

Dyer- this site is turning into a soap opera. Bethesda Mag it is for me from now on! Sayonara Sucker!

Anonymous said...

9:31 AM - I understand your frustrations but where will you get your totally-biased Westbard articles from now? I guess Robert comments enough on BM to the point where you will continue to see his bigoted, chauvinistic opinions.

Robert Dyer said...

9:31: Not like you have much of a choice - you work there!

Robert Dyer said...

9:41: I've never commented on that site in my life. But if you're looking for "totally-biased Westbard articles" you may have one or two options. But if you want the truth about Westbard, you'll continue to visit my site as so many do when they want the facts.

Robert Dyer said...

9:26: You can't use taxpayer money and resources to enrich a private sector business. No other Services Center email in the County links to private websites, only government landing pages. There's a cybersecurity risk in directing people to an external link, for starters. Then there's the abuse of taxpayer funds for private profit. It would be best to not link to any private media outlet, but if he's going to link to my competitor, he has to link to me, too.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait till rail is added and the surface parking is replaced by 200 foot residential towers.

Anonymous said...

slow news day = lots of time to troll Robert Dyer

Anonymous said...

Who in the hell ever suggested Bethesda was supposed to, or had a chance in hell, of leading the nation in Tech? This is absolutely a ridiculous suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Is there a "cyber security risk" in visiting Dyer's site? I mean, how much security would the host provide for a totally free account?

Anonymous said...

10:37AM - that would be Montgomery County itself

http://www.choosemontgomerymd.com/business-community/industry-sectors/information-technology#.Vyejs-TDGGZ

Anonymous said...

@ 9:41 AM - he's probably "Area Man" or "DrLRonHoover".

Anonymous said...

6:40: Media shows up no matter what the weather. But you have to invite them. Not inviting the leading Bethesda news site? Pretty dumb. Hey look - the transit center is empty! How's that media blackballing working out for you MCDOT?

Was ridership down on either of those days? No, it was not, is ridership down today? No it is not.

do some digging to find out that just because when you showed up there wasn't much going on doesn't mean others were not going to show up.

Why didn't you show up to the opening Mr. Media? what mom wouldn't let you go out unless you go to cvs under the coat of darkess

Anonymous said...

Don't only expect high volume of troll comments here, but they'll be nastier as well. Big vote coming up on the Westbard plan. Standard tactic to create noise/disruption :)

Anonymous said...

Yes, the "lone troll" is gonna start rampaging soon I'm sure! Birdbrain

Anonymous said...

Isn't the whole save Westbard or communities not canyons and letters and campaigns pretty much a standard tactic to create noise/disruption?

Robert Dyer said...

1:03: Yes, ridership wasn't just down, it was non-existent, as the photos show. No, MoCo did not send out invitations or media alerts to any beyond the couple of hand-picked ones they invited. How do you "show up" for an event you weren't invited to?

Anonymous said...

"Ridership wasn't just down, it was non-existent, as the photos show."

The photos were taken around 4:20 PM on a Sunday afternoon.

Let's check the Sunday schedules for each bus that serves the terminal:


Metrobus J2: Service every 20 minutes in each direction.

Ride-On 6: NO SERVICE ON SUNDAYS

Ride-On 26: Service every 30 minutes in each direction.

Ride-On 42: NO SERVICE ON SUNDAYS

Ride-On 47: Service every 30 minutes in each direction.

Ride-On 96: NO SERVICE ON SUNDAYS


You really are stupid and desperate, aren't you, Dyer?

Anonymous said...

Shouldn't there be *more* bus service to the mall on weekends, not less? Malls peak in traffic on Saturday and Sunday, right?

Robert Dyer said...

8:07: What does the lack of passengers have to do with my level of intelligence? The photos speak for themselves. If you actually take Ride On like I have for decades, you know you spend more time waiting at bus stops than actually riding. There should be people waiting for those sparse Ride On buses.

Foolish to talk about my IQ when yours is lower than your belt size.

Anonymous said...

Dyer @ 9:28 PM - have you considered that the riders might have Ride-On's App and spending the last few minutes shopping instead of waiting in the bus terminal?

Anonymous said...

Why is the transit center so far away from the mall?

Anonymous said...

"I've never commented on that site in my life." - Robert Dyer

I'm happy to believe you but why wouldn't you believe AK doesn't comment on yours? Or SH? Both of who you regularly claim to be your "lone" troll?

Anonymous said...

"Foolish to talk about my IQ when yours is lower than your belt size." - Robert Dyer

And dyer again proves he is also a child.

Anonymous said...

#dodgingdyer and concerned citizen would never acknowledge the hypocrisy.

Anonymous said...

"9:26: You can't use taxpayer money and resources to enrich a private sector business. No other Services Center email in the County links to private websites, only government landing pages. There's a cybersecurity risk in directing people to an external link, for starters. Then there's the abuse of taxpayer funds for private profit. It would be best to not link to any private media outlet, but if he's going to link to my competitor, he has to link to me, too." - Robert Dyer

This argument shows Dyer's mindset. "It's illegal" but if you're going to be illegal you "have to link to me too" (which he does all the time btw)

SMDH

Anonymous said...

If Dyer actually spent more time waiting for buses than riding them, he must not have bothered to read the schedules.

#Dumass