Bethesda Metro Center escalator-to-staircase conversion update (Photos)

The new staircase connecting the plaza level with the bus bays at the Bethesda Metro Center is finally starting to take its finished form. WMATA removed an escalator connecting the two levels earlier this year. Without a canopy to protect the escalator from weather, it broke down often. The target date for completion of this project is December 31, but it looks like they may finish ahead of schedule.

WHAT A SHOCK! BETHESDA METRO ESCALATOR MISSES WMATA REPAIR DEADLINE (PHOTOS)

Remember the mezzanine-to-platform escalator at the Bethesda Metro station that WMATA said would be repaired by April 21? The deadline came and went yesterday, and the escalator is still out of commission. Now WMATA says the new deadline is May 19, virtually a month behind schedule.

Despite continued station closures, single-tracking and maintenance, the fact is that Metro's leadership continues to fail customers. At Friendship Heights Metro just the other day, all up escalators were stopped. A customer was surrounded by a small crowd midway up the escalator, in obvious physical distress, and unable to continue the climb. "You're going to be okay," a companion assured the victim.

This level of service is completely unacceptable, and potentially deadly for customers. It's high time that the Washington Post and regional politicians stop enabling Metro's failed leadership. Funding increases from state and local governments must be tied not only to actionable changes in operations, but also to changes at the very top of Metro. Enough's enough.

Here's the current condition of the escalator:

THAT ESCALATOR AT BETHESDA METRO CENTER! (PHOTOS) #WMATA #DC

Working Friday. Not working Saturday. Working again Sunday, as you can see in these photos. The plaza-to-bus bays escalator at Bethesda Metro Center keeps things interesting for transit riders, just part of the entertainment value you get for your rising fares.

While there's nothing unusual about an escalator outage in the Metro system, this one is notable for having been undergoing maintenance for several weeks. Which you would have expected to fix any problems. I heard over the weekend that Maryland, DC and Virginia leaders agreed to increase funding for Metro. What I did not hear, is whether any of those leaders used the leverage of funding to force WMATA's leadership to change. If that's the case, what a missed opportunity, to the detriment of riders regionwide.

BETHESDA METRO CENTER ESCALATOR NOT WORKING AGAIN (PHOTO)

The saga continues. After the escalator between the Bethesda Metro Center plaza and bus bays resumed operation last week, things appeared to be back to normal. But now it is frozen again. It was accessible as a staircase yesterday, but not functioning otherwise.

BETHESDA METRO CENTER ESCALATOR WORKING AT LAST (PHOTOS) #WMATA #DC

The long-delayed reopening of the escalator connecting the plaza with the bus bays at Bethesda Metro Center has finally happened - and it actually moves this time! These intrepid commuters put it to work:

BETHESDA METRO ESCALATOR REOPENS...BUT DOESN'T WORK! (PHOTO) #DC #WMATA

The latest repair deadline for the escalator between the plaza and bus bays at the Bethesda Metro Center arrived last Friday. As you may recall, several previous deadlines were missed over the last few weeks. But Friday, the blockades were finally removed. Now let's take the escalator...

Well, it turned out that, while the escalator was open, it was locked in stair mode and not moving.

FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS METRO STATION ESCALATOR SHUT DOWN (PHOTOS) #WMATA #DC

An escalator between the bus bays and underground landing at the Friendship Heights Metro station has been walled off. A modernization project will keep the escalator offline through July 19, 2014, according to WMATA.

HOW ROMANTIC: BETHESDA METRO CENTER ESCALATOR TO REOPEN ON VALENTINE'S DAY (PHOTOS)

The escalator between the Bethesda Metro Center plaza and bus bays was supposed to be fixed last Tuesday. Then last Friday. Then today. Big shock: it was still out of service today.

Now WMATA says it will reopen on Valentine's Day this Friday. Is this the new and improved Metro the Washington Post keeps telling us about?

"Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better."

- Émile Coué

BETHESDA METRO CENTER ESCALATOR OUTAGE UPDATE (PHOTO) #WMATA

WMATA has a moving target for returning the plaza-to-bus-bay escalator to service at Bethesda Metro Center. Originally, the escalator was due to reopen February 4. But, as of last night, it was still offline. According to WMATA, it should be back in service sometime today. I'm reminded of the scene in Airplane!, where the gate arrival announcement keeps changing as the out-of-control jet passes each one. This photo was taken last evening. We'll get there when we get there, apparently.

WMATA BEGINS REPAIR OF LEAKING CEILING OVER BETHESDA METRO STATION ESCALATOR (PHOTOS)

The leaks over a Bethesda Metro station escalator are hardly news to regular commuters there. But they gained greater public attention during the recent Polar Vortex, when massive icicles formed that threatened to fatally injure Metro riders before the escalator was taken out of service.

Now, scaffolding has been installed for several weeks of after-hours repair. Access to the station will be unaffected. WMATA says the source of the water is the property located above the station, and that property owner is making the repairs, not Metro.

BETHESDA METRO MEZZANINE ESCALATOR OUT FOR REPAIRS (PHOTOS)

One of the short escalators between the mezzanine and platforms at the Bethesda Metro station is out of service for repairs. Depending on whether you believe the sign on-site, or the Metro web site, it will be back in service in either February 2014, or on March 21, 2014. Flip a coin, I guess (but not while you're on the escalator).

BETHESDA METRO ESCALATORS IMMORTALIZED IN PAINTING AT BOLOCO BETHESDA

With the escalators at the Bethesda Metro station having gone out of service last night for the billionth time, and the station set to be closed all weekend(!!) for more "repairs" that show zero results, I thought you might like this painting I discovered at the new Boloco restaurant at Bethesda Row.

Bethesda Metro station

The artwork by Boston artist Sean Boyce shows what life at the Bethesda Metro station is like when all goes well:  commuters traveling up and down working escalators, among impressive modern architecture.

Boyce says he was drawn to the Bethesda Metro station, when he walked around the downtown searching for landmarks to depict in art for Boloco.

He finds Metro to be "one of the most efficient subway systems in the country."

I love this painting, and the one of the Bethesda Metro Center that hangs next to it.