Hello,
Nice to see members of the Regime gathered to celebrate yet another challenge to the Metrorail system they want to spend billions of dedicated tax dollars to preserve. Anyone actually believe former Governor McAuliffe is going to ride Metrorail to downtown DC next year? Nope, he's going to be chauffered from his McLean mansion to meet other VIPs like Muriel Bowser via I-66 Express Lanes to help concoct another deal where people who don't, won't, or can't use Metrorail will bail out WMATA.
Reality check: Metrorail was designed 50 years ago as a two track system with no express capability to serve a medium-density DC and low-density suburbs. Metrorail came with a number of design and construction deficiencies (like escalators and water intrusion) that took decades to fix. About 20 years ago Metrorail's infrastructure was allowed to deteriorate, to the point where life-threatening safety issues were ignored. About the same time the Region's so-called "Progressive" elected officials who served on WMATA's Board of Directors began massive gentrification of the working class and middle class out of their jurisdictions, to be replaced by Smart Growth upscale urbanization with plenty of parking under the expensive mixed-use buildings.
WMATA's Board members and their colleagues in local jurisdictions simultaneously began the transportation charade known as the "Car Free Diet" which has evolved into a transportation nightmare where more motor vehicles generate more vehicle trips, whether from Uber, Lyft, Express Lanes, Car2Go, Zip Car, massive parking garages, increased student drop-offs, more vehicles per household, and the near-complete gentrification of the middle class out of DC and adjacent urbanized suburbs.
Can't fail to mention the proliferation of bicycles and free range bicyclists (who also own one or more motor vehicles). Then there are the connector buses, like ART, that parallel Metrorail.
So, why be surprised that Metrorail lost riders? Why tax people who don't, won't and can't ride Metrorail to impress Amazon (among other large corporations DC, Arlington, and other localities want to locate or relocate in the region)?
Twenty years of an ever-growing transportation mess. Enough.
Cindy
22 comments:
How about - Jay Fisette, Libby Garvey, and the other leaders of the Bicycle Cult narrowing Arlington's streets and roads so vehicles like Are buses that ARE contributing to a car free diet have to compete for street space with scofflaws on bicycles?
"Car Free Diet"? When have you ever heard anyone in Arlington Government advocating for any of the following: telecommuting, car pooling, van pooling, increased utilization of school buses, signing up for home grocery delivery, more ART bus routes, VRE commuter rail to Culpeper, VRE express rail service to Fredericksburg, building workforce housing close to restaurants and retail?
There's Mary "Don't Worry, Be Happy, Metrorail is Safe" Hynes, far right. County Board member and long time WMATA Board member. Loves those I-66 Express Lanes.
I've been on a Metro-free diet for years and no way do I want to pay to put lipstick on their pig.
Car Free Diet? - Try the Shirlington Regional Octoberfest in progress September 30th, convenient to everyone everywhere via I-395.
Then there's the Arlington Regional Park System where sports-recreation-amenities are so new and upscale people from every other close-by jurisdiction have to drive here to use them.
On Thursday the Post loudly complained about the parking lot much of I-95 has become. Same progressive Post that thrives on advertising unregulated "growth for the sake of growth".
Right. Even if Metrorail was not allowed to deteriorate Metrorail would and will continue to lose riders to newer and more flexible transportation modes. Why are we bailing Metrorail out (again)? What are people who live in 22207 supposed to do? Take a couple of connector buses from where we live nowhere near a Metro station to the nearest Metro station and another couple of connector buses to where we work that's nowhere near a Metro? Assuming of course there's a connector bus route near your home and near where you work.
This is all about McAuliffe and others we elect selling our suburbs to developers, neighborhood by neighborhood, whether that's accomplished by jazzing up an obsolete Metrorail system or installing express lanes. Why should I pay for the their addiction to complete urbanization, through my taxes and the trashing of my quality of life?
Anyone predicted yet when multi-modal gridlock will arrive at and near Metro stations?
Then there's our part-time General Assembly delegation which is enriching itself through wheeling and dealing inside the beltway when it's not enriching itself through wheeling and dealing in Richmond.
You would think the VIPs who live in the Washington Blvd. corridor would be concerned about I-66 being tolled in December, but no, they just approved the narrowing of Washington Blvd. to appease the Bicycle Cult.
How many members of Arlington's Bicycle Cult will be riding on Arlington's dedicated bicycle lanes between November 1st and April 1st (5 months)? How many will be driving their SUVs with bike racks to work, shop, indoor recreation, between November 1st and April 1st?
Libby Garvey, among others.
Photo is from last week's Inside Nova feature hyping I-66 Express Lanes.
I am also on a Metro Free Diet and don't live anywhere near Metrorail or a Metrobus route. Retired and don't drive much either. In a few years I will most likely be using Uber and Lyft for transportation. Don't make me pay for something I'll never use.
How much more will people who own motor vehicles be expected to pay for that has nothing to do with motor vehicles? How about people who don't own motor vehicles? How much is the regressive sales tax going to be raised to pay for more waste and inefficiency from WMATA?
Time to charge bicycle owners $10 per year for a bicycle license and make them show proof of liability insurance when applying for the license.
Then there are the local media which are more than happy to publish any and all PR propaganda from WMATA as "news".
Register and license all bicycles and require bicyclists to obtain liability insurance and weal safety vests and helmets.
Register and License all Bicycles !!!
Agree 110%. Bike Arlington appears to be by, of, and for PTSD-afflicted Millennial Males.
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