Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Metro trip with my kids that I expected to be a hassle and a half turned out to be an exciting adventure. It turns out that even older kids can find magic in ordinary places.
One of the really wonderful things about having kids is seeing the world through their eyes. For instance, when they're babies and they see a cat and it is like, "Oh, good lord, what is THAT? Because it is AMAZEBALLS!" Then they are toddlers and the little wooden climbing structure at the playground turns into an epic pirate ship that transports their little imaginations around the world and you are reminded of what it is like to be able to see the possibility in anything. Once your kids are a little older—say ages 7 through 11, like mine are—these moments come less often. Don't you worry though, because they still happen. I took all three of my kids on a Metro trip last Friday. Living in the DC area, this may not seem like that big of a …
Friday, March 1, 2013
Red Line trains will run every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and every 15 minutes at other times.
Free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains this weekend between the NoMa-Gallaudet and Takoma stations "for ongoing platform reconstruction, communication system improvements, rail renewal and DDOT bridge work," according to Metro's website. The work will start at 10 p.m. on Friday, March 1, and will continue through closing time on Sunday, March 3. During that time, three stations will be closed: Rhode Island Avenue, Brookland and Fort Totten. Red Line trains will operate in two segments: between Glenmont and Takoma and between NoMa-Gallaudet and Shady Grove, Metro reported. Trains will operate every 10 minutes from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., and every 15 minutes at other times. Customers using the free shuttle bus service between NoMa-…
Friday, February 22, 2013
Trains will single track between Friendship Heights and Van Ness and between Takoma and Rhode Island Avenue.
Red Line trains will single track in two work zones this weekend, starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22, and continuing through closing on Sunday. Trains will single track between Friendship Heights and Van Ness "to allow for track, fastener and insulator renewal," and between Takoma and Rhode Island Avenue "to allow for platform reconstruction and rail joint elimination for a smoother ride," Metro reported on its website. During the weekend, trains between Shady Grove and Glenmont will operate every 24 minutes in each direction. On Saturday and Sunday, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., extra trains will be added between Van Ness and NoMa-Gallaudet, so that trains will run about every 12 minutes between those stations, Metro added. Metro advised…
Friday, February 15, 2013
Red Line Metro trains will single track between Rhode Island Avenue and Takoma this weekend to allow for platform reconstruction, Metro's website reported.
Red Line Metro trains will single track between Rhode Island Avenue and Takoma this weekend to allow for platform reconstruction, Metro's website reported. The single tracking will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15, and continue through closing on Monday, Feb. 18. Trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont throughout the weekend, with the following exceptions, according to Metro's website: Metro advised those traveling through the work zone to allow about 15 minutes of additional travel time, according to Metro's website. On Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 18), Metro trains will run on a Saturday schedule. Metro will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Metrobus service will run on a Saturday Supplemental …
Friday, February 8, 2013
On Tuesday, Metro’s head of planning Shyam Kannan will answer questions about the transit system's 30-year growth plan.
Transit riders will get a chance to review Metro’s 30-year growth plan with Metro’s chief planner next Tuesday at a meeting of advocacy group Action Committee for Transit, the group said in a press release. The recently-released, $26 billion plan calls for running eight-car trains across the Metrorail system, upgrading bus service, adding new rail tunnels and pedestrian tunnels in downtown Washington, DC, and other changes. Metro general manager Richard Sarles told The Washington Post that the infrastructure upgrades are necessary to keep up with the region's growth. “Now is the time for the region — with Metro in the lead — to begin talking about projects that make the most sense for making long-term investments," Sarles told The Post. …
Metro advises passengers traveling through either of the work zones to add on about 15 minutes to the anticipated travel time.
Red Line trains will single track this weekend through two work zones, Metro reported on its website: The work will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, and continue through closing on Sunday. The single tracking will enable work crews to perform platform reconstruction, track maintenance and third-rail upgrades, Metro reported. Throughout the weekend, Red Line trains traveling between Shady Grove and Glenmont will operate every 24 minutes. Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, additional Red Line trains will operate between Grosvenor and NoMa-Gallaudet to provide service about every 10 minutes between those Metro stations, Metro added. Metro advised passengers traveling through either of the work zones to add on about 15 …
Friday, February 1, 2013
Trains will single track to allow work crews to replace ceiling tiles, install new emergency call boxes and make structural repairs, Metro reported.
Red Line trains will single track between the Farragut North and Judiciary Square Metro stations this weekend "to allow for ceiling tile replacement, structural repairs and installation of new emergency call boxes," according to Metro's website. Work starts at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1, and continues through closing on Saturday, Feb. 3, Metro reported. Red Line trains running between the Shady Grove and Glenmont stations will operate every 20 minutes throughout the weekend, Metro added. Additional trains will run about every 10 minutes in two segments—between Shady Grove and Farragut North, and between Glenmont and Judiciary Square—between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Metro added. "Customers traveling through the work zone …
Friday, January 25, 2013
This weekend's scheduled track work on the Red Line will end at noon on Sunday.
Red Line trains will single track between the Farragut North and Judiciary Square Metrorail stations this weekend, from 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, through noon on Sunday, Jan. 27, Metro reported on its website. During this time, trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont. Additional trains will run between Shady Grove and Farragut North between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and between 9 a.m. and noon on Sunday, providing service about every 10 minutes between those stations, Metro added. "Customers should add about 10 minutes to their travel time while track work is in effect," Metro reported. Read more about this weekend's scheduled track work at Metro's website.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Metro has awarded a $151.1 million contract to upgrade or replace 128 escalators in its system, The Washington Post reports.
Metro has awarded a $151.1 million contract to escalator company KONE Corp. to upgrade or replace 128 of its escalators, The Washington Post reports. Stations on the list for escalator improvements under the contract include Bethesda, Friendship Heights, College Park, Glenmont, Medical Center and Shady Grove. Escalators that break down during busy rush periods have long been a source of frustration for Metro riders. In Bethesda, all three entrance escalators are slated to be replaced in 2014. Community leaders lauded the pending project following outcry about the escalators’ unreliability, Patch reported. According to The Post report, 88 escalator units will be complete by 2018, and the rest will be done in 2019 and 2020. Sarles told The …
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Plan your commute carefully on Jan. 21.
While fewer people are expected to attend President Obama's second inauguration on Jan. 21, projections still show between 600,000 and 800,000 people will be there. That alone would cause an increase in traffic on Washington, DC's roads, buses, trains and sidewalks. For safety and security reasons, a number of roads surrounding the National Mall will be closed on Jan. 21. Some Metrorail stations and Metrobus routes will be affected as well. The District of Columbia's Presidential Inauguration 2013 website details the status of road access into Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day: The following roads will be closed from 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21: The website also lists all of the "emergency no parking zones" in effect between 7 a.…
Jean Winegardner
10:59 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
There are a LOT of Metro rider crimes I would happily mete out judgement for in such a court, Judge Astrove. :) more ›