Silver Line extension is one of several options to increase Metro capacity
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| A possible route for extending the Silver Silver Line. Click to enlarge. [WMATA] |
Would you like to see Metro’s Silver line extended
along Route 7 and Columbia Pike through Seven Corners, Bailey’s Crossroads, and Arlington?
along Route 7 and Columbia Pike through Seven Corners, Bailey’s Crossroads, and Arlington?
That’s one of several long-term options put forth by
the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) in a survey seeking
public input on various proposals to ease future congestion on Metro’s Blue,
Orange, and Silver lines. Take the survey here.
the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) in a survey seeking
public input on various proposals to ease future congestion on Metro’s Blue,
Orange, and Silver lines. Take the survey here.
Don’t get your hopes up, however. Extending the
Silver line from the West Falls Church station to either Southeast D.C. or
National Airport and beyond would be a multibillion-dollar project that would
take at least 25 years to complete. In fact, the Greater, Greater Washington blog calls the maps
accompanying the Metro Capacity and Reliability Study “fantasy maps.”
The main problem WMATA is trying to resolve is congestion at the Rosslyn station, which lacks the capacity to
handle the demand. While overall Metro ridership has declined, transportation planners
believe it will increase in future years as the population grows, especially if
capacity and reliability are improved.
Other proposals call for WMATA to:
handle the demand. While overall Metro ridership has declined, transportation planners
believe it will increase in future years as the population grows, especially if
capacity and reliability are improved.
Other proposals call for WMATA to:
- Extend the Silver line north from West Falls Church or McLean to mid-D.C. and Union Station or from Tysons to Bethesda and beyond.
- Install the infrastructure – new crossovers and pocket tracks – to allow trains to “turn back” at different areas along the Orange, Blue, or Silver lines. This would improve reliability by allowing quick recovery from incidents and delays.
- Build a new “Rosslyn II” station and realign rail service around Rosslyn to allow for different service patterns. The new station would have pedestrian links to the existing station.
- Build a new “Rosslyn II” station and extend the Blue Line through a new tunnel under the Potomac River into D.C. and Maryland.
- Build a new “Rosslyn II” station and a new tunnel under the Potomac River to create a new Metrorail loop connecting the Pentagon, Georgetown, the Dupont and Shaw neighborhoods, and the Navy Yard/Waterfront area.
In related Metro news, WMATA plans to rebuild the deteriorating platforms on the western side of the Orange line next summer at the East Falls
Church, West Falls Church, Dunn Loring, and Vienna stations.
Church, West Falls Church, Dunn Loring, and Vienna stations.
The East Falls Church, West Falls Church, and Dunn
Loring stations will be closed between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2020.
Loring stations will be closed between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2020.
That proposed silver line proposal extension is needed now, not in 25 years. By that time all of the middle class would have left Mason. Now is the time for Penny do something of substance. Get that damn line in now. What a screwed up place, when it is quicker to get downtown by bike vs metro.
What are these magical, mystical powers you attribute to a county councilman? Penny Gross (or any other county councilman) can't get a metro line put in now. Or 25 years from now. Just as they can't save failing chain restaurants or convince Wegmans to move somewhere where there clearly isn't a market for it. All of these things are way above the paygrade or capabilities of any county councilman, anywhere. Penny Gross did not personally "destroy" the Mason district and she can't personally "save" it (if in fact it needs "saving"). She (or whatever Democrat comes after her) also won't lose to a Republican in any election, so best to put your nose to the grindstone and start working within the community, and within the Democratic party, to make whatever (realistic) changes you wish to be seen. Or you can just post comments on blogs and blame individual politicians for things over which they clearly have little or no control.
Here is a recap of history.
Gerry Connolly put this metro spur to a community vote back in the 70s. Because he wanted to get re-elected to the BoS he let all the bigots kibosh the rail line to Skyline. The metro tunnel access for Columbia Pike is there and capped off for Metro had fully intended to build it over 30 years ago. We let the uninformed decide on our futures back then. They didn't have a clue. Sort of like Trump and Climate Change.
And that is why BoS stands for Board of Stupids.
We need to all get organized and involved to lobby for Metro in Mason/Lincolnia/Annandale. It doesn’t have to run down LRT, but it should be within Mason. We all should be pressing Penny Gross to wake up on this!
When I moved to the DC area in 1988, they were talking about metro to Dulles. Here it is, almost 32 years later and Metro is not yet to Dulles.
Close, but not yet.
And the cost of the Silver Line? Well over $4 billion.
You want mass transit now? Take a bus. The 16A and 16L travel down Columbia Pike regularly and take you to the Pentagon Metro.
Want Metro? Get involved and make your case, let your elected officials know. Prepare to pay for it and wait for it. It'll be expensive and it'll take 25 years.
Maybe Mr. Bezos could advocate for more public transportation for S. Arlington. All those new Amazon employees will need to get out of Crystal City.
Our so called County and District leaders should be working this angle with Amazon. Instead they will sit on the sidelines in a bottleneck just like our roadways. And then brilliantly tell us that we have to wait 25 years.
Board of Stupids are really on top of advancing Fairfax into the 20th century, 100 years too late!
Find people who will
Run for office that have a better vision
To 12/18/19 at 4:12 .Although we live in a time of "alternate facts and reality" you cannot change what actually happened. Jerry Connolly was NOT on the Fairfax County BOS in the 70's. The Mason District member was Ann Wilkins.
The decision to cancel the Metro was made by Arlington County officials, possibly because of the reservations of property owners along Columbia Pike. Unfortunately, Fairfax County, premised on construction of the project, had approved radical rezoning in the Baileys area resulting in the Skyline high rises. A selling point in the early sales brochures was proximity to the Metro.
The concentration of so many people in a small area continues to cause
congestion, has impacted local schools and increased the demand for social services.
It will take more than the long projected arrival of Metro to address these issues.
It will take vision to re-align this area with today's trends. Mason has let this area falter for 30 years. Nothing can be done in my lifetime. Sad but may have to move to another area where section 8 housing isn't the primary focus for housing. Route 7 is a ghetto from Seven Corners to Skyline. The majority of housing is low income concentrated in a 2 mile strips, and that is why its a ghetto.