a multi-modal rapid rail transit network should be in dc's transportation future
TRANSCRIPT
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AMulti-ModalRapidRailTransitNetwork
ShouldBeinDCsTransportationFuture
September2011
J.OtavioThompson
Washington,DCInfoCenter
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Summary
ImportanceofTransitInfrastructureAsa cityaspiring toraiseitsstatustoa levelonparwiththeworlds leadingglobalcities,Washington,
D.C.wouldbenefitenormouslybymodelingitsfuturemass transitexpansionplansaftertop-tierglobalcitieswithextensivemulti-modaldedicatedright-of-wayrailnetworks.Whilebuildingastreetcarsystem
in Washington, D.C. is to be applauded and will undoubtedly provide a higher quality and more
environmentally-friendlymode ofmass transit than bus service, there is still a growing need for the
developmentofamulti-modalrapid-railtransitsystemtocomplementtheexistingheavy-railnetworkin
thecity. InorderforD.C.tobeabletoreachitsfullresidentialandemploymentgrowthpotentialover
the next 40 years and retain its competitive advantage in the D.C. region with regard to transit
infrastructure, the city should increase its financial commitment to Metrorail to remedy its critical
maintenancebacklog,becomemore proactive inthe planning process toidentifyandimplementlong-
termsolutionstocurrentMetrorailcongestion,expanditsrapid-railmasstransitnetwork,andestablisha
permanenttransitinfrastructureenhancementandexpansionfund.
Thegoalsofrapid-railmasstransitexpansioninD.C.shallbe: Tomatchthefrequency,breadth,andeaseofmasstransitservicealreadyfoundintop-tiercitiesaroundtheglobe
ToexpandmasstransitcapacityinthecoreoftheD.C.regionsexistingheavyrailnetwork Tointroducerapid-railmass transitservice incorridorswherenone currentlyexistand also topopulardestinationswhererapid-railmasstransitshouldalreadyexist
Tofacilitateeconomicdevelopmentandpopulationgrowthinunder-developedcorridorsinanefforttosignificantlyexpandthecitystaxbase
TobecomealeaderamongU.S.citiesthataspiretodevelopfirst-ratemasstransitnetworksthatproperlyaligntransitneedswithappropriatetransitmodes.
Afullyurban-focusedrapid-railnetworkwouldbeawiseandforward-thinkinginvestmenttoaugmentthe
D.C. regionspartiallycommuter-focusedMetrorailservice. A lightormedium-capacitynetworkwould
addcapacityandspeedypoint-to-pointtravelthatmixed-trafficstreetcarservicecannotprovide.
Complementarylightormedium-capacityrailservicewouldprovidemuchneededcapacityexpansionand
redundancy to the core ofthe regionsheavy rail networkwhilemoreproperly aligningthe needsof
individualcorridorstothetransitmode.ThecityshouldconsidertheGeorgiaAvenueandWoodleyPark-
Brooklandcorridorsithasidentifiedforstreetcarserviceandplantobuildthemasdedicatedright-of-way
lightormedium-capacityraillinesinstead.
Going forward, theadequate andtimelymaintenanceof current transit infrastructure inWashington,
D.C., along with thoughtful planning for mass transit expansion and enhancement, will be critically
important to and most certainly will affect the economic viability of the city and the mobility of its
residents,employees,andvisitors.
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Demographics
ResidentialWitharesidentialpopulationnowover600,000,
1Washington,D.C.isgainingmomentumasanattractive
placetolive,work,andvisit.Washington,D.C.isthecommercial,cultural,andentertainmentheartoftheD.C.regionwithgreataccesstoamenitiesnoteasilyfoundincitiesofthesamesize.D.C.spopulationis
expectedtorisetoabout650,000residentsby2015.2Butevenwiththisgrowth,thecityhasahigher
potential that isnot being realized. The city needs to significantlyexpand its tax base to become a
financiallysustainablecityinthelongterm.
Washington,DCaccountsforabout11percentofthetotalD.C.areapopulationyetholds24percentof
thejobsintheregion.3Withtrafficcongestionandcommutetimesintheregionrankingamongtheworst
intheentirenation,thereisanopportunitytoencouragemorepeopleintheD.C.regionwhoalready
workinWashington,DCtoalsoliveinthecity.Thereissurelyenoughunder-utilizedandvacantlandand
properties in the city to accommodate another 300,000 residents within 40 years for a total D.C.
populationofaround900,000residentsby2050.D.C.spopulationreachedapeakof802,178residentsin
1950
4
,andthecityshouldendeavortobecomeoneofthe15largestU.S.citiesby2050.
Oneofthecitysprimarycompetitiveadvantagesisaccesstomasstransitascomparedtothesurrounding
jurisdictions.D.C.couldeasilymanagesomeofthisnewpopulationgrowthbycarefullyincreasingdensity
arounditscurrentMetrorailstationswhilesimultaneouslydevelopingalong-rangeplantoexpandaccess
tohighercapacitymasstransitinmoreareasofthecityasthecitygrows. Thesenewlightormedium-
capacityrapid-raillinesshouldconnectseamlesslyanddirectlywiththeexistingheavyrailnetwork.
Former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, in 2003, began his second term in office with a lofty goal of
attracting100,000netnewresidentstothecitywithin10yearsbyinstitutinganaggressivehousingpolicy
andcallingonthetensofthousandsofresidentswholeftthecitytoreturn.Thecurrentadministration
couldbuildon MayorWilliams lofty goal by seeking to add 300,000 net new residents by2050and
aligning that goal with a complementary land-use and re-zoning effort for the areas immediately
surroundingMetrorailstations.D.C.mustbeabletoleveragethesignificantinvestmentmadetobuilditsheavyrailtransitnetwork. ThecityshouldalsosetagoalthatMetrorailstationslocatedincommercial
andresidential zones shouldhave atleast12,000residentslivingwithin ahalf-mile radius. Numerous
Metrorail stationswithinD.C. still fall well short of this very reasonable goal, such as theDeanwood,
Anacostia,CongressHeights,BenningRoad,Takoma,andTenleytownstops,tonameafew.5
ThecitymustplaceitselfinapositiontocaptureahigherpercentageofresidentsmovingtotheD.C.
region.TheD.C.regionisforecasttoaddnearlytwomillionnetnewresidentsby2040.6D.C.leadership
shouldimmediatelycraftaplantocaptureatleast13%ofnewDCarearesidentsthrough2040.Basedon
current guidance, D.C. is forecast to capture only about eight percent of net new DC area residents
through2040.
1U.S.CensusBureau,ResidentPopulationData,1910-20102MetropolitanWashingtonCouncilofGovernments,Round8.0Forecast,Fall20102MetropolitanWashingtonCouncilofGovernments,Round8.0Forecast,Fall20103U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,USCensusBureau,GeorgeMasonUniversityCenterforRegionalAnalysis4U.S.CensusBureau,ResidentPopulationData,1910-201052011NeighborhoodProfiles,Washington,DCEconomicPartnership,www.wdcep.com/dc-profile/neighborhoods6MetropolitanWashingtonCouncilofGovernments,Round8.0Forecast,Fall2010
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Table1. PopulationDensityofSelectNeighborhoodsWithinOne-HalfMileof
D.C.MetrorailStationsMetroStation Avg.Weekday
Ridership
7
Centerof
Half-MileRadius
2010
Population
8
2015
Population
2020
Population
Anacostia 7,719MLKAveandGood
HopeRoad,SE6,176 7,512 9,144
ColumbiaHeights 11,990 14thandIrving,NW 37,181 40,016 41,528
DuPontCircle 47,925 DuPontCircle 19,797 20,332 21,002
FortTotten 14,259SouthDakotaand
Galloway,NE7,416 9,075 11,103
FriendshipHeights 19,117Wisconsinand
MilitaryRoad,NW9,209 10,105 10,356
GalleryPlace 53,331 7thandH,NW 9,777 14,304 15,115
NavyYard 15,292 3rdandI,SE 5,819 9,014 12,208
NewYorkAvenue 8,812 FirstandK,NE 8,761 12,570 18,584
CommercialThe Districtof Columbia is the largest employment center in the D.C.metropolitan region with over
700,000 jobs.9 The citywill remain the largest employment center in the region for the foreseeable
future.10Thecitycurrentlycontains,however,disproportionallymorejobsthanitsresidentlaborforce.
Washington,D.C.containsabout107millionsquarefeetofleasablecommercialofficespace.11Thisranks
D.C. ashaving the thirdlargestofficemarket in the country,behindNew York Cityand Chicago. Bycomparison,SeattleinWashingtonState, a city of similarresidential population asD.C., hasabout 45
millionsquarefeetofleasablecommercialofficespace.12
Inessence,Washington,D.C.hastheofficebaseofalargecitylikeChicagobutaresidentialpopulationof
amedium-sizedcity likeDenver.With totalD.C.employmentincreasingtoaroundonemillion jobsby
2040,13thecityshouldbeginnowtodevelopa long-termplan forrebalancingthedisparitybetween its
officeandresidentialmarkets.Withoutamoreaggressive,coordinatedhousingpolicy,thedisparitythat
existsnowwillmostlylikelyremainthesameevenasthecitygrows.Thisdisparitywillundoubtedlyput
an even greater strain on the Metro system, as well as streets and highways, to efficiently move
commuters in and out of the city. An urban-focused, rapid rail network, aswell as better land-use
planning, zoning,betterpublic schools,moreefficientpermittingprocesses, designreview,andfurther
crime reduction all shouldbe thecornerstoneofa long-term, concerted effort tomakethe citymore
attractivetocurrentandfutureresidentsandemployers.
7WashingtonMetropolitanAreaTransitAuthority8NeighborhoodProfiles2010,WashingtonDCEconomicPartnership9D.C.DepartmentofEmploymentServices,WageandSalaryEmploymentbyIndustryandPlaceofWork201010MetropolitanWashingtonCouncilofGovernments,Round8.0Forecast,Fall2010
11Grubb&Ellis,OfficeTrendsReportFourthQuarter2010,WashingtonDCMetro
12Grubb&Ellis,OfficeTrendsReportFourthQuarter2010,Seattle,WA13MetropolitanWashingtonCouncilofGovernments,Round8.0Forecast,Fall2010
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Isthereadifferencebetweenlightrailandstreetcars?Yes,thereis.Whilethevehiclesusedonstreetcarandlightrailsystemsaremoresimilarthannot,the
mostimportantdeterminantishowthevehiclesareused.Streetcarsarenotaformoflightrail,andthe
two termsshould not beusedinterchangeably. The term light rail should beused for transit that is
attemptingto berapid inat leasthalf ofitsroute length. Light railis a companion toheavyrail and
medium-capacitysystems.Lightrailcoverslongdistancesfasterthanstreetcarsbecauseitisoperatedin
adedicatedright-of-wayandwithlongerdistancesbetweenstops.Streetcarsoperateinmixedtrafficbutmayalsobeoperatedin quasi-dedicatedright-of-way. TheK StreetCenterwayproposalin downtown
D.C.isanexampleofaquasi-dedicatedright-of-waywherethestreetcarwillshareitsrightofwaywith
localMetrobusesbutwillstillhavetocrossstandardintersectionswherevehiculartrafficisinoperation.
Streetcars, evenwhile having stops farther apart than busses, still provide a low-capacity, local-stop
service. Longer trips are more sensitive to speed and reliability, and this is what makes streetcars
unattractive for longer trips. Streetcars are more suited for connecting neighborhoods, meaning
neighborhoodsthatcloselybordereachother,ratherthanforcrosstownservice.
DistrictofColumbiaAlternativeAnalysis(DCAA)TheDistrictDepartmentofTransportation(DDOT)conductedtheDCAAtoidentifytransitimprovements
that would enhance mobility options for DC residents, accommodate population and employmentgrowth,andconnectneighborhoodsandactivitycenters. Theanalysiswasfirstcompletedin2005and
thenupdatedin2008and2010.
Thedocumentstates, insection2.2,thatthereisaneedforhigh-capacitytransit servicethatcanoffer
crosstowntrippatterns.Thebasicproblemwiththeanalysisisthatitdoesntseriouslyconsidertheforms
ofmasstransitthatwouldbegintosatisfytheneedforhighcapacitytransit.Streetcarsandenhancedbus
servicewillundoubtedlyimprovethequalityofthetransitnetworkinthecity,buttherearedefinitelimits
tothelevelofservicetheycanprovidegivenourcurrentstreetgrid.Ifthereisaneedformorehigh-
capacity transitin thecity,thenmass transitoptions thatcanenablehigh-capacityridershipshouldbe
whatareconsidered.Astreetcarlineabsolutelydoesnotandcannotprovidehigh-capacitytransitnoris
itasubstituteforheavyrailservice.
TheDCAAalsostatesthatthereisaneedtoprovideMetrorailcoverageandrelieftocorecapacity.The
tunnelthatcarriestheBlueandOrangelinesbetweenD.C.andArlington,VAisnearingcapacityandwill
mostlikelyexceedcapacityby2025.14Alow-capacitystreetcarlineinD.C.willdoverylittletorelieve
congestiononthiscorridorbecauseitsimplydoesnotprovidethesamelevelofservicethatisindemand.
And,whatisindemandisforarapid,high-capacitymodeoftravelbetweenthejurisdictions.Ultimately,
thecapacityproblemsoftheRosslyn-FoggyBottomtracksegmentwillhavetobesolvedwiththefunding
andconstructionof anotherhigh-capacitylinethroughthecenterofthecity.WMATAsOfficeofLong
RangePlanningisalreadyconductingmodelinganalysisandevaluationforaseparatedBlueLineaswellas
other long-term options to relieveMetrorail congestion.15 The study to produce the findings for the
RegionalTransitServicePlan (RTSP)shouldbe complete inthespringof 2011andwillincludetimefor
publicengagementtodiscusstheresultsandfuturesteps.
DDOTshouldupdatetheDCAAsoas toprovidea full-scopeanalysisofcurrentandfuturetransitissuesandneedsacrossalltransitmodes. Thedesire toenhanceaccesstoqualityandefficienttransitfor all
D.C. residents is admirable, but DDOT must adequately address transit connections to surrounding
jurisdictions and ways to provide speedy crosstown service. For instance, a dedicated east-west
crosstownroutewouldbeespeciallyusefultothenorthofthedowntownservicearea.
14MetrorailStationAccessandCapacityStudy,April2008,WMATA
15OfficeofLongRangePlanning,WMATA,October21,2010PresentationtotheTechnicalAdvisoryGroup
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LightRailSystemsLight rail lineshave thelowestcapacity forboardings in thefamilyof rapid-railtransitsystems. They
usuallyoperateindedicatedright-of-waysforatleasthalfoftheirroutelengthandwithmulti-cartrain
sets.Thetermlightrailwasdevelopedinthe1970sspecificallytobetheantithesistoheavyrail.
Streetcars predate theexistence of light rail. Nevertheless,lightrail,medium-capacity, andheavy rail
systems are in the same family because they all provide rapid-rail transit but with differing levels of
boardingcapacity.
Thereare27systemsthatareclassifiedaslightrailintheU.S.currently.16
Table2. ProjectedWashington,D.C.AreaMassTransitModeShareby2030
Mode Boardings PercentageofTotal
Mass-TransitUsage
Metrorail 1,100,000 51%
CommuterRail 50,000 2%
LightRail 100,000 5%
Streetcar 164,000 8%
Metrobus 540,000 25%
OtherBus 190,000 9%
Total 2,144,000 100.00%
16AmericanPublicTransportationAdministrationFourthQuarter2010TransitRidershipReport,www.apta.com
Metrorail
51%
CommuterRail
2%
LightRail
5%
Streetcar
8%
Metrobus
25%
OtherBus
9%
DCAreaTransitModeShareby2030
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Medium-capacitySystemsAmedium-capacitysystem,alsoknowninEuropeasLightMetro,hasaboardingcapacityinbetweenlight
rail and heavy rail and almost always operates in its own dedicated right-of-way. Medium-capacity
systemsareusuallydesignedtoboardbetween15,000and30,000passengersperhourperdirectionwith
servicefrequenciesasfastas60seconds.Thesesystemsusuallyoperatewith3-or4-carconsists.Some
medium-capacitysystemusedriverless,fullyautomatedtrains.And,asubsetofthesehaverubber-tired
vehiclesinsteadofsteelwheels.
Therearemorethanadozencitiesaroundtheglobethatusemedium-capacitytransitsystemsforsome,
ifnotall,oftheirdedicatedfixed-guidewaymasstransitrequirements.Manyglobalcitieswithextensive
masstransitnetworksdosupplementtheirheavy-railnetworkswithmedium-capacityandlightraillines
wheredemandforheavy-railisnotjustifiedbutfutureridershippotentialexceedsthecapacitythreshold
ofstreetcarorbusservice.
Table3. Comparison of Mass Transit Modes by Same Level of Frequency
(Theoretical)Mode Max
passengers
Vehicle
configuration
Headway Maxcapacityper
hourperdirection
Maxcapacity
5amto12am
Standard40ftBus 70 Singlebus 90 2,800 53,200
Articulated60ftBus 105 Singlebus 90 4,200 79,800
Bi-ArticulatedBus 200 Singlebus 90 8,000 152,000
Streetcar 168 Singlecar 90 6,720 127,680
LightRail 175 Twocars 90 14,000 266,000
Medium-capacity 175 Threecars 90 21,000 399,000
Medium-capacity 175 Fourcars 90 28,000 532,000
HeavyRail 180 Eightcars 90 57,600 1,094,400
HeavyRail 180 Twelvecars 90 86,400 1,641,600
InTable3above,theactualnatureoftravelisnotassumed(dedicatedright-of-way,mixedtraffic,etc.).
The modeswere comparedusing the same level of frequency with eachmodes vehicle consistently
arriving every 90 seconds. Factors suchas fleet size, fare collectionmethod, andoperation inmixed
trafficordedicatedright-of-wayallservetomakeahugeimpactonactualcapacity.
InEurope,Copenhagensmasstransit system inDenmarkincorporatesa 12.7-mile, two-line driverless
LightMetrothatsupplementstheirlargerS-trainrapid transitsystem. TheLightMetro inCopenhagen
currentlyregistersabout137,000ridesperday.Thereareatotalof22stations,ofwhichninestationsare
locatedunderground.Thetrainsareusedina3-carconfigurationwithheadwaysanywherebetweentwo
andtwentyminutes. Expansionplanning isunderwayin Copenhagenfor theimminentconstructionof
two9.6-miletunnelstobeusedforacirclelineunderneaththecenterofthecity.
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LightMetroinCopenhagen,DenmarkPhotoCredit:Eugenia
HeavyRailSystemsHeavyrailsystemshavethehighestboardingcapacityinthefamilyofrapid-railtransitsystems.Thereare
15suchsystemsinoperationacrosstheU.S.17Heavyraillinesareusuallydesignedtoboardinexcessof
30,000passengersperhourperdirectionwithservice frequenciesas fastas60secondswithadvanced
technologies.
These systems operate in right-of-ways that are completely separated from other uses. Heavy rail
systemsarepoweredwithathirdrailalongsidethetraintracks,andthetrainlengthsrangefromsixto12
carslong.Thestationsarebuiltsoastoallowpassengerstoenterandleavethestationsandboardthe
trainsveryquicklyandinlargegroups.Dwelltimesinstationsarelowandthetrainscanaccelerateand
deceleratequickly.
HeavyrailinNewYorkCityPhotoCredit:NaokiTai
17AmericanPublicTransportationAdministrationFourthQuarter2010TransitRidershipReport,www.apta.com
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CurrentD.C.AreaRapid-RailExpansionThemostprominenttransitexpansionprojectunderwayintheD.C.regionisaheavyrailextensiontothe
DullesCorridor.18The23-mileextensionwillinclude11newstationsandbebuiltintwophases.Thefirst
phasewilltaketheextensionfromtheEastFallsChurchMetrostopontheOrangeLinetoWiehleAvenue.
ThesecondphasewillextendthelinefromWiehleAvenuetoAshburninLoudounCountyandconnects
DullesInternationalAirporttotherapid-railtransitnetwork.
TheMarylandTransitAdministration(MTA)isplanninga16.3-milelightrailline,dubbedthePurpleLine
totravel inaneast-westroutefromtheBethesdaMetrorail stationinMontgomeryCountytotheNew
CarrolltonMetrorail station in Prince Georges County.19 Revenue service on this line is expected to
commencearound2018.Direct,seamlessconnectionstoMetrorailstationsarecriticaltothesuccessofa
multi-layeredrapid-railtransitnetwork.ThelocallypreferredalternativeforthePurpleLineincorporates
adirectelevatorconnectiontotheMetrorailRedLineattheBethesdametrostop,agoodbutless-direct
connectiontotheSilverSpringMetrorailstopatthe futureSilverSpringTransitCenter,andagoodbut
less-directconnectiontotheOrangeLineattheNewCarrolltonmetrostop.
Table4. AverageSpeedComparisonofDifferentMobilityModes
Mode AverageSpeed
Walking 2.5to4m.p.h.Jogging 6m.p.h.
Bus 9m.p.h.
Streetcar 9m.p.h.
LightRail 20m.p.h.
HeavyRail 33m.p.h.
Theaveragespeedofthemasstransitmodeslistedaboveincludesstationstops.
FutureD.C.Rapid-RailExpansionPossibilitiesAccesstomasstransitisoneofthecityscompetitiveadvantagesinthisregion.Tokeepthiscompetitive
advantagewellintothefuture,thecityshouldplantobuildatleastfournewrapid-raillinesby2050,and
theplanningforthemshouldgetunderwaynow.
Asafirststepinthisdirection,thecityshouldbemoreproactiveintheplanningprocesstoidentifylong-
termwaysto relievecongestionontheRosslyn-FoggyBottomtrack segmentthattheOrangeandBlue
Linesshare.Forinstance,buildingaseparatetunnelfortheBlueLinethroughthecenterofthecitywould
opennewareasofthecitytorapid-railtransitinadditiontofindingalastingwaytorelievecongestionon
trainsbetweencentralD.C.andnorthernVirginia.Whilethisprojectwouldundoubtedlybeexpensive,
thecitycannotaffordto ignoretheproblemgoingforward. Streetcarscannotsolvethisproblem. The
cityshouldplantohaveaseparateBlueLinebuiltandinoperationby2028.ThereismorethanenoughtimebetweennowandthentosolidifytheplanningthatWMATAhasalreadystarted,identifythefunding
sources,andbuildthenewlineifthecityisseriousaboutsatisfyingthedemandforhigh-capacitytransit
asstatedintheDCAA.ThisnewlinewoulddramaticallyimprovedirectaccesstoUnionStation,increase
redundancy and capacity at the core of theMetrorail system,andprovide rapid-rail transit access to
Georgetown,theAtlasDistrict,andneighborhoodsinnearNortheastD.C.
18MetropolitanWashingtonAirportsAuthority,www.dullesmetro.com
19MarylandTransitAdministration,MarylandDepartmentofTransportation,www.purplelinemd.com
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AftertheseparatedBlueLineisinoperation,D.C.shouldthenturnitsattentiontowardbuildingthefirst
dedicatedlightormedium-capacityrapidraillineinthecity.
DDOT should study the transit usefulness of an urban-focused, light or medium-capacity rapid rail
underground linealongGeorgiaAvenue. The5.7-mile linewouldbeanorth/southbranch connection
withanorthterminusattheSilverSpringMetrorailstopandasouthterminusattheShawMetrorailstop.
Thelinewouldprovidea localroutefortravelersontheGeorgiaAvenuecorridoraswellasa rapid-railalternate route intodowntownD.C.fromMontgomeryCountyinMaryland. TheWalterReedcampus,
prominentlylocatedalongGeorgiaAvenue,currentlyhasmoretransitdemandthanavailablecapacity.20
ThislinewouldalsoprovideHowardUniversitywithatransitstopclosertothecenteroftheircampus.
Figure1. MetrorailMapwith SeparatedBlueLine, Purple Line,CommuterRail,
andDulles(Silver)Line
20DCsTransitFutureSystemPlanFinalReport,April2010,DistrictDepartmentofTransportation
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AlthoughthestreetwidthofGeorgiaAvenueismostlikelynotsufficientenoughtoinstallsurface-based
dedicatedlanes,thecitycanstillplantoputalightormedium-capacityraillineunderground.Although
the cost would be higher than a surface-running line, the benefits to the city and region would be
substantial.Washington,DChasanalreadydense,tightstreetgridinmanyofitsmajorcorridors,butthis
shouldnotprecludethecityfromplanningforundergroundrapid-rail.
DDOTshouldalsostudythetransitusefulnessofanurban-focused,rapidrailundergroundlinethroughsomeofthedensestneighborhoodsinthecity.This3.7-milelinewouldhaveawestterminusatthe
DuPontCircleorWoodleyParkmetrostopandaneastterminusattheBrooklandmetrostop. Thisline
wouldconnectto both sidesof the Red Lineand wouldsatisfythe need for a rapid, higher capacity
crosstownroutetothenorthofdowntownD.C.AdamsMorgancurrentlyhasninetimesgreatertransit
demand than available capacity,19 soD.C. should strive to connect this neighborhood to its rapid-rail
transitnetworkassoonaspossible.
D.C.slargestmedicalcentercomplex,comprisedoftheChildrensNationalMedical Center,Washington
HospitalCenter,andtheWashingtonDCVAMedicalCenter,currentlyhasfivetimesmoretransitdemand
thanavailable capacity.19 ChildrensNationalMedicalCenterhas about 5,300employees andreceives
about190,000outpatientvisitsperyearatthislocation.21WashingtonHospitalCenterhasabout7,600
staff and associates and receives about 400,000 outpatient visits per year at this location.22 The
WashingtonDCVAMedicalCenterhasabout1,700staffandreceivesover500,000outpatientvisitsper
yearatthislocation.23Withacombinedemployeebaseofnearly15,000,over3,000-outpatientvisitsper
day,andnumerousotherdailyvisits, itisunfathomable that there isnota higher-capacitymasstransit
optionservingthisveryimportantmedicalcentercomplex.AdamsMorganandthemedicalcenterwould
beincorporatedintotheWoodleyPark-Brooklandrapid-railcrosstownconnector.
A direct, platform-over-platform transfer between the two aforementioned rapid-rail lines could be
providedwithastationinthevicinityofGeorgiaAvenueandColumbiaRoad,NW.
WMATAsOfficeofLongRangePlanninghasrecentlyconcludedayearlongseriesofanalysesthatfocused
onenhancedsurfacetransit, newMetrorail lines through thecore, andMetrorail extensions, andthe
officehasjuststartedpresentingtheirfindingstotheMetroBoardaspartoftheorganizationsstrategic
planning process.24
Part of the research included model analyses of separated blue and yellow linescenariosandhowtheycouldimproveMetrorailcongestionandrelievestressonthekeytransferstations
locatedinthecoreoftheMetrorailsystem.
Table5. PossibleMaintenanceandRapid-RailExpansionTimeline
Project Completion
EliminateMaintenanceBacklog 2016
St.ElizabethsCampusIn-FillStation 2018
SeparatedBlueMetrorailLine 2028
WoodleyPark-BrooklandLRRTorMCTLine25 2035
GeorgiaAvenueCorridorLRRTorMCTLine 2040
SeparatedYellowMetrorailLine 2050
21ChildrensNationalMedicalCenter,www.childrensnational.org/about/Facts/
22WashingtonHospitalCenter,www.whcenter.org/body.cfm?id=556522
23WashingtonDCVAMedicalCenter,www.washingtondc.va.gov/about/
24WMATAOfficeofLongRangePlanning,http://planitmetro.com/2011/09/22/metro-board-kicks-off-strategic-
planning-process/25LLRTisanacronymforLightRailRapidTransit;MCTisanacronymforMedium-capacitytransit
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PotentialIn-FillStationsD.C.hasalreadyhadtremendoussuccessfromaddingastationtoapre-existingMetrorailline.Thecity
starteddevelopingplansinthemid-1990sforanewMetrorailstationinthevicinityofNewYorkand
FloridaAvenuesasawaytospurgrowthinthisrun-downindustrialareaofthecity.Propertyowners
withinahalf-mileradiusofthenewstationagreedtopayforsomeofthecostofaddingthisnewstation.
Withafinalcostofabout$104million,theD.C.governmentpaidabout$54millionofthetotalcost,and
thefederalgovernmentandprivatelandownerseachcontributed$25million.Thistypeofpublic-privatepartnershipshouldbereplicatedasD.C.lookstoidentifyfundingsourcestoexpandandimprovetransit
infrastructureacrossthecity.TheNewYorkAvenue-FloridaAvenuestationopenedinlate2004,andthe
NoMaBusinessImprovementDistrictwasestablishedafewyearslatertoboosttheimageandeconomic
viabilityofthearea. Today,NoMaispresumablythefastestgrowingresidentialandbusinesscenterin
theentirecity.
Building uponthe successof theMetrorail systemsfirst in-fill station, thecity shouldplan to identify
fundingsourcestoconstructanin-fillMetrorailstationonthecampusoftheoldSt.ElizabethsHospital
by2018.Thisin-fillstation,tobelocatedontheGreenLinebetweentheAnacostiaandCongressHeights
stops,shouldsatisfytheneedforhigh-capacitytransitservicetothenew$3.4billionheadquartersforthe
DepartmentofHomelandSecurity.About14,000employeeswilldescenduponthenewcampusdailyin
southeastD.C.whenconstructioniscompleteonthe4.5millionsquarefeetofofficespace.Ifamajorityoftheseemployeesopttodrivetoworkduetoalackofacentrallylocatedmasstransitoptiononthe
campus, the efficiency of traffic circulation patterns the roads around this facility shall most likely
deteriorate.
RapidRailTransitasaCompetitiveAdvantageD.C.hasheldacompetitiveadvantagefordecadeswithrespecttomasstransitaccess,butthisadvantage
willnotlastunlesselectedofficialsanditsresidentsgetbehindrapid-railexpansion.LeadersinNorthern
Virginia pushed hard to bring the Dulles Line to fruition. Business leaders and elected officials
representing Tysons Corner, amajor business and retail district along the future Dulles Line, seek to
repositionitasamoredenseandurbandestination. Rapidrailwillundoubtedlybethecenterpieceof
thateffort.TheDullesLinewill,however,putanevengreaterstrainonthecoreoftheMetrorailsystem
thanexiststoday.TheDullesLineshouldhavebeenplannedinconjunctionwithaseparateBlueLineor
itsequivalentinordertoincreasecapacitythroughthecenterofthecity.But,thatisnotwhathappened.
The leaders of Northern Virginia successfully pushed for the Dulles Line, irrespective of the regional
consequenceswithintheMetrorail systemasawhole,whilethe leadersofWashington,D.C. remained
largelysilent.WMATAsMetrorailStationAccessandCapacityStudyfromApril2008revealedthatthe
trunkbetweenArlington,VAanddowntownD.C.wouldbeoverburdenedasearlyas2020.
Over thenextfewdecades,D.C.scompetitiveadvantageinmass transitshall slowlyerodewhilebeing
replicatedacrosstheregion.NorthernVirginiaspushforrapid-railtransitwillmostlikelynotceasewhen
theDullesLineiscomplete.Congressionalmembersfromthecommonwealth,eventoday,arepushing
for extensions to existingMetrorail lines. There is acknowledgement in the original D.C. Alternative
Analysis and System Plan, completed in 2005, that there is indeed a need for high-capacity transit
expansionwithinthecity.D.C.shouldproceedwithbuildinganetworkofstreetcarlineswhileplanningto
expandaccesstorapidrailtransitinmoreareasofthecity.
D.C.s Transit Future System Plan should include short and long range plans for expansion and
improvementacrossalltransitmodes,notjustsurface-basedtransit.