Monday, April 22, 2013
As Arlington warms up, so does progress on cycling infrastructure.
Winter not only takes a lot of people off their bikes, it also put a lot of the improvements to cycling infrastructure on pause. Striping is harder to apply, new construction is harder to manage in the cold, and labor is often scarce. But spring brings back the work, and Arlington’s got a number of bike-related projects on tap. Last month, Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) finally expanded to Columbia Pike. This long-awaited expansion will help extend the range of Arlington’s existing CaBi network, providing something of a middle ground between its well-established locations in Crystal City and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Two of the new stations are along Columbia Pike, and one is near the Gunston Community Center. As the year progresses, the …
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The man had fallen onto the tracks while texting at the Pentagon City Metro stop.
A man was pulled to safety last week when he fell onto the tracks at the Pentagon City Metro Station, according to the Washington Post. Thursday evening, the man had been texting and walked right off the platform, according to the Post. Luckily, he was rescued by an Annandale woman, Jennifer Buchanan, and her father, Kent Wright. The DCist got a video of the rescue, which is now posted on YouTube. Have you ever had a close call near the Metro tracks? Tell us in the comments. Other Metro news: Man Struck by Train at Rosslyn Metro Station
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Metro will triple the number of surveillance cameras in rail cars as part of a new security system.
Metro plans to triple the number of surveillance cameras throughout the Metrorail system — increasing the number of cameras to about 6,000 — and will install them inside Metro rail cars for the first time ever, according to the Associated Press. The expansion could cost an estimated $6.5 million, only some of which would come from federal grants, according to The Washington Examiner. "We have no greater responsibility than protecting the safety of our customers, visitors and employees," Metro spokesman Philip Stewart told the Examiner. "To that end, we are in the process of deploying a comprehensive next-generation security system for Metro." The cameras will allow Metro control center employees to observe both security and crowding issues…
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Traffic information for Northern Virginia commuters, including traffic jams, delays, Metro, ART, DASH, Fairfax Connector and more. Click on the grey tabs below for more information.
Problems on your commute today? Tell other readers about it in the comment section below. Updated traffic information: Delayed Metro trains, buses and cars sitting in endless traffic on I-66 and the Beltway—even a 10-minute commute in the DC metro area can be extreme some days. In fact, a March 2013 report from the Census Bureau shows people in the DC metro area have the second-worst commute in the country. That report came on the heels of a Texas Transportation Institute report in February that DC area commuters face the worst traffic in the country. Patch is here to help! Click on any of the grey tabs above to expand it and get more information about congestion, delays or other traffic alerts. On the Metro rail map, click on any …
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Silver Line is scheduled to begin operating later this year.
Metro will host one of three open houses on the new Silver Line next week in Arlington. The Arlington open house will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway. The others will be in Capitol Heights, Md., and Reston. Residents will be able to view exhibits, ask questions and learn about changes to rail and bus service, according to a news release. The first phase of the Silver Line project is an 11-mile, five-station line that is currently under construction. When finished, the line will connect downtown Washington to Tysons and Reston. The first part of the Silver Line is slated to begin operating in December. When completed in 2016, it will run into Loudoun County.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Metro is hosting two meetings this week in Arlington.
Metro is hosting two community meetings this week to gather public input on its 4-Line buses, which generally run from Rosslyn to the Seven Corners and Bailey's Crossroads portions of Fairfax County along Pershing Drive and Arlington Boulevard. The meetings are part of ongoing studies to improve Metrobus service on some of the region’s most heavily used bus lines, according to a news release. They will essentially be open houses, where riders can drop in and give their input. Advance registration is not required. Metro officials will be on hand to discuss a recent evaluation of the 4-Line — 4A, 4B, 4E and 4H. The meetings will be: For more information or to take an online survey, visit Metro's webpage on the Pershing Drive-Arlington …
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Metro will operate on a Saturday schedule on Monday because of Presidents Day.
Metro riders Monday should anticipate trains running on a Saturday schedule and buses running on a "Saturday Supplemental" schedule because of the Presidents Day holiday. Metrorail Schedule The system will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Orange Line: Blue Line: Red Line: Green Line: Yellow Line: Metrobus Schedule According to a Metro news release, "Metrobus service will operate on a "Saturday Supplemental" schedule; customers should check timetables for details."
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
WMATA released the security report Monday.
The Ballston, Pentagon City, East Falls Church and Rosslyn Metro stations made the top 10 list of stations with the most crime in Virginia, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's 2012 security report. Most of the crime increase on the Metro systemwide is attributable to a 30 percent increase in snatches of small electronic devices and pickpockets, according to WMATA. There were 671 pick-pocketing incidents and electronic snatchings on the Metro system overall in 2012, up from 520 incidents in 2011. Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn will discuss the report Thursday during his security report to the Metro Board Safety and Security Committee. The report was released to the public Monday. The full list of the…
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Project is slated to be complete by the fall.
A major escalator replacement project starts Monday at Pentagon Station. On Feb. 4, Metro will begin the project of demolishing the three existing southside escalators — those on the left as people exit the station — and replacing them with "new, more reliable" units, according to a news release from WMATA. The work is expected to last until the fall. Metro customers can continue to use the three northside escalators during construction. The station's elevator will also be available. The existing escalators rise 42 feet and were installed 18 years ago, according to Metro. Aside from decreased reliability, they are the last in the WMATA system made by a British company that has long since gotten out of the escalator business — making …
Friday, January 25, 2013
A look at what you need to know about Metro this weekend.
Taking the Metro to get around this weekend? Here's what you need to know. The Blue and Yellow lines will operate on a normal weekend schedule. According to a Metro news release: Red Line Orange Line Green Line
Ed
4:26 pm on Thursday, May 2, 2013
C.D. I must disagree...it is not so obvious..how about: 1. For Fairlington residents to be able to show of their beautiful community to family and friends while taking a leisure bike ride...unless you own and have many bikes at your disposal. 2. For Fairlington residents to ride to Shirlington bus hub and commute to work by public transportation instead of driving into D.C. - therefore preventing… more ›