Transit on Thursday: Election Day Edition

Leading Off For The District of Columbia, ADRIAN FENTY!
With the Democratic primary long behind us and Councilman Fenty's name all but printed on the door of the corner office, one of the biggest issues the mayor-in-waiting faces is the stadium. More specifically, he needs to find a way to get 41,000 people into and out of a tight corner of the Anacostia waterfront as smoothly as possible. Luckily, the District is already way ahead of him. Working with a private consultant, D.C. government officials presented the draft of a thick handbook that will dictate how Metro, police, fire, and EMTs, and the Department of Transportation pull this feat off on every home game day.

In addition to the billion dollars worth of road and interchange projects around the city's southern quadrants, the Examiner reports that fans would be urged to take Metro, which will eventually connect to the stadium with light rail. Those that drove would park at one of multiple off-site lots and garages, so on-street parking can be reserved for neighborhood residents. Sidewalks would be widened to handle the mass of pedestrians and traffic lights would be adjusted to accomodate current traffic conditions. What Fenty decides to do with this plan, and how he fits it into long-term efforts to redevelop the area into a thriving residential and commercial area on non-game days is shaping up to be among his first and perhaps biggest challenges. Batter up!

Where the Red and Blue Lines Intersect, Right?
In addition to the Governor's race, the Purple Line has become a top issue in the Maryland Senate race as well. This weekend, local furor over charges that the Bethesda-New Carrollton Purple Line would be delayed by two years, later shown to be false, demonstrated just how touchy the subject is in a region plagued by some of the worst traffic in the country. Days later, Senate candidates Ben Cardin and Michael Steele desperately tried to jockey for the role of the Purple Line's top supporter, with some hilarious results.

It is an old debate trick to paint your opponent as out of touch by stumping him or her over details of some hotbed local issue. Michael Steele pulled this move off flawlessly in a televised debate last week, asking opponent Ben Cardin about the Purple Line's proposed routes. Cardin initially ducked the question, and stammered though a response stating he "...support[s] the funding of the Purple Line" no matter where it runs only after no less than four follow up questions from three different people. Point: Michael Steele.

However, Steele squandered his new-found transit street cred only a few days later. He invited reporters to an event on the "need for a Purple Line" at the Grosvenor-Strathmore station in North Bethesda. The only problem was that Steele, who had criticized Cardin for having "...no clue about Metro, traffic, congestion in this region..." was two stops from the Purple Line's currently planned route. While Maryland transportation planners had initially wanted to run the line through Grosvenor, the state dropped those plans two years ago. Point: Ben Cardin (Steele error). Looks like the score is back to nil-nil.

But the Agreement Ends Here
Virginians, especially the northern sort, will have to wait another year for their chance to take their anger over transportation out on politicians. The state legislators most responsible for the lack of action to combat the region's legendary traffic are not up for election until 2007. The state's Congressional delegation has been largely supportive of efforts to clear congestion, including support for the extension of Metro through Tysons to Dulles and Tom Davis' critical $1.5 billion Metro funding bill.

Even in Virginia's contentious Senate race, which has devolved into one of the dirtiest and most negative contests in the country, the candidates agree on the need for major solutions to traffic problems. Both have said they would champion Davis' Metro bill if it passed the House and came to the Senate, and supported Governor Tim Kaine's decision to scrap the proposed Metro tunnel under Tysons to avoid risking federal funds. They have both spoken in support of bringing private investment and tolled lanes to the state's most congested corridors, and both have stated they will work to ensure Virginia gets back the maximum federal return on gas tax revenues.

So what oh what is an angry commuter to do? Wait 'till 2007 - that's when the real fun will begin!
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Changes to Weekend Metro Service
Track maintenance on the Orange, Yellow, Green and Red lines, and rail car testing on the Green Line will cause travel delays this weekend.

Red Line Track Maintenance
Starting Friday, November 3, at 10 p.m. and concluding Saturday, November 4, at 10 a.m., Red Line trains will share one track between the Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Takoma Metrorail stations due to the track maintenance. Passengers traveling along this portion of the Red Line should add 15 minutes of travel time.

Orange Line Track Maintenance
On Saturday, November 4, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Orange Line trains will share one track between the New Carrollton and Cheverly Metrorail stations due to track maintenance. Passengers traveling along this portion of the Orange Line should add 15 minutes of travel time.

Yellow and Green Line Track Maintenance
Starting Friday, November 3, at 10 p.m., and concluding Sunday, November 5, at midnight, all Yellow and Green Line trains will share one track between Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center and L’Enfant Plaza due to track maintenance. Passengers traveling on this portion of the Yellow and Green Line should add 15 to 20 minutes of travel time.

Green Line Rail Car Tests
On Saturday, November 4, and Sunday, November 5, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Green Line trains will share one track between the Greenbelt and College Park Metrorail stations while Metro tests railcars. Passengers traveling along this portion of the Green Line should add 10 minutes of travel time.