Transit on Thursday Friday: Remainders Edition

The Verdict Is In
The first one, at least... After two Metro employees were killed last year in an accident on the Yellow Line, Metro's initial investigation into the incident has laid blame at the feet of the train's operator. Investigators concluded that though she sounded the train's horn twice and applied the train's primary brakes, the operator did not use the train's emergency brakes properly, which lead to a collision with two workers inspecting tracks. The train's operator will continue to work for Metro, but has prohibited her from driving trains or buses for Metro in the future. A federal safety agency is conducting its own investigation, and the results of that inquiry could determine what role the employee might fill at Metro.

Metro Could Break Ground on Dulles Extension in 2007
Those negotiating the details of the Dulles Metro extension say that if all goes as planned, construction could start as early as the end of this year. However, there are still several hurdles that could delay groundbreaking on the massive $4 billion transit project. A number of local officials are encouraging the project to be put out for bid. The current contract was awarded to Dulles Transit Partners, consisting of two large construction firms, without a formal bidding process, leading some to question whether other firms might be able to offer a better price.

There is also the issue of the Northern Virginia coalition of citizens and businesses calling for the project to tunnel under Tysons Corner rather than run on elevated tracks. The Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has officially taken the tunnel option off the table; the coalition has pledged to raise $3 million to but it back on. Though it remains to be seen what exactly that money could actually change, there is no question that it could delay the project.

The Tangherlini Gravy Train
A curious phenomenon is occurring in the District's transportation agencies, due to Dan Tangherlini's equally curious career path. Tangherlini originally was the director of the District Department of Transportation. When he then took over as Metro's interim chief, he brought many of his top staff with him. Now that he has transitioned back into District government, many of these same staff followed him yet again. The Examiner's Steve Eldridge monitors this revolving door, tracing the path of two high level employees. He concludes by pointing out "Tangherlini’s former chief of staff at Metro will now be sitting on Metro’s Board of Directors as a representative of the District..." Maybe Tony Williams really had been planning to take over Metro as some once theorized.

Look Out Below!
We've all seen those "Speed Limit Enforced By Aircraft" signs along the highway. Whether you believed that the signs were really just scare tactics, or you actually were being clocked from overhead, The Post's Eric Weiss gives a fascinating inside look at Virginia's expanded program of doling out tickets from above. One tip for avoiding detection: ditch the convertible pink Cadillac for a silver Honda Civic...