Transit on Thursday: If You Can't Do the Time Edition

Virginia is for Speedsters?
Virginia is not known as a state that goes easy on criminal offenders. With strict mandatory minimum sentencing requirements and the second highest execution rate in the country, Virginia has a reputation as a no-nonsense state when it comes to the law. It's no secret that politicians in the state play off their constituents' love for law and order; Jerry Kilgore tried unsuccessfully to frame the 2005 governor's race around Tim Kaine's opposition to the death penalty. The trend crossed into the transportation world this year when the politicians crafting last year's transportation bill desperately needed a revenue source to fund the backlog of projects and maintenance needed in the northern and eastern parts of the state. Unable to raise general tax revenue over the protestations of conservative lawmakers, the pols turned to a group they assumed would be a slam dunk: scofflaws.

As a result of legislation signed into law in April, beginning this Sunday, drivers with recurring or serious traffic violations will be hit with "abuser fees." Reckless driving, for instance, would carry a $1,050 surcharge, in addition to standard fines and penalties. For most lawmakers, this was a win-win. The policy would both raise revenue and increase road safety at the same time, without angering taxpayers or anti-tax legislators.

Boy, were they wrong. On WTOP's "Ask the Governor" radio program this week, callers dialed in to give Kaine an earful, with some going so far as to suggest the fines were so excessive they would move to Maryland. Fairfax Delegate David Albo has also been hearing the same from his constituents, as well as many other officials. House Speaker William Howell's local Fredericksburg paper, The Free Lance-Star, even editorialized against the fees earlier this week.

What?!? Move to a different state because breaking the law is too expensive? Maybe Virginia is less law-abiding than we thought.

Hike Up Your Pants and Pay
We all know Metro is in need of some serious cash. Recent electrical problems, fires, and other incidents have shown what happens when you rely on an antiquated infrastructure. As Metro chief John Catoe puts it to the Examiner, "The system needs a couple billion dollars over the next few years to upgrade and to meet the standards we need to meet. Even in the 1960s, that was old technology."

With the cost of running Metro going up as well, money's got to be forthcoming from somewhere. While progress is being made in advancing Virginia Rep. Tom Davis' $1.5 billion Metro funding bill, Catoe made it clear that riders are going to have to pony up as well. But rumors that a fare increase could come as early as January were laid rest today, when Metro's board approved a FY 2008 budget that did not include any such price hike. However, after rejecting a sweeping fare increase proposal earlier this year, Catoe is currently developing a plan to link the cost of a ride to economic indicators.

This would make them more predictable and manageable (but also more frequent) than Metro's previous price hikes, which tended to be larger, though they came less often. While we've yet to see the details, in general, we like this idea. Like the price of just about everything else, Metro customers should expect the amount they pay for one of the best transit systems in the country (We know, we know... That's not saying much) to periodically go up. At the same time, extra cash at the farebox can't come at the expense of a continued focus on budget accountability.

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Expected Weekend Delays on Metrorail

Track maintenance and rail car testing on the Red, Blue, and Green lines this weekend will cause delays in both directions.

Red Line Fence Replacement
Metrorail will operate special shuttle train service between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook stations this weekend while personnel replace nearly 1,200 feet of fence along the tracks. Customers traveling between Shady Grove and Twinbrook should add 40 minutes of travel time as the shuttle train will operate on one track from 10 p.m. Friday, June 29, to midnight, Sunday, July 1.

For customers wishing to bypass the maintenance work, Metro will provide free shuttle bus service operating every 15 minutes between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations. Shuttle bus service will operate from 10 p.m. Friday, June 29, to midnight, Sunday, July 1.

All Red Line trains which normally operate to Shady Grove will terminate at Twinbrook and return to Glenmont.

Blue Line Track Maintenance
Metro will operate special shuttle train service between Franconia-Springfield and King Street this weekend for switch maintenance outside the Van Dorn station. Customers traveling between Franconia-Springfield and King Street should add 40 minutes of travel time as the shuttle train will operate on one track from 10 p.m. Friday, June 29, to midnight Sunday, July 1.

All other Blue Line trains will operate from Largo Town Center to Huntington station from 10 p.m., Friday, June 29, to midnight, Sunday, July 1.

Green Line Rail Car Testing
Metrorail customers traveling on the Green Line should add 10 to15 minutes of travel time for their trips because of new railcar testing. Inbound and outbound trains operating between Greenbelt and College Park will share one track while new trains are tested from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 30.