Transit on Thursday: Pay Up
We'd like to waste about $800 sitting in traffic this year, please.
That, at least, is the average annual cost for Marylanders who choose to drive during peak periods, (yet another) new Texas Transportation Institute tells us via Capitol News Service and WTOP.
The total congestion cost, the study says, is $3.1 billion annually.
We can think of some pretty good things to do with an extra $800. And they have nothing to do with sitting in traffic in Maryland.
Of course, if Marylanders don’t want to waste that money sitting in traffic, there will eventually be another option – pay up to ride those planned HOT lanes and avoid the congestion, but not the cost. What can we say? Rock, hard place, you.
Photo by afagen
Fair Fares?
As we mentioned this morning, some cab drivers are threatening a strike within the next two weeks as a result of Mayor Fenty's order to switch to time and distance meters. Most of these folks, however, are independent contractors. It will be interesting to see if such a tactic works since in a non-unionized situation like this, where some drivers are likely to strike while others could easily take advantage of the opportunity for extra fares.
Weekend track work, delays
Metro will run shuttle trains between Huntington and King Street stations as crews conduct track work between 9 p.m. Friday and close Sunday. Riders will need to exit the shuttle train at King Street and transfer to another Blue or Yellow line train. All Yellow Line trains will run between Ft. Totten and Franconia-Springfield stations during the course of that work. Riders should add 30 minutes to their trips.
Green Line trains will share a track between Ft. Totten and Prince George's Plaza from midnight to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday due to cable maintenance. Riders should add up to 15 minutes to their trips. They should also add 10 to 15 minutes to trips between Greenbelt and College Park between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday thanks to continued new car testing.