March 13, 2008
Nats Stadium Shuttle: To Stop, or Not to Stop
Here's a good question raised by WTOP's Adam Tuss: Should the shuttle that's supposed to take people who park at RFK on Nationals game days to the new stadium at the Navy Yard make a stop along the way?
On the pro side is Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells. Wells would ideally like to see the shuttle make one stop at 8th and G Streets NE SE, near the Barracks Row neighborhood, in the hopes that some people might consider taking Metro to Eastern Market and hopping on the shuttle there. Wells, ever looking out for local businesses in his Ward, of course wouldn't mind if those same people grabbed something to eat or drink while they were waiting.
On the probably not side are the Nationals. Tuss says team officials told Wells they want to wait and test out the shuttles without a stop first before deciding if it might be a good idea. After all, there's not much point in stopping if the shuttles are all packed and no one at Eastern Market can get on, and the selling point of the shuttle was that it was only supposed to take 10 minutes and be a breeze. Adding a stop could change that.
Maybe if Council member Wells would like to encourage people to hang out at Eastern Market before ball games, he should be talking to WMATA: the weekday-only N22 bus goes straight from Eastern Market to the Navy Yard. Could a special schedule be arranged for game days?
UPDATE: Ken Jarboe from ANC 6B emails in to inform me that N22 service has already been approved for additional weekday evening and weekend routes for the expressed purpose of getting more people from Eastern Market to the Navy Yard during ball games. I stand corrected, so thanks, Ken. But if that's the case, what possible incentive would the Nationals have for adding a stop to their RFK shuttle in virtually the same place?
Only 17 more days until opening day! How are you planning on getting to the new stadium?
Photo by andertho
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Why would I want to take the shuttle from Eastern Market when I can take the Metro directly to the Navy Yard Station? And if I was already at Eastern Market, why wouldn't I get on the Metro and go directly to the stadium?
Having the shuttle make stops between RFK and the stadium sounds like a great way to waste time and piss customers off.
That would be 8th & G SE.
Just Barracks Row?
Why not have the experience of taking a Trolley Tour through downtown first ... set your sights on the famous monuments ... swagger through the free museums ... get down with some serious souvenir shopping ... scarf down some food at a fine restaurant ... see a baseball game.
Unless of course all you want to do is see a baseball game.
Why would I want to take the shuttle from Eastern Market when I can take the Metro directly to the Navy Yard Station?
'Cause Eastern Market is on the Blue/Orange line and the Navy Yard is on the Green line and you have to change trains at L'Enfant Plaza. You could probably walk to the stadium faster from EM than taking the Metro.
Making a stop seems like a bad idea. Just have a few shuttles from each place that run directly to and from the stadium. However, the stadium is only 1 mile (not even) from Barracks Row. Walking at that time of day is probably faster.
Whoops that was a dumb typo. thanks.
Your suggestion about the N22 is a few weeks late. WMATA already announced that the N22 will be running more often.
I don't think having the shuttle from RFK stop at Barracks Row is a good idea for the reasons mentioned above, but a seperate shuttle from Barracks Row would be a good idea and I'd take it.
I know we got into the habit the past few years of having a drink on Barracks Row before games then either walking or Metroing two stops on the same line to RFK, and with no bars or restaurants near the new stadium yet, I'd like to continue that practice. I don't think, though, that I'd take the Green line from Columbia Heights, transfer to the Orange Line, stop at Eastern Market, have a drink, get back on the Orange Line, transfer back to the Green Line @ L'Enfant, then head to the stadium. We'd just go right to the stadium...which I am sure is what Tommy Wells is thinking. A shuttle right from Barracks Row would change that for me.
I'm guessing that if the Nats don't do this, the bars and restaurants along Barracks Row will come up with something on their own--in fact, I thought there was information that they were going to do this, similar to the shuttle they ran to RFK?
Side note: I'd definitely take the N22 bus if it had a weekend schedule.
Whoops that was a dumb typo. thanks.
I try to helpful at least as much as I heckle.
i'll be riding my beach cruiser. does the stadium have a nice bicycle parking area?
Does anyone know the complete shuttle route? Is it M St. E. to 11th St. N. to Potomac Ave E
Fong! I noticed my own typo as soon as I hit 'Post'. That's what I get for being a smart ass.
Has Gothamist ever given any thought to a slightly more sophisticated comment interface that allows people to pull back or edit their comments?
I don't think having the shuttle from RFK stop at Barracks Row is a good idea for the reasons mentioned above, but a seperate shuttle from Barracks Row would be a good idea and I'd take it.
I know we got into the habit the past few years of having a drink on Barracks Row before games then either walking or Metroing two stops on the same line to RFK, and with no bars or restaurants near the new stadium yet, I'd like to continue that practice. I don't think, though, that I'd take the Green line from Columbia Heights, transfer to the Orange Line, stop at Eastern Market, have a drink, get back on the Orange Line, transfer back to the Green Line @ L'Enfant, then head to the stadium. We'd just go right to the stadium...which I am sure is what Tommy Wells is thinking. A shuttle right from Barracks Row would change that for me.
I'm guessing that if the Nats don't do this, the bars and restaurants along Barracks Row will come up with something on their own--in fact, I thought there was information that they were going to do this, similar to the shuttle they ran to RFK?
Side note: I'd definitely take the N22 bus if it had a weekend schedule.
Sorry for the double post, was getting an "internal server error" message.
Why don't they just make the shuttle bus stop on every block, just like Metrobus, and then get stuck waiting at every red light because they missed the green due to slow passenger boarding? Aargh.
Monkey - I agree with you. Anyone who doesn't metro to the stadium is hopefully walking.
Hillrat - it is called a transfer, maybe you've heard about it? It is sometimes necessary when departure and arrival locations are on different legs of the metro. It is free to do and generally acceptable to people who use the metro system.
I think a Kennedy Center-type shuttle from Eastern Market would make sense.
Weren't they also talking about sending a Circulator route down to the stadium?
An Eastern Market stop is really not that out of the way, and it would lessen the overcrowding of the green line before and after the game. A lot of people would be coming from the VA suburbs, so it would be convenient for them to be able to get off at a blue/orange stop.
And I don't know how late these games run, but a lot of people wouldn't feel comfortable walking to Eastern Market from the Navy Yard at night. I lived in that area up until very recently, and it still has a lot of crime.
Teddy's avatar is going to cause an epileptic seizure.
dc dawg (sorry, i detest the spelling of dog that way):
i'm biking to the stadium too, when/if i go, and the plan says there will be lots of bike racks and even a bike valet at the northwest parking garage, i believe.
I plan on fashioning a Huck Finn style raft and floating down the Anacostia to the stadium. I'll be offering rides for beer.
There's gonna be a shuttle from Union Station, right? That works for me.
Has there been any update on Metro's revamped entrance at the Navy Yard, as in will it be ready on time?
Barracks Row can be very pleasant and has some decent places to grab a bite or a drink. Unfortunately, the first block coming from the metro is pretty uninspiring. Popeye's, 7-11, China Wall, Dollar Store, two other vacant premises. Yes, yes, there is nothing inherently wrong with down-market establishments. But it's strange that the most important (entry) block on the row is the only one that hasn't turned over its businesses.
The problem with the N22 is it's just adding a few more regularly scheduled buses. They really should just create a real shuttle. They can even charge if they wish. Have buses ready to go when the game lets out. Let them fill up and then go. Just like they do on Metrorail.
By bicycle, natch.
Popeyes is not in and of itself 'down market'. It's some of the best damn chicken on earth. Ok, the best I can get easily.
As for getting to games, I plan on lighting a derelict Capitol Hill rental building on fire, then hitching a ride on a passing firetruck... you get there really quick, and you can grope a fireman or two on the way, claiming it was just a bump in the road that made you fondle him for so long....
There are supposed to be permanent bike racks installed by DDOT around the site perimeter (286 bike capacity).
There will be an initial bike valet service for 150 bikes and that number will be scaled up every year to accomodate 125% of the peak demand on game days, until the total number of bike parking spaces on the site equals 2,064 - if that ever occurs.
I am working on the project and wrote the CIR for the LEED credit and worked with the owners to get their committment on this. Please take advantage of it!
The 8th Street Popeyes is godawful, servicewise. I will DRIVE to the one on H Street before I'm subjected to the hell that is the 8th Street Popeyes. But then, if I'm going to go that far, I usually end up getting the $5 wings-fries-mambo-sauce at "Evil" Danny's.
I will more than likely take the metro to the ballpark.
Biking does sound like something I'd want to do, weather permitting, however.
awesome, GreenA. i was so glad to hear that they were preemptively doing something good for bikes. finding a bike rack that wasn't being used to keep people off the grass at RFK was damn near impossible, so actually having luxurious accommodations for my steed will make me quite happy!
Hillrat - it is called a transfer, maybe you've heard about it? It is sometimes necessary when departure and arrival locations are on different legs of the metro. It is free to do and generally acceptable to people who use the metro system.
Bob - Thanks for the info. My point was that oft-times transfers between lines are interrupted by a 10-20 minute waits. One would think that Metro would make sure lines are coming on the Green line with the Quickness on Nats game nights, but you never can tell.