May 2, 2008
Major Green and Yellow Line Delays Loom
Remember way back, when there were ungodly Red line delays of almost 30 minutes for four consecutive weekends? You know, the delays that made Metro think that we needed a big break from all track work for a month? Well, those delays seem like a cakewalk in comparison to how upcoming weekend track work that's scheduled for the Green and Yellows Lines at Mount Vernon Square station will alter riders' ability to get places on time.
The Post's Get There blog reports that Metro will be undertaking a major switch replacement project (the same type of work that caused February and March's delays on the Red line) over four weekends this month and next. Specifically, Green and Yellow line trains will be arriving every 24 minutes during the weekends of May 3-4, May 16-18, May 30-June 1 and June 6-8. The work is a recommendation (read: requirement) from the National Transportation Safety Board after an investigation into the derailment which occurred at the station back in January of 2007, which injured around 20 people and required a tunnel rescue. The work is scheduled to be completed on June 8.
Now, all of this might be inconvenience enough for riders, but the job gets even more complex - the Nationals are in town for two of these weekends. They aren't playing a marquee team, but still - if you're planning on attending a game via Metro on these weekends, our best advice is to build in at least an hour of travel time into your plans.
In addition, there will be delays on the Orange and Blue lines this weekend to due regular track maintenance. Get all the details on those delays over here.
Photo by randomduck
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There has simply got to be a better way to complete these switch replacements. Four weekends of 24-minute service (probably optimistic) on two already crowded subway lines during heavy tourist season is unacceptable.
Better by which metric? The simple fact is that you can't do single tracking during rush hour. I don't know the details, but if it were possible, would shutting down the Green and Yellow for a whole weekend be "better"?
Politburo:
Better as defined as better in just about any way! They could tackle projects like these (1) in the middle of the night when nobody is riding or (2) do it on ONE weekend instead of stretching it out to four or (3) they could leave it as is, but add extra buses on 14th, 16th, and Georgia, and extra buses to the ballpark. Plus (4) they could give more than one day's notice!
I don't think any solution would be ideal, but as someone who heavily uses the Green and Yellow lines between Columbia Heights and points South, I would prefer a complete shutdown of the crucial stretch for a weekend (accompanied by heavy extra bus support) over 6 weeks of service that might as well not exist (24 minute spacing makes the bus more practical -- if it isn't already for certain stretches -- anyway).
Er - 6 weekends of course -- not sure that's a possible equivalence (the efficiency of 1 weekend of full bore work == 6 weekends) -- but if it were, I would prefer the weekend shutdown.
MrT no doubt there are practical matters that have to be considered, and if they could have done it like your #1 or #2, they would have. It's not like they're doing it across 4 weekends just to piss you off...
I don't know why there was so little notice, and in fact, there doesn't seem to be a press release about this work on the WMATA website.
Yes, WHERE is the notice on metro's web site re: yellow and green interruptions? Are you sure this is affecting this weekend?
I'm sure this work could easily be done in half the time, or even by putting in some solid work during the night hours. However, anyone who has seen the productivity level of Metro employees fixing an escalator knows how much time and money is wasted. And the escalator workers are out in plain sight of the public. I can only imagine how much standing-around takes place when they're in a tunnel...
Bingo, TimmyTucker, I was thinking of the standing-around escalator workers as well! I don't know if it's union rules, overly cautious safety protocols, NTSB red tape or general institutional inertia, but there's no way replacing a railroad switch (a 19th century piece of technology) should take so long given the appropriate tools and budgeting. This isn't rocket science.
Oh man, this sucks. And is a terrible idea. While the T in Boston is no model transportation system, when they need to do similar repairs (which is quite often) they just close the line and run (free) bus service, and usually do it only on weekends. It seems like a much better solution than having to wait nearly 30 minutes for a train, especially if there are freaking National games during the weekend. Terrible solution, Metro, terrible.
According to the blog you linked to:
The $475,000 project, which stems from a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board following a derailment at the station, is scheduled to begin next weekend. The work will start Friday night and continue through Sunday. The other weekends are May 16-18, May 30-June1 and June 6-8. The Nationals are home next weekend and June 6-8.
Hey, at least the taxi meters makes that a better option? coincidence? Yes!
Sigh. man, this is no good. I already think the "extra cars" they supposedly put on for games are pretty much non-existent (I've waited 12 and 14 minutes every time) in that funnel that is the navy yard holding pen (aka metro station).
That red line one was horrific. Of course it coincided with a class I was taking in Bethesda.
As for "press releases," hmm, yah, okay, that doesn't really help. I started to like the red line signage about the delays only because 20-25 minutes is pretty much the "normal" delay on any given weekend to factor in. If you just assume that, it's more tolerable.
All the same, I too prefer the bus. Fewer delays and less misbehavior.
ah well, see ya on the platform. - washwords