Jim Graham's hearing on the Anacostia streetcar project has come and gone - the results? Everything's pretty much the way it was before. Barring any last minute legislative derailments, the Anacostia line should go on as planned. There is, however, a small new can of worms opening. The debate centers around whether or not the line will actually achieve anything other than pushing forward streetcar development to other parts of the city. Some transit types claim that without the Anacostia line, you'll never see a streetcar on H Street NE - without a doubt the place to put a line in the city - and that if this is the cost to get a line there, then so be it. Others say that it's foolish to force a line in Anacostia, when Columbia Pike's streetcar could be just as, if not more successful. Others are simply stuck in between, keeping the faith that either way will lead to more options.

We suppose we'll have to wait and see. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the fall - feel free to let us know what you think about the Anacostia line's merits in the comments.

Whaddya Have To Do To Get A Decent Pass Around Here?: We were intrigued by this New York Times article about the tenth anniversary of the unlimited-ride MetroCard for New York's subway. Not to get in to the whole MTA vs. Metro brouhaha again, but this is one program that Metro could probably emulate to positive results. To wit: in New York, you can buy a seven-day, unlimited-ride, any mode of transit MetroCard for $25. Here, you can buy a 7-day Metro pass - but, a) it's only good for rail trips, b) it's not compatible with SmartTrip (so, good luck if you need to park and keep track of both your pass and your SmartTrip card), and c) it costs $39. If you want to be able to transfer to a bus, a weekly bus pass will run you another $11. Finally, (as if this could be any more complicated), you can purchase a "short trip" pass, which is only valid during rush hours and trips of up to $2.65 - for $26.40. Did we mention that none of this is SmartTrip compatible?

Photo by pictureprefect

The Times article found that every level of unlimited-ride MetroCard user pays, on average, less than the regular $2 fare - even dipping as low as $1.45 per ride for high-volume riders. Of course, since Metro's fares are dynamic based on distance, it's a bit different - but there's nothing saying that giving a slight fare discount to those who ride the train the most is a bad idea. Heck, if you use your SmartTrip card on a Metrobus, you get a ten cent discount already. Just because our fare structure is different, it's no excuse for pass buying to take an hour of homework and wallet-shuffling to figure out.

If we can take anything from the comparison, it's this: people are clamoring to use mass transit more than ever, and we should facilitate their willingness to do so - if the economics work out.

Metro's Not The Only Transit Agency Setting Records, You Know: Sure, Metro might be setting new records right and left, but it's not the only transit agency doing so. Virginia Railway Express had seven of its highest ridership days ever in June, and like Metro, is quickly facing a capacity crisis. According to WTOP, VRE had plans to add seven new locomotives to pull longer trains of up to ten cars. Sounds nice, eh? But since the General Assembly failed to pass a transportation bill, the $25 million set to go to VRE improvements is nothing more than a number on a piece of paper. The result is that the 17,000 riders per day of VRE might have to wait a little bit longer to grab a train in the morning - a pertinent reminder that if Metro ridership continues to grow at a breakneck pace, a similar situation might not be too far off for a lot more of us.

Engines and Cabooses: Dr. Gridlock has the recap on Tuesday night's community meeting about the 16th Street bus revamps... Md. Gov. Martin O'Malley wants to convert all MTA buses to hybrids - currently, only ten of the fleet's 653 buses are hybrids... Prince William and Loudon Counties to increase bus fares due to gas prices... Gov. Tim Kaine encourages Va. workers to telecommute... Greenbelt wants more bus service.