Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Washington metrorail to be extended to Dulles airport

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 7
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 7 template Next
  • #1

    Washington metrorail to be extended to Dulles airport

    Since some of you like this sort of stuff, I thought I'd bring this up here. This extension, from the West Falls Church metro station out to Loudon County via Dulles airport, will be 23 miles, 11 stations, and will cost about $4 billion. This represents a greater than 20% expansion of the system.

    The politics for the extension were lined up at the end of last month such that several steps between planning and construction were eliminated.

    It's pretty amazing how fast the ridership has grown. The system opened in 1976, but already has the 2nd most trips (over 700,000 on many weekdays) of any system in the US -- behind, of course, the New York City subway. The system is experiencing some growing pains as it hits up against its design capacity.

    Since this is a suburban extension, I think we ought to seriously think about increasing the carrying capacity of the system into the city and through downtown. We ought to build more lines and detangle some lines from shared track.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/27/AR2006032700622.html
    Last edited by DanS; April 8, 2006, 18:14.
    I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891
    Tags: None
  • #2
    .
    Attached Files
    I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

    Comment

    • #3
      Does the population density justify it?

      Comment

      • #4
        Probably doesn't as a stand-alone project, but as a link from Dulles into the system (and downtown DC), it is highly desirable.

        At points, the density might be sufficient, such as Tysons Corner and Reston. Maybe half of the new stations.

        Since it's so suburban, I bet it will be a long ride from downtown DC to Dulles airport. 45 minutes is my guess.
        Last edited by DanS; April 8, 2006, 18:22.
        I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

        Comment

        • #5
          I took the shuttle bus from the airport to West Falls Church last year, cost me $8 I believe and it was very convenient - just as a metro ride would've been.

          From my limited experience, there's no pressing need for this extension. And at a cost of 4 billion? Somebody must be out of their mind.

          Comment

          • #6
            This country needs more mass transit.
            Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

            Comment

            • #7
              Winston: Yes, that's the counterargument. But the bus connection is never going to be nearly as heavily used as metrorail from end-to-end. Besides, the price will be cheaper into DC than the $8 bus + $2.65 metrorail option.

              Also, there will be intervening stops between West Falls Church and Dulles, so it's not just a matter of a shuttle bus replacement. A lot of people will be commuting downtown for jobs from these stations.

              As to the cost, infrastructure costs lots of money, but the benefit pays out over a long time horizon. As long as the project is properly managed (unlike, say, The Big Dig in Boston), I don't have any problem with it.
              Last edited by DanS; April 8, 2006, 18:47.
              I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Oerdin
                This country needs more mass transit.
                Only when the population density justifies it.
                I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

                Comment

                • #9
                  Apparently, Maryland doesn't want to be left behind. A study on extending metrorail to BWI airport is being funded.

                  That extension would cost $2.5 billion, but I'm not sure how long the extension would be. I am less enthusiastic about this proposal, because I think the money could be spent on metrorail in different and better ways in Maryland.

                  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/05/AR2006040501146.html
                  Last edited by DanS; April 8, 2006, 20:04.
                  I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    More mass transit
                    "I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
                    "I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
                    "I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by DanS
                      Only when the population density justifies it.
                      Heh.

                      Does the population density justify it?

                      Probably doesn't


                      ...

                      This country needs more mass transit.


                      Only when the population density justifies it.
                      "The issue is there are still many people out there that use religion as a crutch for bigotry and hate. Like Ben."
                      Ben Kenobi: "That means I'm doing something right. "

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by DanS
                        Apparently, Maryland doesn't want to be left behind. A study on extending metrorail to BWI airport is being funded.

                        That extension would cost $2.5 billion, but I'm not sure how long the extension would be. I am less enthusiastic about this proposal, because I think the money could be spent on metrorail in different and better ways in Maryland.

                        http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040501146.html

                        Screw Maryland! All federal monies to improve the DC area should go to NOVA!
                        Today, you are the waves of the Pacific, pushing ever eastward. You are the sequoias rising from the Sierra Nevada, defiant and enduring.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          23 miles for only 7 billion? That's much cheaper than the light rail in Houston. That was pushed through completely by Democrats though. 98% of the property it passed through was owned by Democrats actually.

                          Tom DeLay was the major opposition against it of course.
                          "Yay Apoc!!!!!!!" - bipolarbear
                          "At least there were some thoughts went into Apocalypse." - Urban Ranger
                          "Apocalype was a great game." - DrSpike
                          "In Apoc, I had one soldier who lasted through the entire game... was pretty cool. I like apoc for that reason, the soldiers are a bit more 'personal'." - General Ludd

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            $4 billion, not $7 billion. I doubt the light rail in Houston cost more than $7 billion.
                            I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Originally posted by DanS
                              Apparently, Maryland doesn't want to be left behind. A study on extending metrorail to BWI airport is being funded.

                              That extension would cost $2.5 billion, but I'm not sure how long the extension would be. I am less enthusiastic about this proposal, because I think the money could be spent on metrorail in different and better ways in Maryland.

                              http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040501146.html
                              They have been talking about a line (Purple line) that goes arround the outskirts in MD for a long time. It would be hilarious if this gets made first.

                              (It is easier to get into Down Town DC than to go somewhere a few miles away in MD)

                              JM
                              Jon Miller-
                              I AM.CANADIAN
                              GENERATION 35: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 3 4 5 7 template Next
                              Working...
                              X