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-   -   Washington DC: Rail transit (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170272)

202_Cyclist Aug 20, 2019 8:43 PM

Cirrus:
Quote:

In 1800 Washington+Georgetown+Alexandria would have been the 6th largest city in the country. Individually each of them was among the largest 30 or so, and were all larger than any city in what is now the midwest.
Also, the despite the claims of those who are eager to deny the right to vote to more than 700,000 Washington residents, in 1800, the residents of Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria (which was then part of DC) were able to vote for their representative to Congress. So, when people say that the Constitution prevents 700,000 of your fellow Americans from enjoying the democratic rights and responsibilities that every other American enjoys, they are either full of it or don't know what they are talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distri...ic_Act_of_1801

jtown,man Aug 21, 2019 2:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist (Post 8664210)
Cirrus:


Also, the despite the claims of those who are eager to deny the right to vote to more than 700,000 Washington residents, in 1800, the residents of Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria (which was then part of DC) were able to vote for their representative to Congress. So, when people say that the Constitution prevents 700,000 of your fellow Americans from enjoying the democratic rights and responsibilities that every other American enjoys, they are either full of it or don't know what they are talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distri...ic_Act_of_1801

Just because people could vote before DC was founded doesn't mean its factually incorrect to say they can't today. Law does say DC can't do that just like law says a lot of things different types of people don't like. The reason for the law can be debated, but its law. So no, in 1783 the founders did not include anything about DC...because it didn't exist. So technically you're complaint is valid but it changes nothing.

Cirrus Aug 21, 2019 4:13 AM

There is a difference between "the law" preventing something and "the constitution" preventing something. They're not synonyms. That difference is, I believe, what he was getting at.

202_Cyclist Aug 22, 2019 9:37 PM

Electric moped rentals
 
DC now has electric moped rentals. I completely support sustainable transportation, especially if it eliminates auto trips with vehicles that use gas but it seems like there are going to be some serious injuries with inexperienced people riding these mopeds.

You can rent a moped in D.C. starting this weekend

https://www.washingtonpost.com/trans...-this-weekend/

202_Cyclist Sep 6, 2019 3:06 PM

Purple line construction!
 
It's official: The first section of track for Purple Line has been installed

By Associated Press
Carl Willis ABC7
September 5th 2019

"LANHAM, Md. (AP) — Maryland's $5.6 billion Purple Line reached a milestone on Thursday: The first section of track has been installed.

Gov. Larry Hogan attended the ceremony in Lanham, Maryland, on Thursday, as well as Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn.

The first section of track was installed near Ellen Road and Hanson Oaks Drive..."

https://wjla.com/news/local/purple-l...rack-installed

RCDC Sep 10, 2019 6:53 PM

Purple Line construction at the Silver Spring station. I think it's going to proceed quickly from here on.

https://i.imgur.com/s3rRLWE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SGzbeZF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IsePLDS.jpg

Busy Bee Sep 20, 2019 1:09 PM

Purple Line cars
 
Well it looks pretty much just like the renderings, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

https://media.bizj.us/view/img/11437...cde0f9c15o.jpg
_

202_Cyclist Nov 15, 2019 8:36 PM

Commuter ferries
 
Take a ride on M-495: Commuter ferry service proposed for DC area

Kristi King
WTOP
November 13, 2019

"D.C. area commuters often dream of cruising during their morning drive, and a planned commuter ferry could make that a reality.

The proposed ferry service would initially extend from Woodbridge, Virginia, to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the Department of Homeland Security in D.C., along a marine highway the U.S. Department of Transportation is calling the “M-495.”

“We have turned a corner when it comes to commuter passenger ferry service on the Occoquan, Potomac and Anacostia rivers,” said Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi..."

https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2019/11/...ommuter-ferry/

OhioGuy Nov 23, 2019 4:39 PM

Metro aims for September Silver Line opening despite construction issues

WTOP | Max Smith | November 21, 2019, 8:46 PM

Quote:

Metro is preparing to launch Silver Line service to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County in Virginia around September 2020, but the agency is still considering forcing major changes to construction plans that could push back that timeline.

Metro’s Office of Inspector General and a construction expert the office hired, warned Thursday that faulty concrete panels that frame most of the new stations may need inspection every three months after Metro takes ownership of the line if the panels are not fully replaced.

Such inspections could require regular single-tracking or other service disruptions on brand-new stretches of track.

“That impacts service on an ongoing basis. That impacts, obviously revenue, and it impacts costs. And we don’t know yet what that means because that’s 1,500 panels that we’ve got to come up with how would we even do this,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said.

Construction standards called for the panels to last 100 years.

When asked whether Metro should insist on having all panels removed so new ones can be made and installed, Wiedefeld said Metro should take nothing off the table since the agreed upon design is not what ended up being built in this case.

A demand of that scale would push back the opening date significantly, but it could help avoid potential long-term maintenance issues.
Quote:

The concrete panel issues are among four Metro considers as outstanding, since construction is essentially complete and the focus moves into testing and commissioning.

The Airports Authority and the contractors building the line are working to address the other three issues, which are: problems at some spots where rails are connected to concrete rail ties, issues with some locations where trains cross from one track to another not being level, and problems with the rock ballast that supports the tracks in the rail yard.

On Wednesday, Airports Authority leaders said there are plans to address all the issues, and the goal is to have the project substantially complete and turned over to Metro in April.

If that goal is met and the issues are addressed, Metro could open the line for service sometime between early July and late September.

aquablue Nov 27, 2019 8:02 AM

Silver line having no express service is just not good for DC's future. International airport is now very close time wise to Tysons and will be a boon and DC loses out with only national airport close by. Big jets not allowed there. Morons in city government should have done more.


Raise the height limits in DC so that more business can relocate there too/residents. I believe somebody is intentionally preventing that, and it's probably the right. There is a large portion of the country that hates on DC and wants it to remain small. They would just hate it if DC became a more dynamic, bigger and populated city. They keep it so we can't grow much.

Sprawl sucks, I don't like places like Reston, Ashburn, Tysons, etc. DC has potential to be a much s tronger core city.

Dan78 Dec 6, 2019 4:12 PM

Metro shows six “fantasy maps” for the Blue and Silver lines

By David Alpert
GreaterGreaterWashington
December 6, 2019

“...Metro has embarked on a study of potential options to deal with this. Now, they have some ideas for riders to weigh in on. These range from fairly modest to pretty ambitious. The agency would like rider input and will start narrowing down the ideas to come up with an actual recommendation for what to do about its Blue/Orange/Silver bottleneck problem.”

https://ggwash.org/view/75003/metro-...d-silver-lines

202_Cyclist Dec 10, 2019 6:22 PM

Regional coalition wants to grow its trail network to nearly 900 miles
 
Regional coalition wants to grow its trail network to nearly 900 miles

By Luz Lazo
Dec. 7, 2019
Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/resiz...WNGQTO6JJA.jpg

"A plan to complete a network of nearly 900 miles of trails connecting the Washington region could be accomplished with an investment of just over $1 billion, according to a coalition of nonprofits, business and government groups.

The estimate, from the Capital Trails Coalition, would build 408 miles of trails that are planned across the region, nearly doubling the size of the existing network. The proposed trails would fill gaps in a system of nearly 470 miles, improving connectivity between neighborhoods and public transit, commercial districts and jobs, the group said.

The coalition of more than 60 organizations, including government agencies, environmental groups and business improvement districts, is pushing for most of the projects to be completed over the next decade, though funding has only been secured or identified for about 10 percent of them..."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...ebc_story.html

202_Cyclist Dec 12, 2019 7:30 PM

DC protected bike lanes
 
The protected bike lane on P Street, SW has been completed. This is immediately north of Fort McNair and will connect to Audi Field and the Anacostia River Walk. There were more than 6,200 pedestrian fatalities last year and nearly 860 cyclist fatalities. We need better infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.

http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...154bfeb5_z.jpg

OhioGuy Dec 20, 2019 3:48 PM

Virginia’s big buy-in on rail could transform regional mobility

GreaterGreaterWashington
December 20, 2019


Quote:

“We cannot pave our way out of congestion.” With that declaration, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a historic 3.7 billion dollar rail deal with CSX on Thursday that will allow the Commonwealth to vastly expand Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) service over the next decade.

In the deal, Virginia acquired 225 miles of track and purchased the right of way to a further 350 miles of CSX-owned railroad. Northam also announced funding for the construction of 37 miles of new track to remove rail capacity chokepoints between Richmond and Washington, DC.

The list of projects that will be unlocked thanks to this deal reads like a rail enthusiast’s wish list: VRE service will expand by 75% and add in weekend operations, direct train connections between DC and Richmond will become a nearly hourly affair, VRE and MARC trains will have access to each other’s networks for the first time, high-speed rail to Raleigh is now possible, and planning for a mooted “Commonwealth Corridor”—linking the Blue Ridge Mountains and Hampton Roads by rail—can begin.
https://ggwash.org/images/made/image...60_1024_90.jpg

Busy Bee Dec 20, 2019 7:08 PM

Awesome news

RCDC Dec 31, 2019 5:54 PM

RE Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express: I suppose this is good news (good for Amtrak at least) but it must be pointed out that VDOT is currently extending the I-95 express lanes, almost to Fredericksburg. The corridor is already sprawling out of control...

jtown,man Jan 1, 2020 3:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCDC (Post 8787765)
RE Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express: I suppose this is good news (good for Amtrak at least) but it must be pointed out that VDOT is currently extending the I-95 express lanes, almost to Fredericksburg. The corridor is already sprawling out of control...

True. But that portion of 95 is such a mess that they could add another 4 lanes each way and it would still have major chokepoints.

RCDC Jan 31, 2020 7:53 PM

Purple Line progress at Silver Spring Station
 
Crummy day but I was out and about.
Girders for the overpass are going in:

https://i.imgur.com/jOlnAyH.jpg

Capitol Crescent Trail overpass is in place:

https://i.imgur.com/jlAQu4E.jpg

202_Cyclist Jan 31, 2020 7:57 PM

Thank you for posting, this is great to see the progress on the Purple Line.

202_Cyclist Feb 3, 2020 3:13 PM

Frederick Douglass bridge replacement
 
The weather wasn't the best to take photos yesterday but I took this photo of work on the Frederick Douglass bridge replacement.

http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/4...60e5153d_b.jpg


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