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DR. GRIDLOCK
Robert Thomson
to defense of D.C. bike lanes
LINDA DAVIDSON/THE WASHINGTON POST
The Metro finance panel proposed adding a third tier to the fare system, a surcharge for traveling in the very busiest part of the rush periods.
A fair fare?
Metro’s proposal to add a third tier in peak pricing could be a battleground
by Robert Thomson
W
hen the Metro board’s
finance
committee passes a resolution, it’s usu- ally a pretty good
sign that the full board will adopt it and riders will have to live with the consequences. That’s only partly true of the action the com- mittee took Thursday on fares. Certainly, riders can expect to
pay substantially more for rail, bus and paratransit this summer. But some of the fare and fee in- creases in the resolution shape a battleground for board members trying to defend the interests of riders from their jurisdictions. Here’s a guide.
PEAK OF PEAK
This is the most unusual ele- ment of the fare plan. Metrorail has a two-tiered fare system. Rid- ers pay an off-peak fare that Met- ro refers to as the discount fare and a peak fare that Metro refers to as the regular fare. The peak of the peak would be a third tier, a surcharge paid by Metrorail rid- ers who travel in the very busiest part of the rush periods. Metro has two goals with this fare: Make money and spread out the burden of congestion. Money: Because Metro has nev- er tried such a system, it’s difficult to gauge the impact. But transit managers think it will indeed make money, probably $7.7 mil- lion for fiscal 2011 if it’s set at 20 cents. (It could be set as high as 50 cents, but that’s unlikely.) Congestion: They also think some riders who now travel on the margins of the peak of peak will start their trips earlier or lat- er, decreasing crowding on the trains. The proposed peak of peak hours are 7:30 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. About a third of Metro-
When ‘peak-of-peak’ fares could apply
Metro could add a special charge during the busiest 1.5 hours of morning and afternoon ridership. The finance committee is recommending a 20-cent peak-of-peak fare, but the full board could change that proposal.
Average weekday Metrorail ridership
25,000
Proposed peak-of-peak fare times
rush trips, when riders are more flexible, is trickier to anticipate than the morning impact. Could Metrorail adjust to more people traveling between 6 and 7 p.m.? And does a congestion surcharge penalize people who choose to live close to work in the region’s core?
OTHER FARES
The board almost certainly will
15,000
raise Metrorail fares 15 percent. The basic boarding fare at peak periods would go to $1.90. The ba- sic boarding fare at off-peak hours would go to $1.55. The maximum fare would be $5, not including the peak of peak surcharge. The basic Metrobus fare could
5 a.m. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 p.m. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 REGULAR FARE
REDUCED FARE
Note: Metrorail opens at 5 a.m. and closes around midnight Sundays through Thursdays. On Friday and Saturday nights, the system remains open until 3 a.m.
SOURCE: WMATA
rail trips occur during those times. The higher the surcharge, the more riders who would shift to the regular peak to save money. Metro estimates that 10 percent of peak of peak riders would shift if the surcharge is 20 cents. Most riders in the middle of the peak, including most 9-to-5 workers, would be stuck, unless their boss- es will let them change hours or telecommute. If not, they become Metro’s cash cows. Variables: Metro could go for a system-wide surcharge. Or it could confine the extra fee to the most congested part of the sys- tem, which is in downtown Wash- ington and Northern Virginia. The fee could be applied to riders who enter and exit in the con- gestion zone. Or it could be ap- plied to riders who use the sta- tions in the zone and to those who just pass through it. Either way,
THE WASHINGTON POST
the theory goes, these people are riding on the most crowded trains. Another option, suggested for discussion by board member Chris Zimmerman, is to limit the peak of peak time to an hour, in- stead of an hour and a half, and increase the amount of the sur- charge. That would still raise a lot of money while reducing the ri- dership affected. Issues: A surcharge on every- one is the easiest version for rid- ers to understand. But it also cap- tures many reverse commuters traveling on relatively uncrowded trains. A congestion zone sur- charge is more targeted but strains the brain of riders trying to anticipate their fares, espe- cially if they are just passing through the zone. And what are the implications for rail service if many people change their riding habits? The impact on evening
REGULAR FARE REDUCED
go up 20 percent, to $1.50. That’s more than some board members, including Jim Graham of the Dis- trict, would like. So look for more fighting over this. MetroAccess fares would stay
at twice the comparable base bus fare, but if the bus fare increases, that means a proportional in- crease in the paratransit fare.
FEES
There’s no increase in daily parking fees in this proposal, and Jeffrey C. McKay of Fairfax Coun- ty said he won’t vote for a budget that revives the idea of a 50-cent increase. The fee for monthly re- served parking would increase $5, to $60. People who rent Metro’s 1,200 bike lockers face a 186 per- cent increase in the yearly rental fee, to $200.
NIGHT-OWL SERVICE
The proposal maintains 3 a.m.
Metrorail service on weekends but raises the fare from the off- peak rate to the peak rate. A less likely option is to impose a $4 flat fare for the service after midnight. Graham will fight for the most service at the lowest price.
drgridlock@washpost.com
DR. G’S TIPS
ANDREWS AIR SHOW
The popular annual event con- tinues Sunday, with gates open- ing at 8 a.m. Park at FedEx Field or the Branch Avenue Metro sta- tion. Shuttles will run to and from Andrews Air Force Base. The ones to Andrews will stop at 2:30 p.m.; the ones from An- drews will continue until all at- tendees are off the flight line. There are shuttles available for the disabled. Consider taking Metrorail to Branch Avenue. Parking is free on weekends. The only track work delays will be be- tween Greenbelt and College Park on the Green Line.
KENILWORTH AVENUE (DC 295)
Watch for a new traffic pattern
THE DAILY QUIZ
According to today’s Arts &
Style section, Khandi Alexander
can be seen on what new TV show?
EARN 5 POINTS: Find the answer, then go
to
washingtonpost.com/postpoints and click on “Quizzes” to enter the correct response.
on the southbound side near the Eastern Avenue bridge, which the District is rebuilding. Traffic will be shifted to the
left, and barriers will be put in place to accommodate upcoming construction on the right side of the road.
12TH STREET TUNNEL RAMP
The ramp from Interstate 395
north to the 12th Street tunnel is closed until 4 a.m. Monday. Also closed this weekend is D Street SW, just east of 12th Street. Workers are replacing the bridge deck concrete on the ramp to the tunnel, part of the long-term re- habilitation of the 11th Street SW bridge. The project is scheduled to be done at the end of June.
NEW HAMPSHIRE AVENUE
Work will continue Saturday on the ramp from the Capital Beltway’s outer loop to north- bound New Hampshire Avenue. The ramp will close from 8:30 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sun- day as workers stabilize the right shoulder along the ramp where the ground washed out.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SE
The District’s Great Streets
project is entering a new phase this weekend that will have a sig- nificant impact on drivers be- tween 27th Street and Branch Avenue SE. The work will in- clude the reconstruction of Penn- sylvania Avenue and sidewalks on the south side. This means lane closings and a shift in the
POINTS EVENTS
Congressional Bank Classic
The Congressional Bank Classic is the premier high school baseball event in Washington, DC. Each May, the city’s best high school teams and players compete at Nationals Park in a day long celebration of baseball in the District. The games include the DCIAA Championship, a “semi-final” between the top private/parochial teams in the city, and a citywide all-star game. The final game features the winners from the earlier games competing for the championship trophy - the Modell’s Cup.
The event is open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, and includes a Fan Zone with kids games, free clinics, skills challenges, music and entertainment for the whole family.
Admission is FREE and seating is general admission. Concession stands in the stadium will be open. Parking is available in Lot C at the stadium. For more information go to
www.congressionalbankclassic.org
traffic pattern. Here’s what com- muters will encounter as of Mon- day: The far-right eastbound lane and sidewalk will be closed and marked off with barriers. Three travel lanes will be open at all times. A reversible lane will ensure that there are two lanes for peak traffic during rush hours. Watch the overhead green arrows and red X’s to determine the correct inbound and out- bound lanes. Motorists should add about
15 minutes to their drive times during peak periods on Pennsyl- vania Avenue.
BELTWAY PAVING
This coming week, the Mary- land State Highway Administra-
tion is scheduled to begin resur- facing 4.6 miles of the Beltway’s outer loop between Branch Av- enue and D’Arcy Road. The proj- ect also includes a half-mile of Pennsylvania Avenue between the Beltway and Old Marlboro Pike/Westphalia Road and the exit ramp from Forestville Road to the outer loop. There’s going to be some off- peak congestion. Watch for sin- gle lane closings on weekdays be- tween 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and be- tween 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. There may be double lane closings Sun- days through Thursdays between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. The project should be done by next spring. This area was last resurfaced
in 2001. The road project is one of many in the D.C. area support-
POINTS & REWARDS
ed by federal stimulus money. The largest in Maryland is a $25 million project to replace a 50-year-old bridge at the inter- change of I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway) and Liberty Road.
TELEGRAPH ROAD/BELTWAY
Heads up for next weekend:
There will be some lane closures on the Beltway’s inner loop just west of Telegraph Road from about 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday, May 24. Workers will be doing concrete repairs to the Beltway bridge over Cameron Run. Traffic will be narrowed to one lane, which is likely to cause significant backups.
For more traffic information, go to
washingtonpost.com/traffic
A complete list of PostPoints Spots can be found at
washingtonpost.com/postpoints.
American Film Institute
AFI is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture. Movie lovers, learn more at
afi.com.
Giant Food
Too busy to shop? Try home delivery with Peapod by Giant. See
peapod.com.
lanes in Washington and surrounding suburbs. I was dismayed at AAA’s recent statement that the bike lanes would impede traffic in downtown D.C. The city has done extensive research to find roads and avenues that had less traffic to install these bike lanes. In those streets where the bike lanes have been installed, I have not witnessed any difference in traffic density. If anything, it has forced drivers to slow down to posted speed limits, making the roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists and even other drivers. As a D.C. resident, I am tired of seeing vehicles with out-of-state tags driving recklessly in our streets merely to save a few minutes in their commutes. Thankfully, the District is starting to realize this. If drivers are not happy with their commutes, maybe it is time they looked at taking public transportation. I commute daily by bicycle to downtown D.C. I also own three cars that I occasionally use on the weeknights and weekends. Though I am a AAA member and love cars, this kind of false claim from AAA was extremely disheartening, and I am considering canceling my membership. Bottom line is that we need
D
bicycles and we need bike paths. We need a network of paths that are linked throughout the region so that bicyclists of all levels can get around safely and efficiently. Jim Sebastian, the District
Department of Transportation bicycle program manager, is making D.C. a better place to live and work. But this work merely scratches the surface of what must be done. We need many, many more bike lanes. This small investment will only reduce the amount of cars on the streets. Maybe D.C. should consider removing cars altogether and creating bus/pedestrian/bicycle only zones downtown.
—Sebastien Guilmard,
the District
AAA Mid-Atlantic is worried about the reduction in lanes for motor vehicles on Pennsylvania Avenue NW as the District Department of Transportation prepares to open bike lanes. The department feels the same way about the Pennsylvania Avenue project as it did about creating the bike lane on 15th Street NW: Some roads are wide enough to accommodate everyone. I think the District has been making good choices as it expands opportunities for commuter cycling through a network of new lanes, the biking center at Union Station and the SmartBike DC rental program. Friday is the annual Bike to
Work Day. Thousands of people, many of whom don’t normally ride bicycles to work, will be on
ear Dr. Gridlock:
I am writing in support of installing more bike
the roads in the D.C. area. Watch out for them, or join them. Many people who don’t normally cycle to work use this as an opportunity to see what it’s like while traveling in the security of a group. I asked Guilmard to offer some tips for commuters contemplat- ing cycling. Here are a few: When you decide to make the leap and commute to work by bicycle, the golden rule is to start slow. Many times, I would suddenly decide to bicycle to work. It started out great. But then it would take longer than expected, I would take a wrong turn, start getting cramps, sweating, and by the time I got to my destination, I was late, exhausted, a little on edge. The return commute would be a little better, but by the time I got home, I would be really sore and spent. The bike would be shelved for another year. The first day is critical. Try out your route on the weekend, when you have no time constraints. Take your time and explore different routes. If you have not biked in a while, start out with a few miles, then gradually build to your full commute. Bring water and snacks to keep you going. I also find a small mini-pump, a couple of tire levers and an inner tube patch kit critical in case you get a flat tire (about twice a year for me). Always carry a little cash in your patch kit. Start early to avoid the sun and heat and bring sun protection for your return home. Check the weather before leaving home. On your first day, make sure it will not rain and that it is not the hottest day of the year. Dress in layers so that you can remove clothing if necessary. You generate heat on the bicycle, so you will generally require less clothing than if walking.
Dr. Gridlock also appears Thursday in Local Living. Comments and questions are welcome and may be used in a column, along with the writer’s name and home community. Personal responses are not always possible.
To contact Dr. Gridlock: By mail:Write to Dr. Gridlock at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. By e-mail:
drgridlock@washpost.com. On the Get There blog: blog.washingtonpost. com/getthere. On Twitter: drgridlock.
on
washingtonpost.com
Taken for a ride?
Need to vent about your daily commute? Have a question you think Dr. Gridlock and your fellow commuters can answer? Want to share your traffic and transit advice? Join Dr. Gridlock in his new forum at
washingtonpost.com/ takenforaride.
A bike commuter rides
SUNDAY,MAY 16, 2010
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