Michael Dresser mentions this:

The proposal being batted around in Prince George’s would take the Green Line as far north as Route 32 near Savage before it would curve east toward Fort Meade and Odenton. That would make it a lot easier to get to Washington via Metro without getting mixed up in traffic jams.

He also links to the Greater Greater Washington post on the subject. Dresser proposes that the MTA in MD get together with the WMATA in making the two systems more connected if this happens. He mentions the possibility of the light rail connecting to Metro somewhere as well as the B30 bus from BWI making trips to the new terminus of the green line (it now goes to Greenbelt.)

Another intriguing proposal Dresser mentions is allowing for off-hours or weekend connections for MARC’s Camden Line in the Savage or Laurel area.

Michael Dresser reports that Senator Brian Frosh has come out opposed to plans the MTA apparently is exploring to listen in on riders on trains and buses.

From the Sun story:

“Do we really need to stoop that low in order to keep order?” Frosh said. “It’s that ‘1984′ question ultimately: Do you want government delving that closely into everybody’s personal life to maintain our safety.”

Frosh also predicted that legislation outlawing the practice would be introduced. No comment from MTA officials has been made yet.

Information for our readers who work in DC and will be commuting home this afternoon:

MARC:
Brunswick: Due to the WASH METRO accident yesterday, the Brunswick Line will not operate at all today Tuesday June 23, 2009. (Previously was just closed for morning trains.)

MARC

Penn Line–Train 450 (5:10pm departure from Union Station) is cancelled today. The equipment used to operate this train starts the day as a Brunswick Line train, and all Brunswick Line service was cancelled today due to yesterday’s Metrorail accident.

Passengers going to Baltimore Penn Station may ride trains 432 (4:46pm departure), 534 (5:20pm departure), or 436 (5:34pm departure). Passengers going to New Carrollton or Seabrook may ride trains 432 or 436.

We regret any inconvenience.

DDOT:

Two Lanes on New Hampshire Avenue Open For Evening Rush Hour

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) plans to reopen at least two lanes of New Hampshire Avenue, between Eastern Avenue and North Capitol Street, for outbound traffic during this evening’s rush hour. One lane was opened this morning in the southbound direction for inbound traffic. At 2 p.m. this afternoon, traffic will be reversed for northbound traffic and DDOT anticipates 2 lanes will be open outbound. At this time, it is anticipated that southbound New Hampshire will be closed until 7 p.m. although that is subject to change.

Please note, these plans may change depending on the requirements of the public safety operations at the scene of the Metro train collision. Motorists are strongly advised to use alternate routes and marked detours including:

o Piney Branch Road
o Missouri Avenue
o New York Avenue
o Rhode Island Avenue
o Bladensburg Road
o Riggs Road
o Michigan Avenue
o Georgia Avenue
o 16th Street
o I-295

DDOT Road Operations Patrols and Traffic Control Officers have been deployed to assist with traffic backups. Drivers are encouraged to use the major alternate routes instead of neighborhood streets to get around the affected area.

WMATA:

The Red Line will be operating in two sections on Tuesday. Trains will run back and forth between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations and between the Shady Grove and the Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metrorail station. All trains will be six- and eight-car trains on the Red Line and they will be running about 8 to 10 minutes apart. Trains are expected to be very crowded. The Brookland-CUA, Fort Totten and Takoma Metrorail stations will be closed to Red Line traffic.

Free Metrobus shuttles will be available to take customers around the incident between the Silver Spring, Fort Totten, Brookland-CUA, Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail stations. People can expect long waits for buses as a full Metrorail train often carries 100 people or more per car and a bus can only hold about 50 people at a time.

Metro officials recommend that customers who normally use the Red Line between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations should commute to Metrorail stations between the Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations, or to use the following Metrobus lines to avoid the service disruption:

• Metrobus C8 line (Glenmont to White Flint)
• Metrobus Q2 line (Wheaton to Rockville)
• Metrobus C2, C4 line (Wheaton to Twinbrook)
• Metrobus J1 line (Silver Spring to Medical Center)
• Metrobus J2, J3, J4 line (Silver Spring to Bethesda)
• Metrobus L7, L8 line (Friendship Heights)

AlertDC UPDATE:

The District has reopened New Hampshire Avenue Bridge in northeast DC in both directions. Two lanes will be available outbound (north) and one inbound (south) beginning at 3pm and in time for the Tuesday afternoon rush hour. New Hampshire Avenue has been reopened as well between North Capitol and Eastern Avenue.

Emergency crews performing work related to the Metro accident will continue to use a portion on the east side of the bridge for staging of necessary vehicles and equipment. Motorists are asked to please respect the workers and crews and to not rubber-neck or stop along the bridge to try and view the accident scene during their commutes through this area.

Metro has announced the following shuttle bus options in response to the track closures on the red line. “Free Metrobus shuttles will be available to take customers around the incident between the Silver Spring, Fort Totten, Brookland-CUA, Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail stations. People can expect long waits for buses as a full Metrorail train often carries 100 people or more per car and a bus can only hold about 50 people at a time.”

There may be some impact to traffic in the area due to the addition of the shuttle buses and travelers should anticipate additional travel time in their schedules.

Maryland State Highway Administration has also asked that with the extra bus volumes at the Silver Spring Metro Station motorists try and avoid using Wayne Avenue between Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road to reduce unnecessary vehicle conflicts.

All other roadways have been reopened except for Nicholson Street which remains closed at this time.

Due to last night’s DC Metro accident (death toll now stands at 9 with 100+ injured) there are several issues this morning for people commuting to DC from MD.

A Red Line operator today announced on a Metro train that all Red Line trains would be traveling at a max speed of 35 mph today. Trains on both the Red and Green/Yellow lines seemed to be stopping farther up on the platform as well – especially the 6 car trains.

WMATA:

Disruption at Fort Totten. Due to a situation outside Fort Totten station, customers traveling on or connecting to the Red Line are encouraged to add an additional hour to their travel time.

MARC:
Brunswick line: Due to the WASH METRO accident, the Brunswick Line will not operate Tuesday morning, 23 June 2009.

Alert DC:

***TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE***

Morning Rush Road Closures and Metro Travel Information

Washington, D.C. – Several District streets in northeast remain closed tonight due to a major incident involving two Metro trains. The trains collided along the red line between Fort Totten and Takoma Park.

The following roads in northeast DC remain closed this evening in the vicinity of the crash and will likely not open in time for tomorrow morning’s rush hour:

• North Capitol northbound is rerouted at Riggs Road
• South Dakota Avenue (a small section on the south side of the bridge) is closed
• Nicholson Street is completely closed

New Hampshire Avenue inbound lanes only will be open between 5:30am and 9am for rush hour traffic. New Hampshire will reclose at 9am between North Capitol and Eastern Avenue. Motorists are strongly advised to use alternate routes and detours as recommended. Maryland road operations are assisting and placing Variable Message Signs in decision making locations in Montgomery County to assist motorists with alternate routes. DDOT has also deployed VMS signs for travelers heading northbound. Delays are expected.

Residents and commuters are encouraged to use alternate travel times or telecommute. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and take alternate routes and detours including:

o Riggs Road
o Piney Branch Road
o Missouri Avenue
o New York Avenue
o Rhode Island Avenue
o Bladensburg Road
o Michigan Avenue to Irving St to southbound N. Capitol Street
o Georgia Avenue
o 16th Street
o I-295 S to Benning Road or Howard Road

DDOT Road Operations Patrols and Traffic Control Officers will be deployed to assist with traffic backups.

Metro recommends passengers avoid the Red Line for the remainder of Monday and Tuesday, or expect significant delays as the area of track involved in the accident will remain closed to train traffic. For more information on train delays visit the Metro web site at www.wmata.com

Metro Released the following information earlier this evening:

Tuesday Red Line service altered as a result of Monday collision
Red Line service will be severely impacted on Tuesday, June 23, as a result of a fatal collision on the Red Line on Monday, June 22, between the Fort Totten and Takoma Metrorail stations.

Red Line riders will have several options on Tuesday morning, however if they are able to avoid the Red Line, that may be the best option for Tuesday.

The Red Line will be operating in two sections on Tuesday. Trains will run back and forth between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations and between the Shady Grove and the Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metrorail station. All trains will be six- and eight-car trains on the Red Line and they will be running about 8 to 10 minutes apart. Trains are expected to be very crowded. The Takoma Metrorail station will be closed to Red Line traffic.

Free Metrobus shuttles will be available to take customers around the incident between the Silver Spring, Fort Totten, Brookland-CUA, Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail stations. People can expect long waits for buses as a full Metrorail train often carries 100 people or more per car and a bus can only hold about 50 people at a time.

Metro officials recommend that customers who normally use the Red Line between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations should commute to Metrorail stations between the Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations, or to use the following Metrobus lines to avoid the service disruption:

• Metrobus C8 line (Glenmont to White Flint)
• Metrobus Q2 line (Wheaton to Rockville)
• Metrobus C2, C4 line (Wheaton to Twinbrook)
• Metrobus J1 line (Silver Spring to Medical Center)
• Metrobus J2, J3, J4 line (Silver Spring to Bethesda)
• Metrobus L7, L8 line (Friendship Heights)

Metro officials also recommend that people utilize the Green Line from Greenbelt to the Fort Totten Metrorail station for service into downtown DC.

MARC’s Brunswick Line service will be suspended on Tuesday due to the proximity of its tracks to the accident scene.

DC Alert:

New Hampshire Bridge inbound [one lane open] from Eastern Ave to North Capitol St. NE

Press Release of Senator Cardin

CARDIN, MIKULSKI SUBMIT APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FOR FIRST YEAR OF DEDICATED METRO FUNDING

Contact: Sue Walitsky: 202-224-4524
Friday, May 1, 2009

Click here for a PDF Document

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (Both D-MD) today announced the submission of their formal request to the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee to provide federal matching funds of $150 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Last October, Congress adopted legislation authorizing $1.5 billion in federal funds over 10 years to help put WMATA on firm financial footing and ” for the first time ” provide a dedicated, federal funding source for Metro capital and preventive maintenance projects.

“After 30 years of unprecedented growth, Metro has proven its value to the federal government in easing the burden on our region’s over-crowded roads on a daily basis and during major crises. As Metro trains and buses become overwhelmed, the time has now come for the federal government to pay its fair share,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Budget and Environment and Public Works Committees. “The federal government has a special responsibility to its workers and the region to support the revitalization of Metro’s aging infrastructure.”

“Metro means more than just transportation – it means residents and visitors to our nation’s capital can live, work, worship and play throughout the metro area without ever getting in their cars. It is invaluable to its riders and to easing congestion for everyone who uses the region’s strained transportations systems,” said Senator Mikulski, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee. “As commuters brace themselves against a struggling economy, the federal government must take the burden off the local taxpayers and the commuters by meeting its funding responsibilities to maintain and repair the Metro system.”

Metro’s funding partners in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia will put up an equal match from dedicated funding sources for every Federal dollar. The legislatures of Maryland and Virginia have both passed the necessary language to trigger the matching funds. A similar measure from the District of Columbia is expected shortly. This dollar-for-dollar federal-state partnership will help save or create approximately 7,140 jobs. Seventy percent of Metro’s more than 10,000 employees are residents of Maryland.

The Washington Metrorail system is the second busiest rapid transit system in the nation, carrying the equivalent of the combined subway ridership of BART in San Francisco, MARTA in Atlanta and SEPTA in Philadelphia. Metrorail and Metrobus serve a population of over 3.5 million within a 1,500 square-mile area, and average weekday passenger trips on the two systems total nearly 1.3 million– with 424,000 daily trips for Marylanders every weekday.

Created in 1966, many Metrorail stations were built at the request of the federal government, and nearly half of all stations are located at federal facilities. Federal employees comprise 40% of WMATA’s peak ridership, and millions of others use the WMATA system each year to visit the Nation’s Capital or conduct business with the federal government. WMATA also is a critical component for ensuring continuity of federal government operations during an emergency, and federal recovery plans rely heavily on WMATA, which played a key role on September 11, 2001.

There are 26 Metrorail stations (38.3 miles of rail line) in Maryland, over 100 Metrobus routes and three bus dispatch and maintenance garages (Landover, Montgomery and Southern Avenue) located in Maryland. In addition, heavy bus maintenance is performed at the Carmen E. Turner Facility in Landover. Five of Metro’s eight rail maintenance facilities are located in Maryland: Branch Ave and Greenbelt on the Green Line, Glenmont and Shady Grove on the Red Line, and New Carrollton on the Orange Line.

For information on other appropriations request from Senators Cardin and Mikulski, please visit cardin.senate.gov and mikulski.senate.gov, respectively. FY2010 requests will be posted on a rolling basis throughout May based on submissions to the Senate Appropriations Committee.