Metrobus leads in Covid performance rebound
Per WMATA: Metro ridership is outpacing projections through the first three quarters of fiscal year 2022 by nearly 40 percent. Through March, ridership has exceeded the initial forecast by 28 million passenger trips as more people chose bus and rail for travel throughout the region. Metrobus leads the way, accounting for 60 percent of overall Metro ridership, compared to about 40 percent for rail.
Beginning Monday, May 9, Metro will close the north entrance at L’Enfant Plaza Station at Maryland Ave and Seventh St to replace the three entrance escalators. The entrance will remain closed for approximately seven months. The work is part of a seven-year, $179 million escalator replacement project to install 130 new escalators by 2028. The project will replace the current escalators with brand-new ones that are more durable and reliable. Construction will require Metro’s contractor, Kone, to close the entrance to remove all three escalators at once and install a new support beam.
During this time, people will still be able to access the station from the two remaining entrances and elevator located at:
New details of Metro’s Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan, presented at last week’s meeting of the Board of Directors, outlines how the agency will transition to a zero-emission bus fleet including testing and evaluation, infrastructure and facility upgrades, and procurement efforts.
Metro last week announced new safety initiatives to engage the community, target enforcement efforts and increase police visibility on buses, trains and in stations.
Per Metro: Under the leadership of Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Anzallo, MTPD has developed a three-pillar approach to invest resources in the community: education, outreach and enforcement. This approach uses a “problem solving police strategy” focused on identifying the underlying issues that may lead to crime, developing solutions and prevention.
Metro announced yesterday that masks have been made optional, effective immediately.
Per WMATA:
On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, Metro began working with NTSB and the WMSC to determine the cause of the Blue Line derailment at Arlington Cemetery; that investigation is still ongoing.
Metro removed all 7000-series railcars, roughly 60 percent of its fleet, from passenger service.
Capital construction advances at record levels
Metro’s Board of Directors today voted to approve a $4.5B package of service and construction projects that delivers affordability, service and safety as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget. Highlights include cheaper late-night and weekend fares, maintaining service improvements especially for bus customers, and funding for the Silver Line Phase 2 service and the Potomac Yard Station. The budget also funds Metro’s capital program which has improved safety and reliability across the system.
As Metro prepares for the opening of both the Silver Line Extension and Potomac Yard Station in 2022, the transit authority will also advance its intensive state of good repair program. This includes completion of the multi-year platform reconstruction effort at 20 outdoor rail stations and several large-scale construction projects, including a major rehabilitation of the Yellow Line’s Potomac River tunnel and bridge crossing.
Metro will soon introduce new service on the Silver Line – including six new rail stations, 12 miles of track, and a new rail yard. And this summer, platform reconstruction and station improvements will be underway on the eastern end of the Orange Line.
Metro is installing new faregates at rail stations and will begin upgrading fareboxes on Metrobuses in the fall. This investment in new technology means a faster, more efficient and reliable experience for you. As a result, beginning March 1, 2022, SmarTrip cards purchased before 2012 will no longer work and must be replaced.
If you’re using SmarTrip in your mobile wallet, you’re all set – just tap and go.
Two of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Twitter accounts were hacked early this morning, leading to obscene tweets by someone who claimed they were fired as the social media manager for the accounts.
The hacker sent obscene and profanity laced tweets on Metro’s official Twitter page and its Metrorail page in the early morning hours Monday morning. Metro’s main account, @WMATA, was changed from “Metro” to “Blueface Da Bus.” The @metrorailinfo account was also hacked.
Metro will increase rail service on the Red Line beginning Tuesday, February 22, building on recent weekday service improvements on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines to provide customers with more frequent and reliable service.
On weekdays, Red Line trains will operate every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes. Trains are operating every 20 minutes on all other lines, with trains as frequently as every seven to 10 minutes at stations that are served by multiple lines throughout the system.