MetroNow Dispatch 3.2022
In this month’s issue we bring you the good, the bad, and the ugly from the last month in Washington area transit news. Plus, we thank an outgoing transit champion at WMATA: Shyam Kannan.
The Good (part 1):
WMATA’s Dire Fiscal Situation Slightly Less Dire
Ok… it may not be the goodest of good news, but the additional $120 million in federal pandemic relief for WMATA will help close the projected $500 million gap in WMATA’s FY2024 budget released last fall. This will make it just a little-bit easier to find a regional solution (See the Ugly below if you prefer Doom and Gloom with your coffee).
Anecdotally, MetroNow members have been returning to their offices more regularly as the COVID wave this winter has receded. What does this all mean? We don’t know yet… but every additional trip you make over the next year will make the fiscal hole the region needs to fill just little-bit smaller. So if you haven’t been on transit in a while, give it a try. MetroNow, the region, and the planet will thank you.
Read More:
Metro to receive additional $120 million in federal pandemic relief (Washington Post 3.3.22)
“The aid is part of the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion bailout package approved by Congress and signed into law a year ago. The money for Metro comes on top of $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money the transit agency received over the past two years, which has saved Metro from making draconian service cuts.”Metro’s prospects rise as omicron fades, but looming financial shortfall will shape service (Washington Post 2.19.22)
“As Washington is increasingly eyeing in-person work while the omicron variant fades, the portion of those workers who turn to Metro will help shape the agency ahead of a massive budget shortfall. The looming hole will leave Metro with two obvious but unappealing paths forward: Find financial help or cut service.”
The Good (part 2):
Bus Champions Gather for a Regional Bus Network Redesign
On Tuesday, February 15, the Coalition for Smarter Growth and Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted the second in the MetroNow Bus Champion series to discuss how to design a regional bus network for frequency, speed, reliability, and improved access to jobs and daily needs. Presenters included City of Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson who discussed the new DASH Bus network and its tremendous success, and two top transit consultants – Lora Byala (Foursquare ITP) and Scudder Wagg (Jarrett Walker and Associates) who each shared insights into their successful projects redesigning bus networks. With WMATA set to begin a study of the entire regional bus network soon, this forum was an opportunity to learn about best practices for improving bus service. You can read more by checking out the stories below and sign up to be a MetroNow Bus Champion to stay tuned on future Bus Champion webinars.
Read More:
Transit advocates call on Metro to resume efforts to improve bus routes (FFXNow 2.16.22)
“Public bus lines might seem fixed to bus shelters, but changing those routes could give people greater access to jobs, medical services, and more. That’s one way that bus networks in the D.C. area could be improved, a consultant told transportation stakeholders during a virtual “Bus Champions” roundtable held… by MetroNow.”Forget the Metro. Can Northern Virginia fix its bus systems? (Virginia Mercury 2.18.22)
“Although discussions of Metrorail extensions are a perennial talking point in Northern Virginia, relatively little attention has been paid to the potentially transformative power of a better bus network.”Prince George’s buses are making it through the pandemic, but advocates call for more frequent service (GGWash 2.18.22)
“The pandemic may have slowed Prince George’s County’s bus service, TheBus, but the current national bus driver shortage hasn’t stopped it. Already more limited than other bus systems in the Greater Washington area, TheBus has alternated cutting back operations and, more recently, increasing them.”
The Good (part 3):
“You Like Me! Right Now, You Like Me!”
This month, it’s been hard to deny that we’ve got a whole lot of transit advocates (from riders to professionals) pushing this region forward. From multiple Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects in Northern Virginia (Route 1 and Route 7) and Maryland (Veirs Mill Road and Route 355) to talks of Metrorail and MARC commuter rail expansions in Maryland and the 16th Street Bus Lanes, K Street Transitway and Pennsylvania Avenue revitalization on the horizon, the future is looking more accessible, equitable, and sustainable. But that does not mean we can rest on our laurels, see the Bad and the Ugly below.
Read More:
Regional leaders start eyeing financing and operational questions for new Alexandria-Tysons bus-rapid transit (ALXnow 3.2.22)
“The Envision Route 7 BRT project aims to bring a high-capacity transit service running from Tysons to Mark center in Alexandria, with stops at Seven Corners, Falls Church and the East Falls Church Metro station. The project is currently undergoing a mobility study looking over traffic operations and impact, with a particular eye toward the Falls Church segment.”Northern Virginia officials reveal name of new U.S. 1 bus rapid transit line (Inside Nova 2.25.22)
“Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority unveiled the name and branding for the county’s U.S. 1 bus rapid transit line Friday, naming the forthcoming system the One.”In growing National Harbor, eyes are once again set on a future Metro station (Washington Post 2.25.22)
“The master plan for National Harbor includes houses, hotels, restaurants, an outlet mall and resorts that have largely come to fruition since it opened 14 years ago in the middle of a recession. The Metro station in that blueprint has taken a divergent path.”
The Bad:
WMATA’s Metrorail Operational Calamity Undermines Ridership and Support for Transit
For the past five months, the region has paid the price for the removal from service of 60%+ of WMATA’s railcar fleet – also its newest rail cars - due to the 7000 car wheelsets not staying in place. Five months after the Blue Line Derailment, we are still hoping for the best and fearing the worst – and suffering from too infrequent train service.
The region needs a better sense of when we may expect the 7000 series to return. The success of our reopening hinges on WMATA’s ability to reliably serve our families, students, and employers. The longer we wait, the harder it becomes for the region to overcome the next big hurdle – the impending 2023 fiscal cliff.
Read More:
Metro Moves Forward With Fare Discounts In Latest Effort To Win Riders Back (DCist 3.10.22)
“Metro’s board gave preliminary approval Thursday for its budget that includes several fare discounts and increased train service — if the 7000-series trains are back on the tracks by the time the $2.2 billion budget goes into effect.”Opinion: The region’s recovery rides on Metro (Washington Post 3.9.22)
“There’s good news and bad news about the D.C. transit system, whose robust recovery from the pandemic is a prerequisite for the region’s own revival. Unfortunately, the bad news about Metro is far more consequential — and regional leaders should heed the alarm bells now.”As workers make fewer office trips, commuter rail systems struggle to fill empty seats (Washington Post 3.4.22)
“The uncertain futures of city subway and bus systems have received the most attention amid changing commuter habits, but experts say longer-distance trains and buses that took the biggest hit during the pandemic remain at an even higher risk of long-term ridership woes.”Metro’s emergency response puts workers and riders at risk, audit says (Washington Post 2.22.22)
“The report called on Metro to increase communication and coordination with transit police, clarify roles during emergencies, and ensure workers and first-responders who enter the track are properly trained on safety.”Opinion: Pandemic woes and internal failures pose an existential threat to Metrorail (GGWash 2.21.22)
“What makes this moment so grave is that even after all these years, no one on the outside really can say what, practically, must be done inside the agency to fix it. Hiring? Firing? More spending? Cuts? Who knows. All we can do is describe the necessary outcome: WMATA must stop being its own worst enemy. Separate and apart from whatever happens with regional governments, Congress and the pandemic, it must find a way to make people want to use it.”
The Ugly:
Virginia General Assembly Likely Repeals Dedicated Transit Funding Source
The Virginia legislature is poised to repeal the tax on groceries this session. The revenue from this tax, a 1.5% statewide tax with a 1% local option, is dedicated to transportation and education in the Commonwealth. While repealing it will bring some relief to Virginians, it presents a challenge for future investment in transit and transportation as a whole.
The funding cut is no small matter. Virginia receives 20% of its transportation funding from the grocery tax. While legislators in favor of repealing the tax cite full coffers and a robust economy, history shows that will not always be the case. Furthermore, the heavy investment in Virginia’s transportation system, which includes the state’s historic rail expansion program along with WMATA and local bus investment, still falls short of meeting Virginian’s actual transit needs. Even when it comes to basic maintenance, Virginia needs more investment, not less. Regional leaders have made clear their concerns with the tax repeal and its long term effect on transportation in Northern Virginia.
We hope that our elected leaders in Virginia will see fit to ask for a revenue study to ensure there are identified revenue streams to provide ample future funds before we reach the final years of the current 6-year investment program. We cannot wait until the transportation coffers are empty to begin looking for ways to fill them. A revenue study would ensure we enter those final years of the investment program able to address potential and probable funding gaps.
BREAKING -- Transit funding could take another hit if states suspend gas taxes
As of this week, Governor Hogan and Governor Youngkin have both proposed suspending their state gas taxes. This would be another hit to transportation funding including funding for road maintenance, capital projects, and transit operations.
Read More:
Va. Gov. Youngkin calls for gas tax holiday, fueling more discord in divided state legislature (Washington Post 3.16.22)
”Several states have been considering suspending or otherwise altering their gasoline taxes as a form of relief. Last week, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Democratic leaders announced that they plan to implement a month-long suspension of that state’s gasoline tax of 37 cents per gallon.”N.Va. officials fear grocery tax repeal will derail region’s transportation funding' (Washington Post 3.6.22)
“Advocates and local officials from the Washington suburbs are warning that a proposal to remove the tax — a signature promise from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and all but a certainty in the state budget — comes without a commitment from the legislature for another long-term funding source that could make up for some of the revenue losses.”
Transit Champion of the Month: Shyam Kannan
As Vice President in the Office of Planning at WMATA, Shyam Kannan was a tireless advocate for better transit at WMATA. During his time at the agency, he led efforts to ensure WMATA prioritized needs of low-income, transit-dependent riders and helped WMATA shift to more frequent, all-day service that better serves the region’s families. He championed transit-oriented development as a win-win for reducing congestion, increasing Metro ridership and revenues, and reducing greenhouse gases. Above all, Shyam was a respected thought leader who helped ensure WMATA was thinking long-term about its role and purpose in the region’s ever-evolving transportation landscape. The MetroNow Coalition wishes Shyam the best as he begins his new role as the Mid-Atlantic Transit Lead for HDR where he will continue as a leading voice for transit innovation and best-practices. We sincerely thank him for his service to transit and the region.
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The MetroNow Coalition is made up of regional leaders from the business, non-profit, and advocacy communities who believe that transit is designed to bring us together —at work, school, and play. Today, we believe our collective advocacy for better transit for the Washington DC region is more important than ever.
We launched the MetroNow Dispatch to bring residents, leaders, and transit agencies together to think about how we can make better transit today, during the pandemic, and “tomorrow,” as we look beyond recovery to how we can build a more equitable, sustainable, and accessible transportation system for our region.