MetroNow Dispatch 4.2023
This Month, we Celebrate the Draft Better Bus Network, Fret over Finances, and Thank an Ex as our Transit Champion of the Month.
The Better Bus (Draft) Visionary Network
On April 17, WMATA released the Better Bus Draft Visionary Network, “the future bus network our region needs.” The draft is part of the first regional bus network redesign process WMATA has done since it began operating Metrobus service 50 years ago. Essentially, the draft network updates bus routes and schedules, to make a network that is faster, more frequent, and reliable, “taking more people where they want to go, when they want to travel, and advancing equity in the region.”
There is a lot to like in this vision but don’t take it from us, explore the network and your favorite routes yourself. Between April 17 and June 5, WMATA is hosting 50 events in 50 days to celebrate 50 years of Metrobus and get feedback on the draft network. Do NOT miss your opportunity to comment on the regional network redesign, you may not get another opportunity for 50 years. Share your input here.
The Visionary Network is a historic opportunity for the region. Hundreds of thousands of residents continued to use and rely on Metrobus throughout the pandemic, more so than Metrorail, despite the fact that the bus has historically been under-resourced, under-prioritized, and often the first service on the chopping block during budget season. The Visionary Network asks, “What if we changed all that?”
What if we create more frequent, all-day, and all-night bus routes? What if we don’t just reshuffle bus routes but actually invest 35% more resources into bus services? What would the Visionary Network mean for economic growth, congestion reduction, business creation, and your quality of life?
Is the Visionary Network bold enough? WMATA wants to hear from you at betterbus.wmata.com/share.
Editor’s Note: On July 1, 2024 we may not be able to pay for existing services, let alone a visionary plan to expand bus services, but that’s a problem for… everyone single one of us.
The ScuttleBus: April 2023
There's no place like the ScutteBus. Here are MetroNow’s top transit picks this month:
⌛ 431 Days Until the Transit Cliff: WMATA’s FY 2025 budget starts July 1, 2024. Does anyone have a spare $700m lying around, growing every year, in perpetuity?
🦈 WMATA rejected by Shark Tank: How inherent flaws in Metro’s funding model are steering it right into a financial crisis.
🏗️ WMATA comes out as a YIMBY: WMATA Board advances joint development plans for 4,500+ transit-oriented housing unit neighbors.
🚉 Metro turns 98 stations old: The Potomac Yard Station will open to passengers on May 19.
🚧 Metro isn’t slowing down (construction plans): Metro announces alternative service for the Upcoming Construction on the Orange, Silver, Green lines.
🤏 The Incredible Shrinking Transit Plan: From Austin to Philly and Atlanta, ambitious rail projects are getting scaled back due to escalating construction costs.
👶 Bikes, Strollers on Trains, Oh My! Metro’s 8000 Series Trains Will Have More Room For Bikes And Strollers – And More D.C. Flair.
🌎 Better Bus Systems Could Slow Climate Change: Scientific American explores how buses are among the most overlooked solutions for decarbonizing the U.S.
Transit Champion of the Month: Joe McAndrew
Okay, we admit we may be just a bit biased on this one (after all he has been a colleague on the MetroNow Coalition since its founding), but anyone who has met Joe knows that he is a tireless advocate for regionalism, infrastructure, and public transit. In March, Joe joined the Moore-Miller Administration as Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. In April, Secretary Wiedefeld appointed Joe as his designee on the WMATA Board. While we were sad to lose him as a colleague, we are very excited by the energy, expertise, and dedication we know he will bring to his new roles advancing Maryland’s transportation system and serving on the WMATA Board. Joe, we thank you for your service to MetroNow, the region, and now to Maryland.
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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.