Transit

Photo by PoPville flickr user James Calder

From WMATA:

“Calling all local performing artists and entertainers! Metro’s Art in Transit Program is inviting local performers of all genres—dancers, live artists, musicians, poets and more—to audition for the MetroPerforms! and Music on the Mall programs.

MetroPerforms! offers local artists the chance to make Metrorail station entrances their stage. Selected artists will perform on a volunteer basis while sharing their talents with Metro riders throughout the region.

Auditions will be held June 24, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Metro Headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC, on a first-come, first-served basis. All interested artists should visit wmata.com/metroperforms for registration information and additional details. (more…)

From WMATA:

“Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced that the first SafeTrack “surge” between Ballston and East Falls Church is ahead of schedule in many categories of planned work, including rail tie replacement, insulator renewal, fastener renewal and leak repairs. As of the end of the day Monday, June 13 — 77 percent of the way through the project — 96 percent of the planned work had been completed.”

Also folks are riding bikes – from DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) today announced record ridership on Capital Bikeshare during the first week of WMATA’s SafeTrack repair campaign. Capital Bikeshare had 89,436 users last week. That is 6% higher than the previous record week established during Bike to work Week in May of 2015.

The spike in ridership coincides with the introduction of a new single-trip fare allowing residents, visitors and commuters to take single bike trips of up to 30 minutes on Capital Bikeshare for just $2. Since the launch of the new initiative on June 4, 2016, single-trip fare usage has more than doubled from approximately 600 to more than 1,300 trips daily.

Overall bike ridership is also up. Weekday ridership is 31% higher on the 15th street cycle track with almost 600 more bike trips per day compared to June 2015. Ridership is up 40% on the Met Branch Trail with over 270 more bike trips per day, and 59% higher on Eye Street SW with an increase of 230 more bike trips per day. Similarly, the Key Bridge crossing to and from North Arlington shows a 42% increase in weekday bike trips with 900 more trips per day for the first two weeks of June compared to June 2015 weekdays.

To support the growing ridership, additional morning Corral Service is available at 17th St & K St NW in Farragut Square. Farragut Square joins existing morning Corral Service at 21st St & I St NW and 13th St & New York Ave NW. DDOT is also expanding bikeshare capacity at Eastern Market Metro Station during the second surge of SafeTrack.”

From MPD:

“Attn. Metro Rail riders using Eastern Market, Potomac Ave and Stadium-Armory stations.

SafeTrack Surge #2: Eastern Market to Minnesota Ave/Benning Road, June 18-July 3

Reminder: Metrorail now closing at midnight Friday and Saturday nights

Beginning this Saturday, June 18 until closing, Sunday, July 3, the Orange and Silver Line will be shut down between Eastern Market & Minnesota Ave/Benning Rd. There will also be no Blue Line service between Arlington Cemetery and Rosslyn.

Weekday train service will operate as follows: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user brunofish

From WMATA:

“Reconstruction of the Metrorail system will continue over the weekend of June 11-12 with service adjustments on all six lines. Trains will operate as follows:

Red Line trains will operate every 12-20 minutes.
Orange, Silver, Blue, and Green Line trains will operate every 18 minutes.
Yellow Line trains will operate every 18 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq only.
All lines operate every 20 minutes after 10:00 p.m.

REMINDER: Metrorail’s new closing time is midnight as of Friday, June 3 (more…)

Thanks to a reader for sending:

“I have *never* seen this custom, Madmax inspired Thunderdome rail car in the wild”

Now that SafeTrack is in full effect – how was your commute in today? Have you noticed a lot of people working from home in your office? Are you working from home? Are your bosses sympathetic if you come in late? If anyone took Uber – was there a surge this morning?

Thanks to Adam for sending. What other advertisers have you seen?

Photo by PoPville flickr user nevermindtheend

From WMATA:

“Beginning Friday, June 3, the Metrorail system will close at midnight every night to allow for the implementation of SafeTrack, an expanded track work plan to improve Metrorail safety and restore service reliability.”

For those who are affected by the first SafeTrack – how will you alter your commute? For those staying out late night – what mode will you use to get home now?

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District’s strategy to mitigate the impact of ‘SafeTrack’, WMATA’s year-long emergency repair program. The Bowser administration’s plan includes expanded rush hour parking restrictions, retiming traffic signals, deployment of additional traffic control officers and discounted fares on Capital Bikeshare.

SafeTrack begins on the Orange and Silver lines in Virginia on June 4. The first major repairs within the District will occur from June 18 to July 3, when Metro will experience full closures on the Orange, Blue and Silver Lines between Eastern Market and Minnesota Avenue/Benning Road stations. Metro stations in the District will also be impacted in August and again in October.

“At some point during the next year, it is likely that every commuter to and from Washington, DC—whether by rail, bus, or car—will, unfortunately, be affected by SafeTrack repairs. I am committed to making the yearlong repairs to MetroRail as painless as possible for all commuters and DC residents,” said Mayor Bowser. As such, my administration has developed a mitigation strategy and will soon implement a number of tactics designed to ease traffic flow and promote safe and affordable alternative modes of travel. As these tactics are deployed, and for the duration of SafeTrack, I urge District residents and commuters to learn more about how the repairs will affect their travel by visiting safetrack.godcgo.com.” (more…)