(Washington, DC) Metro Has Highest Ridership Month Ever in July

[Dharmster]

For immediate release:
July 2, 2004

June Metrorail Ridership shatters records
More people took trips on Metrorail during June than during any other month in Metrorail’s 28-year history. Ridership for the month was 17,649,609 and averaged 706,557 riders per weekday.

During June, ridership exceeded 700,000 on 16 days, and it marked the first time in Metro history that the average weekday ridership exceeded the 700,000 mark. Typical average weekday ridership for the fiscal year was 650,000.

Last month also saw the highest ridership day in Metrorail history on June 9 when 850,636 trips were taken on the same day there was a funeral procession through downtown Washington, DC, for former President Ronald Reagan. The following day on June 10, when Reagan’s casket was lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, 763,121 people took trips on Metrorail, the fourth highest ridership in the system’s history.

Seven days last month made Metro’s “Top Ten” ridership days list.

“The ridership totals for June were tremendous,” said Metro CEO Richard A. White. “Metro matters to this region, yet we typically see a spike during June as the region sees an influx of visitors riding along with our regular customers. We can only speculate that the high price of gasoline may also be making an impact, however we have no way of measuring that possibility.

“As more people continue to turn to Metro and greater numbers continue to depend on us, it becomes even more important for our funding partners to recognize the importance of maintaining our aging infrastructure,” Mr. White said. “We are at a crossroads where our transit system needs $1.5 billion to allow us to sustain our service levels and system reliability to meet future demands for service. We need additional capital funding to modernize our assets, to purchase additional buses and railcars and ensure an adequate level of security. Without that capital funding, severe overcrowding will eventually erode our system, driving commuters back onto the region’s already congested roads.”

Metro’s top ten Ridership Days list

Rank
Date
Ridership Event

1
June 9, 2004
850,636
Reagan State Funeral Ceremony

2
January 20, 1993
811,257
Clinton’s First Inauguration

3
October 16, 1995
804,146
Million Man March

4
June 10, 2004
763,121
Reagan State Funeral Ceremony

5
July 30, 2003
745,627
Assemblies Of God Convention
and World Cup Soccer

6
June 16, 2004
738,747
No Event

7
June 24, 2004
734,125
No Event

8
June 15, 2004
733,247
No Event

9
June 17, 2004
730,772
No Event

10
June 23, 2004
727,823
No Event

 

[ablarc]

Washington sure has an impressive subway. The trains are clean, headway seems improved, and the stations are magnificent (though on a recent visit I saw subtle signs of deterioration that looked like deferred maintenance).

The system has a long way to go before it serves all potential destinations in the city. Instead of only stretching existing lines further out into the suburbs, additional lines should be built to unserved urban destinations such as Georgetown and Adams-Morgan, while increasing the number of transfer points.

 

[spokanite]

Washington sure has an impressive subway. The trains are clean, headway seems improved, and the stations are magnificent (though on a recent visit I saw subtle signs of deterioration that looked like deferred maintenance).

The system has a long way to go before it serves all potential destinations in the city. Instead of only stretching existing lines further out into the suburbs, additional lines should be built to unserved urban destinations such as Georgetown and Adams-Morgan, while increasing the number of transfer points.

I've been here for 2 weeks now and have been using them with glee. I'm finding them to be very clean, easy to find your way, and simple to get to the places I need to go. I agree, more transfer points would be a big benefit as would the extension to unserved urban destinations. I'd give it a high score for what has been achieved so far. I hope the funding continues.

 

[Cirrus]

Two or three years ago WMATA (Metro) looked in to the possibility of another crosstown subway route to relieve crowding on the Orange/Blue tunnel and connect to Georgetown and Adams Morgan directly. It would have cost $6 billion, so the plan was dropped.

Instead the city is working to reintroduce streetcars along several corridors. The first, in Anacostia, is already under construction and scheduled to open in 2006.

 

[metroboi]

Two or three years ago WMATA (Metro) looked in to the possibility of another crosstown subway route to relieve crowding on the Orange/Blue tunnel and connect to Georgetown and Adams Morgan directly. It would have cost $6 billion, so the plan was dropped.

Instead the city is working to reintroduce streetcars along several corridors. The first, in Anacostia, is already under construction and scheduled to open in 2006.

When the Metro was first being planned, the residents of Georgetown (like those in Cobb county, GA) protested enough that no lines went into that party of the city. They did not want easy access to what they saw were all of the "undesirables" that would use the train. They are paying for that decision now.

 

[Cirrus]

When the Metro was first being planned, the residents of Georgetown protested enough that no lines went into that party of the city.

I've heard conflicting reports on that. Some people swear the decision to bypass Georgetown was based purely on the high cost of putting a station there.

 

[jordanb]

Honestly, it's great that the DC subway was so well-used, but if the Feds are going to spend money like this on local projects, they need to spread it around more. Think about it. Is there any other city in the union that could build a, what is it, 105 mile subway system, in thirty years?

I think federal capital money needs to start being reinvested into the communities where it is collected. The midwest is dying as its federal tax money continues to fund huge public works in the sunbelt, and I think that's wrong.

 

[Cirrus]

BART is comparable to Metro in system size and age.

 

[jresta]

I'll stand by earlier comments that i've made -

Metro is a sort of commuter rail/subway hybrid that is handling way too much of both types of traffic.

I think DC and Arlington should work on a streetcar system to take the strain off for cheaper. I think you'd catch a lot of the intra-urban trips especially since there can be a good deal of distance between metro stops and streetcars might actually do a better job at this.

 

[Cirrus]

Way ahead of you. The first line is under construction now.

Anacostia Demonstration Project (line currently u/c)
DC Transit Future (the full proposed system)
Columbia Pike Transit Initiative (Arlington's first attempt)

 

[jresta]

Way ahead of you. The first line is under construction now.

Anacostia Demonstration Project (line currently u/c)
DC Transit Future (the full proposed system)
Columbia Pike Transit Initiative (Arlington's first attempt)

awesome. i'll def. be down there when it opens to check it out.

 

[The Fringe]

When the Metro was first being planned, the residents of Georgetown (like those in Cobb county, GA) protested enough that no lines went into that party of the city. They did not want easy access to what they saw were all of the "undesirables" that would use the train. They are paying for that decision now.

I really don't think Georgetown is "paying" for that decision now. I've also heard that Gtown refused to have a metro stop because it would attract minorities and lower income people into its ultra-exclusive neighborhood, but as of now Georgetown is booming with rich yuppies and college kids. Gtown is certainly in no financial or economic pain and is probably still thrilled that metro is not in the neighborhood. There is a shuttle bus ($1 a ride last time I was on it) that connects several blocks in Gtown to the Foggy Bottom Metro stop...which provides a link to the subway stop but unfortunately a way for MORE rich white kids (from GW) to infiltrate the area.

 

[Lola]

Honestly, it's great that the DC subway was so well-used, but if the Feds are going to spend money like this on local projects, they need to spread it around more. Think about it. Is there any other city in the union that could build a, what is it, 105 mile subway system, in thirty years?

I think federal capital money needs to start being reinvested into the communities where it is collected. The midwest is dying as its federal tax money continues to fund huge public works in the sunbelt, and I think that's wrong.

I think DC deserves much more Metro funding...maybe not necessarily from the Federal government, but it has to come from somewhere. Yes the system is clean, but it is WAY too crowded and the trains are old and in need of repair. Trains no longer run on time and break down all the time. Fares have increased several times in the last year due to lack of funds. Everyone around here complains about it and about how Metro can't even support itself but the blame lies with legislators who won't send extra funds Metro's way. I think the problem is that MD, VA and DC haven't gotten together to figure out a way to share costs for this valuable transportation system that benefits commuters in all three jurisdictions. Just my opinion.

 

[jordanb]

^-- Sounds like the Metro is becoming like every other transit system in the country. :-D

 

[Dharmster]

I'd like you to share your ideas on WHERE it should come from. Metro faces a $1.5 billion shortfall in its capital budget and a shortfall in its operating budget.

The capital budget shortfall works out to be $300 million a year, which is coincidentally what the TOTAL of all state and local subsidies to Metro (operating and capital) total. So we are talking about DOUBLING the total subsidy just to plug the hole in the capital budget. To keep the system from having to raise fares every year, some additional operating subsidies are also needed.

So folks, we are realistically talking about increasing taxes and in the current poltiical climate nobody will do that. So that means, Metro has to go to the austerity plan.. and there are things that can be done:

1) Raise fares to the point where get maximum revenue (that will deal with overcrowding but only temporarily) and use that to cut the operating deficit.
2) Replace escelators with stairs.. they cost so much less to maintain and believe it or not have a slightly higher capacity (because they can be wider).
3) Pull seats out of cars to create more room for standees
4) Start cutting service.. how does a broke system extend service to 3AM on Friday/Saturday when its grossly underutlized?

I think DC deserves much more Metro funding...maybe not necessarily from the Federal government, but it has to come from somewhere.

 

[rocotten]

Honestly, it's great that the DC subway was so well-used, but if the Feds are going to spend money like this on local projects, they need to spread it around more. Think about it. Is there any other city in the union that could build a, what is it, 105 mile subway system, in thirty years?

I think federal capital money needs to start being reinvested into the communities where it is collected. The midwest is dying as its federal tax money continues to fund huge public works in the sunbelt, and I think that's wrong.

The Federal Government could never afford to put a subway or even street cars in every midwestern (or "other") city that needs transit. Besides, DC, MD and VA all contributed money to build Washington's metro in addition to the Feds. It's not like DC's metro isn't plagued by problems. It is the only major transit system that doesn't have a steady source of funding from the various localities that it serves. It has to BEG the Feds, DC, MD and VA every year for what it does get and has to pass the rest of the cost on to the users with EXTREMELY high fares. If the people on Capitol Hill and in Annapolis and Richmond don't get it together, the DC metro could be headed in the same direction as NY's was decades ago. Believe me, Washington may be taking all your tax money, but look to places like Alaska to see where it is being squandered, not the Washington area.

With response to the Georgetown comments, I think a metro stop there would be nice, but also agree it would bring more "undesirables" there. Problem is, it keeps people like me away too. With all the yuppies they got walking around there, it doesn't seem like they have anything to worry about, unless Arlington (VA) turns Rosslyn into a nice shopping/eating district in the future, which is actually possible.

 

[PlannerGirl]

The new shopping eating area is now fast becoming Clarendon-3 metro stations up from Gtown.