Thoughts on Washington, D.C.

January 21, 2013 Leave a comment

It’s been far too long since I’ve written anything here. Mainly because I’ve been busy traveling a lot (In fact, I’m sitting in a hotel lobby in Aspen right now), but when I travel, I ride transit and I explore. And when I ride transit and explore cities and towns, I always end up with things to write about.

I spent a week in Washington, D.C. back in December, working on the National Christmas Tree Lighting. It was the first show I’ve ever worked where the production office had a metro map in it so that staff knew how to get around. I had some time to do exploring on my own in the evening or during breaks, so here’s what I thought…

Airport

The arrivals level of Dulles Airport is one the best I’ve ever seen. Architecture firm Gensler has promoted the idea of arrivals being on the top level (at most airports, arrivals are below departures) so that you welcome visitors to your city with wider views and a typically nicer atmosphere compared to the loud and cramped pickup areas, under an overhang, you get at most airports. For backend airport operations it’s typically easier to have arrivals on the lower level, but Dulles Airport accomplishes the open, clean, welcome feeling of an upper level, while still actually being on the lower level.

This is the view upon exiting the arrivals area at Dulles Airport. Nice, wide, and open (not underneath an upper level).

This is the view upon exiting the arrivals area at Dulles Airport. Nice, wide, and open (not underneath an upper level).

When I first exited the airport, I was amazed and thought I was on top. I could see for miles, above the central parking garages and in the open air. It wasn’t until I followed the entrance road around with my eyes that I realized the departures level actually was above me… but it was also BEHIND me.

Read more of this post

Filed under Development, Transit Tagged with , , , , , , ,

So How Much Does the Expo Line Actually Stop?

September 27, 2012 5 Comments

The Expo Line has gotten a lot of bad press for being slow. For stopping at lights. For stopping in between lights. Metro says they’re working on it, and having ridden nearly every day since it opened, I believe it’s gotten better. Or I’ve gotten used to it. Really, I think a little bit of both. I’ve accepted that random stops are going to be normal for a while, but I’ve also noticed they’ve become shorter and fewer as time has gone on.

In order to see how much time the train could save if Metro was able to completely eliminate stops (other than those at stations, of course), I did a little non-scientific research. For two weeks, I timed the amount of time the train spent stopped while not at a station. Here’s what I found:

Total Time Stopped

Mon 9/10 Tues 9/11 Wed 9/12 Thurs 9/13 Fri 9/14
OUT to Culver 5:16 3:55 4:22 2:38 2:37
IN to DTLA – – 2:35 2:21 –
Mon 9/17 Tues 9/18 Wed 9/19 Thurs 9/20 Fri 9/21
OUT to Culver 3:19 3:58 3:25 4:32 2:28
IN to DTLA 3:33 3:12 4:06* (2:26) 6:59 –

There are some holes in my data, as I didn’t ride Expo home every day (I told you this was non-scientific), but the surprising thing to me came in comparing the outbound and inbound trips. The Expo Line has mainly gotten bad press for it’s stops while heading inbound, or towards Downtown, but on many days, it stopped just as much or more on the outbound trip.

Read more of this post

Filed under Los Angeles, Transit Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Who Says LA’s Not a Football/Transit Town?

September 6, 2012 Leave a comment

When I think of the great things that have happened in my world so far this year, there are a few that immediately come to mind… Aside from getting engaged (which obviously tops the list), it’s hard not to recognize the greatness of the Metro Expo Line opening and the USC football season starting.

When the Expo Line opened in April, it dramatically changed the way I commute to work from Downtown LA to Culver City. It gave me time to read every day, something I had seriously been missing, and put me on my bike at the end of the ride, getting me out in the beautiful Los Angeles weather, if only for a few minutes each day. It also saved me a ton of gas money, stress, and wear & tear on my car. And it wasn’t just for work, I’ve written before about some of the great adventures I’ve had on the Expo Line. Ridership is already above predictions for this point in time, and on it’s way to meeting projections far into the future. It’s crowded even late into the night… And yet people say LA isn’t a transit town.

An Expo Line train with a USC Football ad waits at 7th Street / Metro Center Station.

Read more of this post

Filed under Development, Live Event Production, Transit Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Metro Adds Dash Signs to Expo and Blue Lines

August 16, 2012 3 Comments

As I reported a few weeks ago after the Transit Coalition meeting, Metro this week rolled out their new dash signs to help clear up confusion between Expo and Blue Line trains.

The signs are a cheap, easy way to make things a little clearer for passengers trying to get on the right train.

The new Blue Line dash sign in the front window of the train, in addition to the destination sign on top, helps passengers identify it as the train approaches.

They are, however, limited to help only passengers who see the front of the train as it approaches. They’re nice and clear when outside in the sun and should be great for the Pico stop, though they’re a bit harder to see on the dark platform at 7th Street / Metro Center. Also, trains are often already sitting at the platform at 7th Street, so you won’t see it approach before getting on.

Read more of this post

Filed under Los Angeles, Transit Tagged with , , , , ,

← Older posts

Newer posts →