Should Metro Sell Station Naming Rights?

SEPTA's AT&T station, Philadelphia

For brave Washington Nationals fans travelling to Philadelphia to see the Nats vs Phils, here's a tip. You may be used to taking the subway to Pattison Avenue on the Broad Street line. But this year, you won't exit at Pattison Avenue station. This year you'll exit at AT&T station. Pattison Avenue station is no more -- for now.

In 2010, SEPTA --Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority-- agreed to rename the Pattison Ave station "AT&T" for 5 years. AT&T, as in the multinational telecommunications corporation, agreed to pay $5 million. 

In what seems like a relative steal, Barclays --the British financial services corporation-- agreed with New York's MTA to rename the Atlantic Av Station for a mere $4 million over 20 years. That will cost the bank $200,000 per year. The AT&T deal will cost $1,000,000 per year. In the case of MTA, the new station name is "Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr," but the maps will not include a corporate logo. As in Philadelphia, this New York subway stop is adjacent to a sports venue, the new Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.

Will we eventually see this in DC? Oh boy. Please, no. Here are some scenarios.

When Metro solicited input for a series of small station name adjustments last year, some suggested that logos or pictographs be placed on the maps corresponding with various cultural sites and markers. One idea was placing the "curly W" of the Washington Nationals over the Navy Yard stop. OK. What if Metro charged the Nationals a small fee for that privilege, perhaps throwing in other services like a guarantee that Metro would remain open past closing for extra inning Nats games, the "Nationals After Hours" train. Branded, of course. How about a 20 years, $10 million. Better than the Jason Werth deal by about $100 million. Washington Nationals Station. Sorry historic Navy Yard.

Forest City is a large national real estate development and management company with a major presence in the DC area, including projects near the Southeast and Southwest waterfronts as well as Ballston Common Mall in Arlington. No more Ballston. Forest City Station on the Orange Line anyone? For, let's say, 10 years at $2.5 million.

Can't forget about Maryland. Goodbye Grosvenor-Strathmore Station. Hello Marriott Station. The international hotel giant is based in Bethesda, so let's cut them a deal: 5 year sponsorship including Marriott logo on all Metro maps for $6 million. 

Along with MTA and SEPTA, there was recent news that Chicago's CTA has opened bidding for corporate sponsorship of some operations. And earlier this year, Boston's MBTA made the same decision. That makes four major transit systems that have endorsed corporate naming rights. Does that mean we're closer here in WMATA land? I really hope not. I'd like to see the municipalities and the federal government agree to codified, guaranteed funding before we start selling off stations to the lowest bidder. Even if it did guarantee getting home after a thrilling late night Nats playoff win. I'd gladly pay the cab fare in lieu of having to disembark at DCUSA-Target-Columbia Heights Station. No way. What do you think? If you have suggestions send them my way @The42BusDC using #CorporateMetroNames.

poll by twiigs.com

Dupont Metro-South Will Close for Most of 2012

If you use Metro's southern Dupont station entrance on the regular, you'll need to find an alternative routine for most of 2012. The transit agency is closing the entire entrance to remove and replace the three escalators which move passengers from ground level to the mezzanine. The work was originally supposed to last one year, but Metro revised the timeline to 10 months, then 8 and one half months. The northern entrance at 20th and Q will remain open. 20th and Q has escalators as well as an elevator. There is no exact date for the closure, but it is planned to begin sometime in February.

This job is so big, Metro decided to bid the work out to a Swiss company rather than waiting to hire and train the dozens of additional workers required. The price tag is estimated at $12 million. According to Metro, the  current escalators were custom built by a British company, which is no longer in the business of producing or maintaining escalators. That made sourcing parts and labor for repair extremely difficult and costly. With the re-installation of new escalators, it's hoped that the monies and labor spent on future maintenance will be kept to a minimum. 

As for the 8.5 month estimate, I'm highly dubious. Let's come back to this on January 1, 2013 and see where the project stands. Until then, use the north entrance on 20th Street or walk south to the Farragut North station on Connecticut Ave and L Street NW.

Restoring Sanity: New Creperie, Circulator News, Rallies

Back to Monday, back to sanity?  Ha, not in this town.  There's always something new!  A bunch of news broke over the weekend and as you can see, I could hardly wait to share it all at once.

***A new creperie quietly opened in Adams Morgan.  Snap already operates a fairly out-of-the-way shop in Georgetown (on Thomas Jefferson St).  I guess they wanted to open a more visible location.  The Adams Morgan space at 2475 18th Street NW used to be CD/Game Exchange.  This is the space between CaliYogurt and Saki.  I stopped by for a coffee, but I remember the Georgetown location as focused on crepes and bubble tea.  Looks to be the same here.  The space is neat looking with orange walls and seating along the sides of the long store.  Crepe making, coffee and the register are in the rear of the store and seating goes all the way to the front windows.  Not sure of they are vegan friendly.  I'll try back when they are in full swing to ask about that stuff.  Cool hang out spot though.

----------

***Everyone's favorite transit option, the Circulator, just added a new route Sunday.  The DDOT-Metro collabo replaced the long running Georgetown Blue Bus.  The new Circulator route will link Dupont Circle and Rosslyn in Arlington, VA with just 8 stops in each direction.  The Dupont pick up is located at 19th and N Streets NW.  Pretty awesome news.  The buses will (allegedly ) run every ten minutes like the rest of the routes.  

This route will run on M Street through Georgetown in each direction.  Stating yesterday, the Georgetown-Union Station Circulator will now take Georgetown bound buses onto K Street NW for the last portion of the trip.  The buses will then offload and begin a new trip towards Union Station by turning north onto Wisconsin Ave and then right onto M Street on the way to Union Station.  this is, if you remember, the original route.

And a change for another existing route as well.  The southbound Woodley Park-McPherson Sq Circulator will depart from 14th St NW at Thomas Circle and continue on 13th Street until reaching McPherson Square.  Seems there is less traffic on 13th and the buses will reach the final destination quicker.  Good move.

----------

***Get ready for a slooooooowwwwwww weekend on the Red Line.  If you don't know, listen up.  Metro will be closing five Red Line Stations the entire Labor Day weekend.  Yes, completely closing five Red Line stations for the entire Labor Day weekend.  The closing begins at 10:00pm on this Friday night (Sept 3) and will continue until the stations reopen on Tuesday morning (Sept 7) at 5:00am. The stations closed are Glenmont, Wheaton, Forrest Glen. Silver Spring and Takoma; all on the eastern branch of the U-shaped line. 

Metro is replacing literally thousands of track components and laying fiber optic wire for enhanced mobile phone service in underground stations.  There's a fairly complicated bus bridging system, so check the WMATA website for that.  And good luck to those trying to get to and from MD and DC this weekend!  Add a bunch of time to your travel plans.  Heaps.

----------

***Lastly, turns out the large rally/gathering on the Mall wasn't really that exciting.  No one's head exploded at the main event and the counter rallies happened simultaneously resulting in little confrontation or other fireworks.  I did see a few "Culture Warrior," "No spin," and tea party affiliated t-shirts.  But besides observing slightly heavier than average Metro ridership, I personally was not affected by the rally.  

However, as former civics and American history educator, it pains me to see so much misinformation insinuated or just stated as fact and then passed along by a charismatic, but misguided and often factually wrong man.  And bringing that to DC under some guise of reformation was just sad.  Sad for the organizers and sad for the country.  This event won't bring us closer together.

I have to say that in my view, the rally had nothing to do with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The ersatz leader of this weekend's rally couldn't hold a candle to King's brilliance.  He does a great job of entertaining people, and selling books and ad space for his TV-radio shows.  But making his constant target --our town, DC-- or any of the other parts of America better; no, that's not the way.  So, I say yes to free speech and yes to free assembly.  But no to negativity and misinformation in the name of "taking back" America.  It's reprehensible and in the end, won't win over the hearts of the majority.  If we have to restore anything, it should be sanity.

Suicide and More Make a Tough Week for Metro

Metro was already pressed this week, instituting a complicated fare increase across all levels of transit services. No one really expected the roll out to go 100% trouble free, but this week was especially challenging and sad.

Metro operated normally Sunday despite a computer glitch. The computers weren't calculating the new fares for paper fare cards correctly. Not too big of a deal and I'm sure most people didn't notice. Plus, who complains about getting a lower fare than advertised?

Later came news of a legal snafu involving a home that WMATA is attempting to sell. OK. They'll eventually solve that issue. Paperwork.

But Monday was a grim day with another apparent suicide. Details are still elusive at this point. But, it appears that a person "intentionally placed themselves on the tracks," in Metro parlance, and died; although not struck by a train. If determined a suicide, it'd be the sixth suicide at a Metro facility in 2010. Just sad. Oddly, this incident occurred nearly a year to the day of another suicide on the Red Line

Based on the media I have consumed, I get the gist that Metro was not blamed for the suicide, but for the response. The most notable were not allowing passengers off of the affected idle train and lack of communication to passengers about wait times as well as train and bus status.

I tend to give a little more leeway to the transit system in this scenario because I'd rather energy be focused on saving a life than anything else. On the other hand, with 10,000+ employees, someone has to be dedicated to offering information to stranded passengers. And leaving some of the passengers on the powerless train: under the circumstances that I understood to be true, it seems like Metro made the wrong decision. I wasn't there and certainly don't have all the inside knowledge.

For an agency with a declining image over the last 18 months, not much else could go wrong. Well... it certainly could, but let's not even think about going there. Let's hope they get it together and can survive the next few years with the rest of us until the economy turns and we get our priorities list back in relative order.

New Driver for Metro Bus and Rail?

Safety, maintenance, pricing, or customer service won't likely improve immediately, but Metro is trying to take a step in that direction. They have (almost) hired the person who will replace outgoing GM John Catoe. His name is Richard Sarles. Sarles was most recently the Executive Director of New Jersey Transit, a sprawling agency operating in a vast area connecting Philadelphia, Atlantic City, New York and many points in between. He managed the agency's 10,000+ employees. Sarles also put in time at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Amtrak.

I'm guessing he will have an outside (inside?) chance to become the permanent Metro GM after the interim period, which is supposed to last anywhere from six to twelve months. The Metro Board of Directors will use the interim period to conduct the search for the permanent General Manager.

Metro is in desperate need of an image overhaul and even if Sarles is just temporary, he needs to be perceived as a results oriented leader who will not stand for lax oversight or poor quality control. Those are two factors that most likely led to the June 22, 2009 Red Line crash, which killed nine and injuring eighty . One main cause (allegedly) was the coupling of automatic train control systems which were incompatible with each other. Apparently, repair crews combined newer more advanced equipment with older components already embedded within the system. All of this over multiple objections by machine manufactures and other employees of Metro.

Can Sarles fix this culture? Probably not in the short term, but if he can temporarily right the ship in time for the next general manager, then he's succeeded.

NextBus and Circulator Systems a Blast

A double dose of transit good news occurred last week. Circulator, the limited stop DDOT buses, and Metrobus both instituted GPS based bus locators. Each system (they are operated separately) now has an internet ready system which allows riders to check the arrival status of nearby buses. I have tested both systems over the last week and both have worked nearly flawlessly.

NextBus is best reached by internet browser from your mobile phone. The mobile site is www.wmata.com/mobile/. If you do not have internet access, each Metrobus stop displays a unique identifying number. For example, the first southbound stop of th 42, (Lamont and Mt Pleasant Sts NW) is numbered 1002070. Call 202-637-7000 and use that number to activate the automated system. NextBus errs toward an early estimate by about one minute. So, if the bus is just arriving at your stop, the NextBus system will direct you to the bus arriving after that one. This way, unless you are really close to the stop, you will not be disappointed by missing a bus the system said was going to be available. I have tried the mobile internet site about 12 times since its inception and have never been given incorrect information. A+ for implementation so far.

The Ciculator mobile site (circulator.dc.gov/) is the only way to access it's buses locations. No voice access yet. Not as exact as NextBus, the Circulator site only gives the approximate location of the closest buses (i.e. " Bus #1137 is near 24TH ST AND CONNECTICUT AVE, NW 1 mi. away). From there, you have to determine whether or not to keep waiting or look for another form of transport. You won't get a report of how many minutes away the bus is, only distance. I tested the Circulator site several times iver the last week and twice was mislead about the location of a bus. Once, a bus was supposed to be at a location, but I gathered it had just passed. The second time, a bus that was supposed to be about a mile away showed up at my stop, early. Perhaps there is a lag in reporting the GPS coordinates over the web. I'll keep checking and report back if things improve. B+ for Circulator implementation.

What are your experiences? What grade would you give DDOT and Metro for their efforts?

Honeymoon's Over: Metro May Cut Service, Raise Fares

After giving Metro a standing ovation for inauguration week service we're hit with a cold reality: they're cutting back on spending like the rest of us. And that's not good. Metro has to spend. It needs to spend more each year than the last to satisfy basic levels of service, getting us to and from work, keeping cars of the roads, drunks out of driver's seats and party goers on the dance floor late into the night. All that may take a hit soon.

Metro is facing a huge deficit and there aren't but so many ways to account for it. Two of the most direct; altering service and raising fares. The good new is they're set to receive at least some of the Fed's stimulus dollars coming to the District and surrounding counties. Still, Metro is tightening its next budget and planning for a shortfall.

There are tons of ideas out there. Metro has already cut staff. They hit us with the largest fare increase ever just over a year ago. And they always seem to leak out ideas about cutting service. The worst recent idea floated (according to me) was cutting Yellow Line service from Mt Vernon Sq to Ft Totten. That would be a killer on the weekends and on late nights. Also, "leaked" or discussed: cutting certain bus lines completely, ending weekend rail service at midnight or weekday service at 10pm, raising fares again on bus and rail, charging peak fares after midnight (they tried that before) and opening later on weekdays and weekends.

My idea: Charge a flat fee for the train. Get rid of the tiered system for fares. I know soooooo many people would hate this, but I see some merit. Say it was $2.00 flat fee for riding Metro rail. Metro would make more money on the shorter rail trips and, but those at the end of the lines would pay less to come downtown. Maybe they would ride more often, not having to pay $4.00+ for a ride downtown. I'm not sure what the math is on this, maybe the flat fare could be instituted in a fashion in which fares would be locked in for at least a few years and Metro would maintain the same source of increased revenue during that time. Just an idea, and it probably won't be adopted. Better that losing Yellow Line service though.

Final Notes: The Inauguration Bears Down

**Don't worry, worriers. Only about 200 of the city's 1,000 alcohol-serving bars and restaurants have been approved for extended hours during inauguration. Check The 42 Bus post from January 13 to see which bars are taking advantage.

**Metro is changing plans almost daily, responding to the Inaugural Committee and other factors. After initially reserving its parking lots for buses only, they reversed field and are now opening Metro station parking lots to the general public, starting at 3:30am on January 20th. The first trains start to roll at 4:00am that day.

Metro decided to run trains until 2:00am on Tuesday morning to accommodate the visitors attending balls and other late night activities on Monday night. That's a change from the midnight closing proposed before.

On the bus front, thankfully Metro has also added special bus service in DC, reversing a decision to run a Saturday schedule for all routes on January 20th. Some routes will still run on a Saturday schedule, but Metro has dedicated several rapid bus corridors to get people pretty close to the inauguration and parade. 16th Street NW is one of the corridors for us Mount Peasant folks. Those special routes will have rush hour service all day on January 20th until 9:00pm.

Metro is also urging us to walk, if possible and has a new map (PDF) giving walking directions from various stations, including several in Virginia.

**And speaking of our friends from my home state, the Commonwealth, well, they are miffed and upset. Government agencies have decided to close all Potomac River crossings (save Wilson Bridge) to private automobile traffic. The rules are slightly convoluted, but basically only charter buses, Metro buses, taxis, limos and emergency vehicles will be able to cross a bridge to get into DC on January 20th. Otherwise, if you are approaching from the south in your own car, you need to take the beltway west to Bethesda or north to New York Ave (Route 50), then drive into DC.

Pedestrians from VA will be able to use various river crossings. That's the message of the day, transit or walking. If you live in Arlington or Alexandria, I would seriously consider taking the Metro to Arlington National Cemetery and then walking across the Memorial Bridge. The Washington Post provides a nice little map here. For us in DC, we'll be allowed to walk in the I-395 3rd Street tunnel, but who would want to! Scary!

**The Times-Dispatch thinks traffic back-ups will literally extend 110 miles into Richmond, VA.

**Recent weather reports indicate below average temperatures, low-30s, and overcast. No snow as of today's forecast.

**Most of the get rich quick inaugural apartment rentals flopped. As I said before, there is an extremely limited market for your circa 1970s bi-level home in Bowie. No, Annandale isn't "only minutes away" form DC. And that short drive into town you promised from Shirlington isn't looking that great right now either. Look at the bright side; you probably needed those new linen and towel sets anyway.

43 Bus Up and Running; Other Changes for 42

Morning and evening commuters who live in Mount Pleasant have a new, faster option for bus service to downtown. The 43 bus started running last week looks to be a smart move by WMATA.

The 43 generally runs the same route as the 42, but with a few time-saving changes. This route only operates mornings and evenings only on Monday-Friday. To be exact, 7:50am-9:15am and 3:20pm-7:00pm. Morning buses begin in Mt Pleasant and terminate at 17th and I (Farragut Sq). The northbound afternoon 43 buses begin at Farragut and terminate at Lamont and Mt Pleasant Streets NW.

The 43 does not make stops at Dupont Circle. When traveling on Connecticut Ave, in both directions, the 43 bypasses the Circle by traveling through the underground tunnel. The two bypassed stops (Dupont Circle South and Q Street stops) will still be served by the 42 bus.

Dupont Circle was always a time killer for the 42. It added the most time to the trip downtown, more than any other factor. The downside to the move is that it will take a little more work if you want to catch the 43 after exiting the Dupont Metro station. You'll have to walk an additional block north or south on Connecticut. But at that point, it runs the same route as the 42, so unless you really, really want to ride the new bus, just catch the 42.

A few minute changes to the 42 schedule: WMATA added a 2:15am, 2:40am, and 3:04am southbound buses to the Monday-Thursday Schedule. They previously only ran on Friday nights (early Saturday morning).

The 43 Bus

The 43? Have you noticed a change on the WMATA bus signs in Mt Pleasant? They now list a bus route other than the 42. Its the 43! Tim over at Connectiquette Ave did some research and has the story. Probably too late to change the name of the blog though, meh. The "42 OR 43 Bus" just doesn't roll off the toungue. Thanks other Tim.

New Metrobus Shelters

... are popping up all over Mt Pleasant. They look nice, much more futuristic looking than the old boxy, brown, squarish shelters, but serve the same purpose.

Free Subways and Buses: Could it Work in DC?

Many thanks to AM New York for breaching this topic recently.

Imagine living in a region where almost all public transportation was free. The advancement opportunities in the areas of environment, work/live possibilities, personal scheduling freedom, and urban planning would be staggering. In a report that was recently delivered to the mayor of New York City, the non-profit organization Nurture New York’s Nature outlines a plan that does just that; make transit available for no charge. The plan uses a mix of congestion fees, taxi surcharges and parking fees to make subway and bus fares available at no cost. According to the calculations of the writers, the congestion and other new revenue would more than make up for the elimination of public transit fares.

The plan, detailed in the Free Transit Report essentially trades the revenue reaped through fares for revenue produced by cordon or congestion fees, higher taxi fares through surcharge and higher parking rates in the cordoned off area. The report suggests a $16 flat fee for entering Manhattan island anywhere below 60th Street, the CBD, or Central Business District. That's one block above the southern boundary of Central Park; near Columbus Circle. The $16 dollar rate would be for all cars. Commercial vehicles would be liable for more, $32 per visit.

Once inside the cordon zone (as in cordoned off) a paid vehicle could roam freely and leave without further charge. However, curbside parking rates would also be substantially higher under the plan. Curbside parking in the CBD would jump to $8.00 per hour, with rates outside of the CBD, from 60th St to 96th St, increasing at a lower rate (to ward off those who'd just park at 61st St and then hop on a bus). Taxi fares would increase substantially. The rates would be increased up by 25% and that increase would be taxed, creating the new revenue stream. Taxis would not pay the $16 cordon fee. The pay-offs of the proposed system are similar to that of the HOT Lane plans we've discussed for the DC region. Payers of the fee would realize reduced traffic and travel times, and the fees would provide a boon to local governments and transit agencies. Its a fascinating report and you can read the details here (its a pretty large PDF).

The question: Could it work here? The NY plan applies to New York City only. Transit for other, regional systems would still require a fare (PATH, NJ Transit, Metro North, LIRR, etc). We'd almost have to REQUIRE regional cooperation of the states of Maryland and Virginia include the governments of the local counties. Since WMATA is a regional transit organization, not a city-owned entity, fare elimination would likely have to happen across the board. All rail lines and all but some express bus routes would need to be free, for equities sake. We have a decent record of regional cooperation, but the bean counting and having to decide who pays what to enter from where would present a substantial challenge. Imagine determining the new fare structure for congestion pricing! Talk about politics.

Congress has also been cold to any ideas even closely related to commuter fees or taxes and the residents of the surrounding counties would not be likely to support any such ideas. What would we do? Charge $5-10 per bridge crossing from Virginia? What about Maryland? Perhaps we'd only charge to enter the downtown area and Georgetown. The congestion zone would stretch from the Capitol Building west 40 blocks to the Key Bridge. And north to K Street. Resources for the Future played with some numbers and possibilities last year with interesting results.

Enforcement would be a mess. Toll plazas on Florida Avenue? EZ Pass on he 14th Street Bridge? And I'm not sure our downtown is congested enough to warrant such drastic measures. Truth is that our subway system, for all its faults, does its job for the most part. Additionally, there's no guarantee that it could handle the extra stress of many more extra passengers. The Nurture New York report also fails to mention a key aspect, one we'd have to deal with year round: tourists. Tourists would undoubtedly balk at (or just be plain confused by) congestion fees. Most wouldn't stand for such a fee in order to see or national memorials and other government buildings, all owned by the people. The “Washington as America's City” argument would win out. There's really no price to be put on access to our most revered national locales.

In an ideal world, the Nurture New York plan could work; it may even actually work in New York City. Not so sure it would pass the test in DC though. Its too complicated to be applied fairly and we'd always have the omnipotent hand of Congress to say "no way" to any idea which comes close to a commuter tax. And some of the overarching philosophical ideals related to a free, open and accessible government wold prevent any such restrictions on getting into the city. But the idea of free mass transit is enticing and the repercussions of such a system deserve at least some initial thought. New York is known for making waves in cultural and economic realms and if they can pull of something even CLOSE to what the Free Transit Report calls for, consider that day a good day.

Riding the 42 Costs a Little More Now; For Some

Sunday January 6, marks the day that Metro enacts its largest fare hike ever. It doesn't affect most who either a) don't ride Metrorail or Metrobus or b) only ride the bus and have SmarTrip Cards. The cost to ride the 42, and most other local Metrobuses increases to $1.35 from $1.25. SmarTrip Card users incur no increase. Those using cash pay the full increase riding the bus. Rail to bus transfers are still 35 cents with SmarTrip, but paying by cash costs a dime more. January 2009 should be interesting; Metro will get rid of paper transfers all together.

Those riding the rails during the rush hour get punched in the gut, regardless of how you pay. The lowest rush hour fare (what Metro calls "regular" fare) shoots up to $1.65 from $1.35. For my work commute, that adds up to an extra $144.00 a year. Not too bad considering what my counterparts who travel from Shady Grove, Springfield, Vienna and other far-out stations have to deal with. They are taking the hardest hits with rail fare and parking fees. The highest one way Metrorail fare rises to $4.50. That's one way!

I tried to be nosy and check out other rides on the 42 and S2 buses I rode on today. It seemed to me that many who paid cash were paying with one bill and one coin; still $1.25. Perhaps the drivers were practicing some sort of leniency. I guess the big day is tomorrow.

Better and Brighter

Here are the top five Better and Brighter wishes for DC's 2008:

5. Michelle Rhee and Mayor Fenty's plan for DC schools turns out to be the right one. Their style is unique and a little grating for some. Rhee and Fenty make the big decisions behind closed doors, then announce the ideas/changes and that's that. If there is fallout, they are more than able to deal with any backlash until the next issue takes center stage. That strategy can work for a while, but eventually the citizenry tire if results aren't achieved. I think most parents and other citizens are in a wait-and-see mode as Rhee's "giving and receiving schools" plan works itself out. Many parents of the "giving" (i.e. closing) schools are a little more anxious to see how the plan will come together. I wish the administration the best of luck and stand behind the changes. For now...

4. Metro's member communities get on the bus and create a dedicated, sustainable and realistic revenue stream for the embattled agency. Metro deserves this at the very least. The feds should kick in some money, too. While the system has some major structural flaws (no express track, "spoke" configuration) its still one of the best systems in the country, moving over one million passengers per day (including MetroBus). I've previously raked General Manager John Catoe over the coals, but I realize that he's handcuffed by budget issues. Surely, the system's human resources can be improved and invested in a little more, but WMATA really needs sustainable funding. The counties of Fairfax, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Arlington, Loudon, and the cities of Alexandria, and Falls Church should work with their state governments and really invest in the system. With the apparent end of sprawl, especially in the Washington region, transporting residents from suburb to suburb and place to place within each municipality will become increasingly important. Making sure Metro doesn't have to turn to fare increases and service reductions is key to keeping the system at its best.

3. DC housing market defies the Manhattan effect. To play in Manhattan is doable. To live there is becoming almost impossible. Many regular folks have been plain priced out of the city. and have been replaced by the rich and super rich. It makes for a nice place for tourists, art gallery and museum buffs, shoppers and paparazzi, but as for everyday New Yorkers, they're most likely to live in one of the other Burroughs. Do all of your New York friends live in Brooklyn? There's a reason for that. Sadly, "the market" will determine a lot of this story, but the District should remain an economically diverse living space. No more $1500 basement studios in Columbia Heights, or $1.1 million condos on 18th St in Adams Morgan. When practically any neighborhood can be deemed up and coming or the next big thing, those designations lose their value. How can Columbia Heights, Petworth, Near Southeast, Anacostia, NoMa, and all of Northeast be considered DC's new "it" neighborhood? They can't all be. The working class (most of us!) have to be able to afford and own a home somewhere, and with all due respect, that shouldn't mean Howard or Stafford Counties.

2. Mayors Williams and Fenty's development plans pay off for DC. Mayors Anthony Williams and Adrian Fenty will have overseen, literally, billions of dollars of residential, office, sports, retail and public works development by the end of Fenty's tenure. Some of the major projects that came on line, or were completed, or are being started during this time are: new Nationals stadium, the rest of Near Southeast, Verizon Center and 7th Street, Poplar Point, McMillan Reservoir, Old Convention Center project, New Walter E. Washington Convention Center, DC USA, and many others. All the promises of workforce/affordable housing, jobs for DC residents, and tax benefits for the city HAVE to be realized. The Tax Increment Financing, and swaps and other concessions given to business need to be backed up with a substantial payoff from these projects. New stadiums and shopping choices are great for resident morale and visitor impression, but they need to make sense for the city's financial health, too.

1. Amid the changing city, some things should remain just as they are. I challenge you to find better neighborhoods than those along the 42 bus line. Mt. Pleasant, Adams Morgan, Reed-Cooke, Kalorama, Dupont, Farragut, Downtown, Chinatown and Penn Quarter offer so much to be so close in proximity to each other. Is there another bus that can take you from the New England village-like community of Mt. Pleasant, to the fun and friends of Adams Morgan, to shopping in Dupont, an afternoon stroll at the White House and dinner and a movie or world class sports in Penn Quater? No other city can boast of such amenities for its residents. For all we demand and desire for our little slice of the pie here, be thankful for how great we have it already. Happy New Year.