Subway/Heavy Rail Expansion Planning and DC

Metro Center Station.

Today's Express reports on Tysons Tunnel debate as part of the expansion planning for the Dulles Corridor "Silver Line." See the discussion in Free Ride, the Express blog for more, "Poll Center: Tysons Tunnel Not Dead Yet." The point is that a tunnel in a dense area makes more sense in terms of promoting mixed use development and intensification in a way that isn't "blighted." (To see a blighted form of upright rail bridges check out the Orange Line east of the RFK Stadium station.)

And last week's Post Howard County Extra reports, in "Ulman Pushes Metro Extension to Ft. Meade," subtitled "Transportation Upgrades Are Top Priority as Post Expands, Executive Says," about expansion proposals for the Green Line north and east of Greenbelt, in Prince George's County.

We have discussed in the past the capacity problems that expansion proposes in terms of crossing the Potomac River (the Rosslyn Tunnel) and future capacity issues in the core of the city, that was addressed in WMATA planning efforts in 2001-2003 but have since been dropped.

DC needs to stand up to ensure that subway expansion planning also includes addressing the coming capacity constraints in the core of the city, and the impact of extending the subway-shed on other parts of the system.

Greenbelt station. Flickr photo by Taleswapper.