Better Bus Service

The Ward 7 transportation advocates have been vocal over the last 2 years to get better bus service in Ward 7.  The Hillcrest Community Civic Association submitted testimony in April 2011 requesting WMATA to improve the 36, 39, M6, and W4. We are very happy to announce that effective June 17, 2012, WMATA will be making improvements to the 39, M6 and W4!!!! The changes for bus lines that service Hillcrest are below:

39 Pennsylvania Avenue MetroExtra
Additional trips will run every 15 minutes and the span of service will increase from two hours to three hours in the morning and evening rush hours. New scheduled travel times will reflect the current traffic conditions for improved on-time performance. 

M6 Fairfax Village
Recovery time between trips will increase to improve reliability and on-time performance.  

W4 Deanwood – Alabama Avenue
To reduce crowding, the time between buses during weekday middays will be reduced from 33 to 26 minutes. 

Although this blog is specific to Hillcrest, below are changes to other routes in Ward 7.

V7, V8, V9 Minnesota Avenue – M Street
Weekday and Saturday scheduled travel times will be adjusted to reflect current traffic conditions and improve on-time performance. Buses will run every 30 minutes on Saturdays and coordinate with U2 trips on Minnesota Avenue. 

Thank you WMATA!!!

#W7Moves

WMATA Seeks Public Input on FY13 Budget & Fare Increase

The Board is slated to act on the FY2013 budget in June, and any fare changes they adopt would take effect July 2012.

The operating budget of $1.6 billion includes a proposed $53 million (8%) increase in funding from the jurisdictions and $66 million in increased revenue from fares. The fare adjustments also are designed to simplify Metro’s fare structure and encourage the use of SmarTrip cards. The proposed $904 million capital budget includes projects that will advance NTSB recommendations, including signal system upgrades and replacement of Metro’s oldest railcars, the 1000-series fleet, with new 7000-series cars, as well as track and infrastructure projects and rehabilitation, and replacement of escalators and elevators across the system.

Details and directions for transit travel to the public sessions are available on Metro’s website. Open forums begin at 6 p.m., followed by the public hearings at 7 p.m. The hearings will take place as follows:

Thursday, March 1
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church – Hearing 571
John H. Kearney, Sr. Fellowship Hall
2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE
Washington, DC


Tuesday, March 6
St. Columba’s Episcopal Church – Hearing 573
4201 Albemarle Street, NW
Washington, DC

How to register to speak at the public hearing

To establish a witness list for the public hearings, individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to be heard at the hearings are asked to provide in writing their name, address, telephone number and organization affiliation, if any, to Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Alternatively, requests to speak may befaxed to 202-962-1133 or e-mailed to speak@wmata.com. Please submit only one speaker’s name per letter and reference the hearing number. Lists of individual speakers will not be accepted. Others present at the hearing may be heard after people who have registered have spoken. Please note that this information may be releasable to the public under the WMATA Public Access to Records Policy (PARP). The PARP can be viewed on WMATA’s website under the link marked “Legal Affairs.” Public officials will be heard first and will be allowed five minutes each to make their presentations. All other speakers will be allowed three minutes each. Relinquishing of time by one speaker to another will not be permitted.

How to submit written comments

Written statements and exhibits may be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, or e-mailed to writtentestimony@wmata.com. Statements also may be faxed to 202-962-1133. Please reference the hearing number. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 12. Please note that any personal information such as name, e-mail address, address, or telephone number you provide in the statement may be releasable to the public under the WMATA Public Access to Records Policy.

Request for Information - Transportation

2 requests for input by Feb 10th

1. Questions for March Guest Speaker
DDOT Director, Terry Bellamy will be the guest speaker for the March civic association meeting.  Please email me any specific topics or questions you want him to address, so he can be prepared for answer at the meeting.


2. Transportation-related Oversight Hearings
It's that time of the year again for agency oversight w/budget hearings soon after.  The STTC plans to submit testimony for the public record for WMATA and DDOT on behalf of the civic association.  If you have any concerns, feedback, and/or suggestions for improvement for either agency, please email me by February 10th.

Last year the we submitted written testimony for DMV.


The Hearings for transportation related agencies are below (subject to change):
February 22nd - WMATA

March 2 - DDOT, Bicycle Advisory Council, Pedestrian Advisory Council


Hearing schedule attached for your information.  I also encourage you to submit your own testimony for the agency above (and other agencies too, of course).

The budget hearings are all after the Ward 7 Transportation Summit, so we have time to talk as a ward about issues we can tackle together. 

Fy11 12 Agency Performance Hearings Schedule

Save the Date!!!!

The Street, Traffic, and Transportation Committee got a lot accomplished in 2011.  Now we look toward 2012.  We have two big events planned for the first half of the year.  More to come, but for now mark your calendars.

Ward 7 Transportation Summit Part II
February 25, 2012
11:30am - 1:30pm
Benning Library

The first transportation summit really helped the transportation advocates in Ward 7 focus and work together.  We want to continue with our successes.  In Part 2 of the summit, we look back at last year's summit, pat ourselves on the back for 2011 accomplishments, and determine our priorities for 2012.


Bike Day in Fort Circle Park (more creative name to come)
April 14, 2012
Time and starting location TBD

We are working with National Park Service, local bike organizations, small bike shops to finalize the details.  We will also reach out to the other civic associations.


Want to help with any of the events, please contact Veronica at vod2@cornell.edu.

WMATA Proposed Improvements to the W4

One of the HCCA Transportation Committee's goals was to work with WMATA to study and implement recommended improvements to the W4.  Please come out to the meeting to express your concerns, thoughts, and ideas on the recommended improvements to the W4.

Public Testimony for WMATA Hearing 10/11/11

We would like to thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony regarding bus service to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

The Hillcrest community is comprised of single-family homes, and two large medium-density communities (Fairfax Village and Naylor Gardens). The closest Metro station to our community is Naylor Road in Maryland, which is as far as 1.5-miles for some of our residents. This makes us a bus-dependent community.

As part of my written submission I’ve included a report from the Ward 7 Transportation Summit & Listening Tour and testimony submitted on behalf of the Hillcrest Community Civic Association in April. Tonight I want to use my time to focus on 3 specific recommendations.

Recommendation #1: Enhancement of the W4
The W4 is a vital bus line East of the River. It is the only North to South route that truly connects neighborhoods in Ward 7 and Ward 8. Based on riding the W4 and observing it as a pedestrian, that bus is always full. I’ve seen standing room only on Sunday afternoons. That W4 needs newer buses and it needs shorter headways.

Per a presentation by Jim Hamre, WMATA recommends increasing weekday midday frequency to every 22 minutes and increase Saturday frequency to every 25 minutes. WMATA estimates $500k for this subsidy. The W4 needs to be a priority for improving service.

Recommendation #2: Inter-Agency Coordination at Bus Stops
Simple tasks of keeping bus stops clean and lights operable can cause the biggest headaches. Regardless if you call WMATA, DPW, or DDOT, and add in NPS if it’s Federal land, it appears one agency believes another agency is responsible. For example, we have been trying to get the light bulbs changed at the bus stop on 38th and Pennsylvania Ave SE for over a year. We would like to see WMATA show some leadership to coordinate with the agencies to ensure there is proper lighting at the bus stops, they remain free of litter, and they have accurate bus information.

Recommendation #3 Proactive Bus Planning
We all know that in 2014 we will likely have three major developments in Wards 7 & 8 come online: Homeland Security at St. Elizabeth’s, Skyland Shopping Center, and Capitol View Walmart. Our road network cannot handle more motor vehicles without impacting our quality of life. Now is the time to plan a limited stop route that connects these three developments.

While the City and WMATA face a budget crisis, let’s not forget that many families in Ward 7 are facing that same crisis. As gas prices continue to rise, more people are opting to use public transportation.

Submitted by
Veronica O. Davis
Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee Chair

Car-Free Pledge

Take the Car Free pledge and be entered to win great prizes like an Apple ipad.

Ways to get around without a car

Walk - Feet are free.  If you are physically able, consider walking to run errands or any other trips that you make in a day.


WMATA - The 32, 36, 39 M2, M6, V5, and W4 bus lines all serve the Hillcrest community.  To plan your trip, use the WMATA trip planner.

Capital Bikeshare - Stations are located at Skyland/Good Hope Shopping Center (Alabama Ave SE & Naylor Road SE), Fairfax Village (38th St SE & Pennsylvania Ave SE) and Penn-Branch (Penn-Branch Shopping Center.  Visit the website to join.

Route 36 Will be impacted 7/7/11 - 7/11/11

Roadway Construction
10:00 am Thursday, July 7, through 5:00 am Monday, July 11

Location of Event
DC – Branch Av SE, between Pennsylvania Av SE and Alabama Av SE

Metrobus will serve the following street segments during the time of detour:

36 - Eastbound
• Regular route to intersection of Pennsylvania Av SE and Branch Av SE
• Pennsylvania Av SE, between Branch Av SE and 38th St SE
• 38th St SE, between Pennsylvania Av SE and Alabama Av SE
• Alabama Av SE, between 38th St SE and Branch Av Se
• Branch Av SE, between Alabama Av SE and continuation of regular route

36 – Westbound
• Regular route to intersection of Branch Av SE and Alabama Av SE
• Alabama Av SE, between Branch Av SE and 38th St SE
• 38th St SE, between Alabama Av SE and Pennsylvania Av SE
• Pennsylvania Av SE, between 38th St SE and Branch Av SE
• Pennsylvania Av SE, between Branch Av SE and continuation of regular route

WMATA Hearing

Neighbors.... WMATA is having a public hearings on proposed changes. While these do not affect Hillcrest directly, we wanted to be sure you have the information.

OPEN HOUSE | TOWN HALL MEETING | PUBLIC HEARING

We are tuning in to you to help us make important decisions about Metro's future.

For the first time ever, Metro will host combined Open Houses and Town Hall Meetings prior to its official Public Hearings. Metro staff members will be available at Open Houses for one-on-one conversations about Metro service and programs. Town Hall Meetings will give you an opportunity to talk about the future of the system with Metro leaders, including members of the Metro Board of Directors. During the Public Hearings, Metro will take formal testimony on the following options under consideration for the FY12 budget:

o Increasing the Metrorail train wait times on weekends
o Eliminating the Metrobus E6, K1 and N8 lines
o Restructuring the Metrobus M4, V7, V8, 70 and 71 lines
o Eliminating the 50¢ discount on certain Anacostia bus routes, resulting in MetroAccess fare increase, and modification of the Anacostia station bus transfer discount program

The Open Houses will be from 5:30-6:00 p.m. followed by the Town Hall Meetings/Q&A from 6:00-6:45 p.m. The Public Hearings will start at 6:45 p.m.


THURSDAY, MAY 19
District of Columbia – SE
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church
2616 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE
Washington, DC
Metrorail stop: Anacostia

Testimony - FY12 Budget WMATA

BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION

RE: Public Testimony for Fiscal Year 2012 Budget for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Monday April 18, 2011

We would like to thank Councilmember Wells and the honorable members of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation for the opportunity to submit testimony on the Fiscal Year 2012 budget for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

The Hillcrest community is comprised of single-family homes, and two large medium-density communities (Fairfax Village and Naylor Gardens). The closest Metro station to our community is Naylor Road in Maryland, which is as far as 1.5-miles for some of our residents. This makes us a bus-dependent community.

At the Ward 7 Transportation Summit and Listening Tour Jim Hamre, Director of Bus Planning, presented a list of bus enhancement recommendations to improve bus service in Ward 7. The Street, Traffic, and Transportation Committee went through those recommendations to identify the lines that serve the Hillcrest Community. We attempted to rank the recommendations in order of priority to the community should the funding become available.

• 35: New limited stop route between Southern Ave Metro Station and Archives via Naylor Road and Penn Ave SE. 20-min frequency during AM and PM peak WMATA estimates this improvement costs $800K. This would provide our community with an express bus to Capitol Hill and Penn Quarter.
• 36: Increasing the evening frequency to every 30 minutes for weekdays and weekends. Currently the headways are every 60 minutes. WMATA estimates $700K for the subsidy, but that number also includes improvements to the 32 line.
• W4: Increase weekday midday frequency to every 22 minutes and increase Saturday frequency to every 25 minutes. This is the only North-South route that connects Wards 7 and 8 on the eastern side. WMATA estimates $500k for this subsidy
• 39: Limited stop one-way rush hour bus. WMATA recommends increasing rush hour span from two the three hours and improving frequency from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. WMATA estimates $300K span, $500K frequency.
• V5: Limited stop one-way rush hour bus. Extend route to Metro Center. WMATA estimates $300K for this subsidy.

Even during tight budget times, we believe there are some actions WMATA can implement to improve reliability and safety of the existing systems. For example:

• Alternative SmartTrip Locations: Many times buses are delayed because people load their SmartTrip cards on the bus. We recommend WMATA consider SmartTrip kiosks in prominent locations in Ward 7, such as grocery stores, CVS, and high transfer bus stops such as L’enfant Square (Minnesota-Benning). This action needs to be coupled with informing people of these locations.
• Transit Police presence on Bus Lines: Some residents do not feel comfortable riding in the late evening and the hours when school lets out. We recommend for certain lines, such as the W4 to have transit police ride on the buses in the evening. Another option would be partnering with non-profit or community organization that has volunteers willing to ride the buses to improve safety.
• Communication Strategy (Incident Management): During predictable incidents such as snowstorms and unpredictable one such as accidents, WMATA buses are detoured with little to no communication to residents. As a phased approach, WMATA can start with developing a communication strategy for predictable incidents. During snowstorms, our community members should not be standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus that isn’t coming.
  

While the City and WMATA face a budget crisis, let’s not forget that many families in Ward 7 are facing that same crisis. As gas prices continue to rise, more people are opting to use public transportation.

Submitted by
Veronica O. Davis
Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee Chair

Ward 7 Transportation Summit & Listening Tour

UPDATED 3/11/2011 @ 11:00AM

Budget hearings are around the corner. In these tough economic times the City's leadership is tasked with making hard decisions. It is no secret that Ward 7 needs better bus service. We have three metro stations that are located in close proximity leaving bus as the only public transportation option for most of the Ward.

Councilmember Tommy Wells, Chairman of the Council Committee on Public Works & Transportation, and Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander want to hear from you!!! How can bus service be better? What are our priorities for enhancement?

Saturday, March 12th, 2011
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Department of Employment Services
4058 Minnesota Ave NE
Large conference room on the 5th floor.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAVE PHOTO ID. YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY.

Tentative Agenda

• Welcome
• Community Testimony
• WMATA presentation
• How DC Government Budget Works
• Community Discussion
• Next Steps
• Wrap-up

For people using Twitter during the event, please use hashtag #RediscovertheBus


Who should attend?
Anyone who is bus dependent
Anyone who uses bus as their primary mode of travel to/from work
Anyone who has ever been stranded at a bus stop for a bus that seems like it will never arrive
Anyone who wishes they didn't have to always drive to visit destinations in their own Ward
Anyone who has ever been on a bus so crowded you wonder if it's overcapacity
Anyone who cares about better bus service in Ward 7

RSVP (optional)
It's not mandatory, but we would like a head count. Please email Veronica (vod2@cornell.edu) and let us know if you are coming and what bus lines you regularly ride.

What if I can't attend?
Please feel free to email Veronica your list of concerns prior to the meeting at vod2@cornell.edu. In addition, the Planning Committee made of a concerned citizens from around the Ward will take notes and provide compile them into one document. We will share them over the listservs and ensure the Committee on Public Works and Transportation receive a copy.

How to Get there?
By Bus - The bus lines that stop at the Minnesota Ave Metro Station are U2, U4, U5, U6, U8, V7, V8, X1, X2, X3.

By Metro - The DOES building is located on the Orange Line at the Minnesota Ave Metro Station.

By Car - There is free parking at the WMATA parking lot located directly behind the DOES building.

To determine the best option for you, please use WMATA's trip planner. We encourage everyone to take public transportation.

DRAFT Recommendations

Some members of the Street, Traffic and Transportation Committee sat down with all the studies, presentation, and recommendations that have been provided over the last year. We prepared this presentation with draft committee recommendations. We intend to meet again as a committee to rank our priorities. Click Here to download the images with additional text.

Please provide comments via commenting on this blog or send Veronica an email at vod2@cornell.edu by January 15, 2011.





Currently, DDOT is only proposing studying Alabama Ave between Branch and Penn Ave. We proposed looking at Alabama Ave from 31st to Penn Ave. The stretch between Branch and 31st has no traffic signal, which leads to speeds above the posted speed limit. This summer two pedestrians were stuck in this area.

SmarTrip Cards Available At Safeway

SmarTrip® cards available at Safeway stores for customer convenience

For immediate release: December 6, 2010

Select Safeway stores begin selling SmarTrip® cards

Metro is making it easier for area residents to take advantage of SmarTrip® convenience and savings with cards now being sold at select Safeway stores.

Thirty-nine Safeway stores throughout the region began selling SmarTrip® cards on Monday, Dec. 6. The stores selling the cards have signs indicating the availability of SmarTrip® cards. Shoppers should visit the customer service desk to purchase a $5 SmarTrip® card.

About 78 percent of Metrorail riders and 68 percent of Metrobus riders use SmarTrip®. SmarTrip® cards improve service for customers by making it easier to pass through Metrorail faregates or board a Metrobus.

Metrorail riders who pay their fare with a SmarTrip® card instead of a paper farecard also save 25 cents per trip. Metrobus riders who pay with SmarTrip® instead of cash save 20 cents per trip.

SmarTrip® card users also receive a discount of 50 cents when transferring between Metrobus and Metrorail. Bus-to-bus transfers with a SmarTrip® card are valid for free, unlimited transfers within a two-hour period on regular Metrobus and regional bus routes, including ART, DASH, DC Circulator, CUE, Fairfax Connector, Ride On and TheBus.

SmarTrip® cards are available for purchase throughout the Washington region from more than 300 retail outlets such as Safeway, Giant and CVS/pharmacy. In addition to retail outlets, SmarTrip® cards may be purchased online, at Metro sales offices and commuter stores and through vending machines at all Metrorail stations where Metro-operated daily parking is available.

SmarTrip® card users are encouraged to register their SmarTrip® card online so that if their card is lost, they won’t lose the stored value. Metro recently launched an enhanced SmarTrip® web site to allow customers to conveniently view their card balance and usage history, add multiple cards to their account, report a lost card, request a replacement card or transfer the balance to another registered card.

News release issued at 11:22 am, December 6, 2010.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
600 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001