Silver Spring Getting New Bus Stops
Starting Sunday, Sept. 28, all the Ride On and Metro buses that operate out of the Silver Spring Metro station are scheduled to move out into the surrounding streets until construction of the new transit center is done.
Penguins orient commuters. (Thomson)Yes, they say, this time, it's for real. Many commuters were expecting this to happen last year, before the project got delayed.
They had watched as Wayne and Dixon avenues and Bonifant Street were prepared for the new bus stops, a new traffic signal was installed on Wayne and other pedestrian safety measures were put in place. But then nothing happened for a while.
Crosswalk at Wayne and Dixon avenues got an upgrade. (Thomson)This year, the most visible signs of preparation have beent the closing of the MARC train office and the paving of the streets that will handle the new bus stops.
Still, just because commuters have been expecting this for so long, it's no time for them to let their guard down. With 60,000 commuters a day, this is one of the busiest transit stations in the Washington region. Driving and walking through the area during the years of construction and disruption will be challenging.
New transit center will replace all the old bus bays. (Thomson)Much of the commuters' geography will change. Taxis will move to Ramsey Avenue near the intersection with Wayne Avenue.
Metro's Kiss & Ride will move into the parking garage at the intersection of Bonifant and Dixon Streets and drivers will find it by using the garage entrance on Bonifant.
MARC train passengers will follow a path that loops around the construction area to reach the northbound platform.
Letters designate the new bus stops. (Thomson)There will be no changes for Maryland Transit Administration commuter bus passengers. Their pick-up and drop-off locations will be the same.
Signs and maps pointing commuters to the new locations are being placed on the streets near the station. The wraps are coming off some of them, but there's still a week and a half to go before the plans are scheduled to become a reality.
By
Robert Thomson
|
September 17, 2008; 6:57 AM ET
Categories:
Commuting
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Metro
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Posted by: Tom T. | September 17, 2008 11:51 AM | Report abuse
That's how I read it, too! "A bus stopped moving." Wow! Stop the presses!
Posted by: h3 | September 17, 2008 12:48 PM | Report abuse
From Dr. Gridlock: Thank you, Tom T., for noting the unintentional laugher in my headline, which I have now changed. For an old newspaper guy, one of the great things about blogging is the ability to fix things quickly.
Posted by: Robert Thomson | September 17, 2008 12:50 PM | Report abuse
From Dr. Gridlock: Yeah, h3, "Bus Stops Moving" is not exactly news -- especially not at the Silver Spring Station. I'm sure many people are looking forward to the elimination of that weird loop many Metrobuses and Ride Ons have to make getting in and out of the station on Wayne Avenue.
Posted by: Robert Thomson | September 17, 2008 12:53 PM | Report abuse
I like that the signs have penguins on them. Keeps with the theme of the mural that runs underneath the metro bridge along Colesville.
Posted by: Laura | September 17, 2008 1:57 PM | Report abuse
We should have known that Metro is being run by penguins.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 17, 2008 1:59 PM | Report abuse
Laura,
FYI, the penguin mural under the bridge has been gone for over a year now.
Posted by: Metro Man | September 18, 2008 7:42 AM | Report abuse
Heh...
You did it again three months ago, except apparently nobody but me was reading your blog then:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2008/06/the_weekend_and_beyond_21.html
Posted by: stuckman | September 19, 2008 1:14 AM | Report abuse
"FYI, the penguin mural under the bridge has been gone for over a year now."
Ah, didn't know that. Grew up in Silver Spring, but my travels don't usually take me under that bridge anymore. Why was it removed?
Posted by: Laura | September 19, 2008 12:57 PM | Report abuse
Anyone knows when Metro is going to make an official announcement? There is nothing on their website regarding this. Also, I noticed last night on the Ride On bus bays there were signs regarding September 28th. However, there didn't seem to be anything on Metro's bus bays. Either way, I hope that Metro and Ride On have extra personnel directing customers to the bus stops for the first couple of days.
Posted by: Derek | September 21, 2008 9:28 AM | Report abuse
How about linking to a map showing where the various buses and taxis will be stopping?
Posted by: DrB | September 23, 2008 2:08 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
The headline, "Bus Stops Moving", makes it sound like there's a disabled bus in Silver Spring.