tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post2025914098012047065..comments2024-03-22T03:45:33.224-05:00Comments on The Arlandrian: At What Cost?Four Mile Run Markethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08276260307957029546noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-12581943921534962782009-04-04T09:02:00.000-05:002009-04-04T09:02:00.000-05:00I concur with the bridge option. Consider also Fr...I concur with the bridge option. Consider also Franconia-Springfield or, for that matter, the neighboring airport. Using a bridge option isn't going to deter development and it'll almost certainly get a station in there sooner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-3740834084080455602009-04-03T15:53:00.000-05:002009-04-03T15:53:00.000-05:00Vienna and West Falls Church are nothing like the ...Vienna and West Falls Church are nothing like the proposed development at Potomac Yards. Both are auto-dependent suburbs, and there is very little development within easy walking distance of either. Indeed, both stations are surrounded by more parking structures than by actual development.<BR/><BR/>College Park? The UMD campus isn't within walking distance of the station (it requires a shuttle bus), and there are almost no businesses or dense development near the station. In 2007 (I can't find info for 2008) <A HREF="http://goodspeedupdate.com/2008/2194" REL="nofollow">College Park averaged fewer than 5,000 daily riders, making it among the least used stations in the system</A>. Also falling into that category: East Falls Church, which is separated by I-66 but doesn't have large parking garages for commuters from the outer suburbs like Vienna and West Falls Church. <BR/><BR/>The metro system will be here for many decades to come. We should make smart decisions and investments that reflect that time horizon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-45953482714981188202009-04-03T13:07:00.000-05:002009-04-03T13:07:00.000-05:00And yet it seems to work okay for College Park, wh...And yet it seems to work okay for College Park, where a tunnel crosses two tracks, or Vienna and West Falls Church where bridges cross I-66. Sure it'd be nice to have the station on the 'proper' side but this seems like a case where the perfect is the enemy of the good.Distantantennasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-88690482625761389802009-04-03T11:25:00.000-05:002009-04-03T11:25:00.000-05:00The problem? The problem is people don't walk a v...The problem? The problem is people don't walk a very long distance from the metrorail station. To get people to use it with regularity, the development should be within 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the station. <BR/><BR/>Have a look at the satellite map of the area (there's one here http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1705) and look at the density involved. Everything on the east side of the tracks is lower-density townhomes; the development is all planned west of the tracks. The tracks themselves (notice there are three) take up a wide swath of land within that 1/4 mile circle where high-density development would be most effective.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-12254407278856486002009-04-03T11:15:00.000-05:002009-04-03T11:15:00.000-05:00From a cost perspective, the underground station d...From a cost perspective, the underground station does seem a bit ridiculous. However, when you consider that the owner of the current Potomac Yards shopping center might foot a large portion of the bill if they could get the property in the center of their location, the cost could be less of a factor (they are planning to completely redevelop that center, as well). It would make their property that much more valuable. The cheaper alternative only provides a station a few blocks away from even the edge of their development and a half mile from the other end.<BR/><BR/>If the city was expecting to foot the bill, this wouldn't even be a conversation.Nick Parteehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650881242818280232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11922507.post-29959673788402534822009-04-03T10:24:00.000-05:002009-04-03T10:24:00.000-05:00How is this that much of a problem? Just build a b...How is this that much of a problem? Just build a bridge over the VRE tracks. Or a tunnel under them. Not a huge issue.<BR/><BR/>I guess I think of it like this: how hard is it to get to the average Metro platform from the station's entrance (or from the popular destination around the station)? For that matter, how hard would it be to get to an underground Potomac Yard station from the development itself?<BR/><BR/>Now, compare that to how hard it would be to walk over a bridge (or through a tunnel) to get to a station. Not that hard.<BR/><BR/>Plus, I'm sure that however expensive the bridge/tunnel would be, it wouldn't be near the cost of building a whole underground station.timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10723235911147013720noreply@blogger.com