DC Drivers - This is Why We Take The MARC

Ben Giles' article “Study: D.C. drivers worst in nation” made my day. This is because I have a "handicap".

My handicap is I HATE to drive. In fact, I would rather get stuck with a pin than drive. As I was growing up, my uncles graciously supported my emotional crutch and drove me when I couldn't take public transportation. As I got older and moved away, I relied on my now deceased husband, Ron, to cart me around.

Since he passed away, I am on my own. Stress built up over these dark years. I did not get comfort for my driving-induced trauma. Many locals gave me that "it's just you" look whenever I complained about the area driving habits. When my old friends visited, they agreed with me but that didn't help my case with the aforementioned locals.

Today, I am vindicated by Allstate's annual Worst Drivers report. Five years in a row, yep count 'em, DC drivers are the worst in the nation!

Ta da. Now I can die happy. Things come to those who wait.

Source:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/study-d.c.-drivers-worst-in-nation/article/2506263

Losing Our Moral Compass - Silver Spring Transit Center

I’ve been riding the MARC train into DC for just over nine years. With the area overgrowth spurred by money-hungry politicians, it pays to keep an eye on the passing scenery no matter how bleary-eyed one is.  

One fine day, as we approached the Silver Spring station, we saw the start of something big - the Silver Spring Transit Center. The $112 million Paul S. Sarbanes Center is being built is to centralize various modes of commuter transportation (Metro Rail, MARC train, Ride-On and Metro buses, cabs). ^1,2

The immediate reaction of fellow MARC riders was unanimously self-centered: “What about Shark Week? Will we still be able to see the Shark?” we shouted woefully.

If you are not in the “know”, every summer Discovery Channel does “Shark Week” and to advertise this, they display the head and fins of an gigantic inflatable shark outside their building. If the transit center ends up being too tall, we won’t see the Shark.

http://www.livbit.com/article/2010/07/29/gigantic-shark-on-discovery-channels-building/

As time went on, construction slowly progressed but bigger and more serious issues than Shark Week arose: flaking concrete and concrete that is either too thin or too thick! While it’s obvious that thin concrete won't hold enough weight, too thick concrete puts stress on supports than may not hold the additional weight.
Parsons Brinckerhoff was tasked with designing a structure to hold 32 buses, 54 cabs, and all the bus, Metro and MARC trains.⁴ The last thing we need is concrete that won't support all that weight! Their design specified "the structure…be safer, more durable, stronger and longer lasting..." I think we can all agree this is a GOOD thing.

While the costs are being paid from many sources, Montgomery County is in the mix and it has “higher standards” consistent with those specified with the designers.⁴ So, what exactly is the problem? While there is some debate if the structure is safe as is, the point is this: "The Silver Spring Transit Center does not meet Montgomery County building code requirements..." because General contractor, Foulger-Pratt, intentionally “used … the "minimum requirements necessary….”⁴  

How do I know that? Principal Clayton Foulger publicly stated: "That structure meets the load tests that are required of it in a safe way," he said. "Now, is it exactly the way it was designed? No, it is not."⁴ I almost fell out of my chair when I read that. They knowingly did not build what they were paid to build. If they did it with malice of forethought, why should they get paid?

What’s worse is Mr Foulger insists on continuing as is with an ETA of August or September.⁴

 Sources:

1,2:http://silverspring.patch.com/articles/speak-out-are-you-frustrated-with-silver-spring-transit-center-delays-e4dc5bbd
3:http://silverspring.patch.com/articles/silver-spring-transit-center-costs-raises-by-11-million#photo-9029152
4:http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/642626
5:http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/379326

Traffic worsens as Gaithersburg narrows Diamond Ave.

Well folks, I submitted some comments about one of the Washington Examiner's articles concerning area traffic congestion and my whole note about the impact of the Archstone Apartment complex on getting to the MARC station got printed in today's paper version. Their title is more dramatic than mine but why quibble with my 15 minutes of fame.

It's also online. See the second letter to the Editor entitled "Disastrous narrowing of Diamond Avenue "on this link: Washington Examiner - Letters to the editor-August-1-2012