The Upside of Heat
Most suburban buses are free today, because of the Code Red forecast for air quality. It's not a good thing to have a Code Red and it's not a good thing to have a temperature reading in the 100 degree range, but it might have been a chance for some people to learn about transit and avoid some of the hassles of driving themselves.
Anybody take advantage of that?
I know you couldn't prove it by southbound Route 29 this morning, which was its usual bad self. An accident blocked the left lane at Burnt Mills Avenue, but there were also the usual delays in the right lane at Four Corners approaching the ramp to the Beltway's outer loop.
You can get your own view of traffic conditions by checking the reports and the cameras on the traffic page.
By the way, another recommendation for motorists on a Code Red day is to avoid pumping gas during the daytime hours.
Meanwhile, Metro transit says it is making sure air conditioning units are working inside all rail cars and Metrobuses. The transit authority will also temporarily suspend daytime weekday heavy track maintenance work if the temperatures are near 100 degrees.
It's pretty hot in some of the underground stations. Definitely not a day for the suits. Cooling those stations is like turning on your home air conditioner with the windows open. Dress for transit this week.
Metro says that it is upgrading the cooling system over a five-year period. The project, says Metro, will include the replacement of eight cooling towers, five chiller units, and 40 station air-conditioning units.
"Metrorail stations were designed to be 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperatures," Metro said in a statement about the hot weather. "However, it may feel warmer to passengers due to increased ridership, doors opening, which releases the cooler air during stops and heat generated from more frequent train operation."
Out-of-service escalators and elevators at stations have been a source of annoyance for years, but really watch out for yourselves on the escalators in this heat. No heart-pounding walks up those steps.
There's a way of checking on the status of the equipment in each station.
Metro provides information at this link.
If you find yourself on a rail car or a Metrobus that doesn't have air conditioning, Metro asks that you take down the number of the car or bus and report it by calling this number: 202-637-1328.
-- Robert Thomson
By |
July 18, 2006; 8:28 AM ET
Commuting
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Posted by: Anonymous | July 18, 2006 10:06 AM
To the person posting above at 10:06: Why assume Mr. Thompson is referring to himself? Perhaps he read my post from yesterday in which I described how my late sister (who died a few years ago) used to take the Metro to GWU-Foggy Bottom to go to her chemotherapy appointments at the nearby. I used to go with her so I know that walking up a stationary escalator at Foggy Bottom would have been a hardship for her in the heat. And I see plenty of old people using the Metro, too. You never know who has a heart condition, etc. For what it is worth, I took Mr. Thompson's comment to refer to people like that, not to himself.
Posted by: Foggy Bottom | July 18, 2006 12:53 PM
The temperature in below-ground Metro stations varies widely. I board in the mornings in Ballston, where it's always sweltering, but I transfer at Metro Center and get off at Gallery Place, where it's always comfortable.
I can understand that it's expensive to cool the air in a Metro station, but Ballston is consistently just brutal. It would be a blessing even if they would just bring in some fans and move the air a little bit.
Posted by: Jay | July 18, 2006 1:18 PM
Um, even a very fit person would find the escalators at, say, Dupont Station a hike. Pentagon's not a whole lot better.
I took the free bus ride today. I had no idea what was going on -- figured the dispenser was broken. I think it was a good pr move on metro's part, and I'm certainly not complaining.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 18, 2006 1:31 PM
Baby, you're a great writer, but you've GOT to learn the its/it's rule.
Posted by: h3 | July 18, 2006 2:09 PM
h3, Thanks for the correction. I just tried to repair the damage in the original entry.
Posted by: Robert Thomson | July 18, 2006 2:55 PM
Thanks for both the link to escalator status and the phone number to call if a bus or rail car isn't air-conditioned. However, the escalator status page is inaccurate -- I just got back from a ride that took me to Federal Triangle, Metro Center, and Judiciary Square at varying times, and there are escalators out at all three stations that are not listed here. It doesn't matter what kind of shape you're in -- climbing a stopped escalator in a stuffy, hot Metro station is not pleasant. It didn't threaten my health, but I would avoid it if at all possible. Any particular reason Metro escalators can't seem to work in the heat? Are they trying to conserve power by shutting some escalators down? If so, why can't they have the ones that are running go up instead of down?
Posted by: Arlingtonian | July 18, 2006 4:16 PM
The free rides isn't because of Metro's generosity. It's paid for by Virginia and Maryland as part of an agreement on air quality or something like that. Metro isn't throwing anything in for free.
Posted by: nashpaul | July 18, 2006 4:23 PM
What's the point of having working a/c on Metrobuses when the morons who ride the 90 and 92 buses open the windows anyway?
Posted by: Capitol Hill | July 19, 2006 2:11 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
"Out-of-service escalators and elevators at stations have been a source of annoyance for years, but really watch out for yourselves on the escalators in this heat. No heart-pounding walks up those steps."
Wow, how out of shape are you?