Archive: Weather
The Hot Afternoon Commute
As I hear about problems, I'll post them here ... Driving. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Loudoun, Frederick, Montgomery and Howard counties until 6:15 p.m., and more heavy weather may follow through the evening. Trains slow. MARC says that the high heat has led once again to speed restrictions on the afternoon trains. This affects all lines, and riders should anticipate delays of 10 to 15 minutes. The Camden Line already was having problems because of the oil truck fire on the Hanover Street ramp in Baltimore that shut train service all morning. But MARC says it is operating a "holiday" schedule this afternoon on the Camden Line. Brunswick Line Train 881 is starting service from Silver Spring Station. Metro is honoring MARC tickets. Metrorail. Metro, which suffered a derailment on the Orange Line yesterday afternoon, says all is good so far today. The Orange Line is...
By | June 10, 2008; 02:24 PM ET | Comments (7)
Heat Restrictions on MARC
We got our first advisory about heat restrictions that will slow commuter rail service this afternoon: CSX, which owns the tracks that MARC trains run on, has issued heat orders for MARC's Camden and Brunswick Lines from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. MARC says riders should expect 10 to 15 minute delays, because the trains will reduce their speeds to comply with the orders. The rail services issue these slowdown orders out of concern that the hot weather will cause the tracks to bend, which can lead to a derailment....
By | June 9, 2008; 02:22 PM ET | Comments (3)
Metrobus Didn't Know About Code Red Day
Today is a Code Red alert day, in anticipation of unhealthy levels of ozone in the air, so many local buses are free. But Metro says it didn't know that until the morning rush had already begun, and people were paying the regular fare for rides that should have been free. This is what I heard from one rider in Montgomery County: "Despite what has been reported on your blog, Channel 4 and Montgomery County, I was made to pay fare on this morning's J9 bus between Lakeforest and Bethesda, even though I told the driver that this being a Code Red day, fares were not supposed to be charged. "Although I did not take down the driver's name, the bus number is 6213 and it left Lakeforest at 6:20 AM. I was told I had to pay fare "or else." When I called Metro's customer information line, I was...
By | June 9, 2008; 11:02 AM ET | Comments (60)
Storm's Impact on Traffic and Transit
These are some of the lingering effects of Wednesday's storms. -- MARC's Brunswick Line is knocked out all day because of the trees on the tracks, but MARC hopes to restore service on Friday, Maryland Transportation Secretary John Porcari said this morning. He noted that getting things back on schedule is difficult because CSX freight traffic is backed up and has to be cleared. And much of the MARC equipment is still at Union Station and must be sent back out west once the line is clear.(Metro is honoring MARC tickets today.) -- Maryland is adding some commuter buses from Shady Grove Metro station this afternoon to compensate for the lack of service on the Brunswick Line: 6:05 - Shady Grove to Urbana & Frederick at 6:05 p.m.; Shady Grove to Urbana, Frederick and Hagerstown at 6:30 p.m. and Shady Grove to Urbana, Frederick and Hagerstown at 6:50 p.m. --...
By | June 5, 2008; 12:17 PM ET | Comments (12)
Lingering Weather Problems
Many of the weather-related problems on the roads are spotted on our traffic map. But drivers in Prince William County will have to deal with one such problem for days to come: All four lanes of Dale Boulevard west of Mapledale Avenue are closed because the roadway has washed, the Virginia Department of Transportation reports. The is about four miles from the Dale Boulevard/I-95 interchange. The washout, at about 4 o'clock this morning, left a 20-foot deep by 25-foot wide hole. Police blocked the boulevard at Mapledale Avenue and Nassau Drive. The road is likely to remain closed for at least a week to let the area dry, figure out the cause of the problem and fix it. Detour: Heading west on Dale, take Ridgefield Road to the Prince William Parkway to Hoadly Road back to Dale. Heading east on Dale, take Hoadly Road to Prince William Parkway to Ridgefield...
By | May 12, 2008; 12:52 PM ET | Email a Comment
Ice Storm Anger Melts Away
It was quiet. Too quiet. In fact, the Waterford reception center in Springfield was dead quiet last night, except for the sound of water flowing in a fountain that forms the centerpiece of the entrance hall. Moving slowly forward through the dimly lit corridors, alert for charging zombies, I found my way to the room set aside for the Virginia government's forum for public comments on the ice storm that froze the nearby Springfield Interchange on Feb. 12. Inside, David S. Ekern, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation, was reviewing how motorists came to be stranded for eight hours or more and what his department has done since then to improve its procedures and preparations. He delivered a good talk to an audience made up mainly of VDOT officials who were there to assist in answering questions from angry citizens. There were about two VDOT officials per angry citizen....
By | April 23, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (6)
Ice Storm Meeting Tuesday
Has the memory of being stuck six hours or more in the frozen Springfield interchange melted with the coming of spring? Highway information on display at Northern Virginia's Traffic Management Center. (Thomson) For those who haven't forgotten the long afternoon and evening of Feb. 12, here's your chance: The Virginia Department of Transportation is holding a forum to discuss its mistakes in planning and execution during the ice storm. VDOT's presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Waterford, 6715 Commerce St., Springfield. Public comments will follow, starting at 7:15 p.m. People who want to speak can sign up at the door. VDOT says the comments will be used to help develop a better statewide emergency response plan, so that similar traffic paralysis doesn't happen again. You'll find a copy of VDOT's interim report on its ice storm response at this link. [ Join me at 1 p.m. today for...
By | April 21, 2008; 05:57 AM ET | Email a Comment
Storm Easing Up
Your afternoon commute should be better than this morning's trip. The weather service has canceled the winter storm warning and travel conditions have improved, especially within the Capital Beltway, as the morning's icy mix changed to mostly rain and diminished. Maryland monitors winter highway conditions from its State Operations Center near BWI. (Thomson - file) But temperatures remain around freezing, and you still may encounter slick spots. VDOT, still smarting from the Feb. 12 ice storm delays at the Springfield Interchange, says it isn't taking any chances on the road conditions. Crews have treated commuter lots and will continue to treat highway ramps and bridges. They also are sanding hills, curves and trouble spots in subdivisions. Highway crews across the region had plenty of warning about the arrival of this storm, so all jurisdictions mobilized overnight and were out treating the roads, even neighborhood streets that usually are the last...
By | February 22, 2008; 01:50 PM ET | Comments (12)
Snow Preparations Underway
There is an upside: The timing of this snow and ice storm will allow many commuters to see what they're in for before leaving home and make decisions accordingly. Current forecasts show the wintery mix arriving in time for the morning rush, when some people can still decide to take transit or telecommute. But drivers should beware that this storm likely will fit our recent pattern, with conditions varying from snow to ice to nothing and back again over a single commute. Don't be lulled if you start out in snow today. You'll probably come back in ice. (Worry about warming the windshield. During the Feb. 12 ice storm, many drivers found that the first pass of the wipers rendered the road ahead invisible. And take a scraper today.) Our Traffic Page has a map indicating accidents and delays, as well as camera views. We also have the forecast page...
By | February 21, 2008; 04:35 PM ET | Comments (2)
VDOT Gets Out Snow Equipment
Virginia's transportation department seems determined to avoid a repeat of last week's icy disaster at the Springfield Interchange. Let's wish 'em luck today and later this week, if the forecast holds. Today, VDOT said in an announcement, it's focusing on the bridges and overpasses, particularly at the Springfield Mixing Bowl. This includes pre-treating the ramps and bridges with 15 trucks with salt and sand and with four liquid magnesium tankers, the department said. The trucks were stationed ahead of time at the ramps and bridges throughout the interchange, so they could treat the roadways ahead of any snow or ice. This will be the standard procedure for all future snow and ice storms, VDOT said. Across its areas of responsibility in Northern Virginia, VDOT is sending out 722 salt and sand trucks. Besides the 114 trucks covering the interstates, there will be 317 trucks in Fairfax County, 101 trucks in...
By | February 20, 2008; 01:34 PM ET | Comments (6)
Perfectly Awful Conditions
This storm fit an unfortunate pattern: Just as rush hour is beginning, the forecast turns out to be slightly off, road conditions take a turn for the worse and the highway crews trying to treat the streets and highways are out in the same traffic as the rest of us. In early December, a similar pattern left many drivers stuck during the morning rush when the first light snow of the season landed. But that was small stuff compared the the regional shutdown that occurred in January 2000. Four-tenths of an inch of snow starting as the afternoon rush was beginning halted traffic for hours. The light snow -- not much but more than the flurries forecasters had predicted -- glazed the chilled roadways before many of the highway crews could get in position to treat them. Drivers talked about five-hour trips up 16th Street NW. Tuesday's afternoon glazing created...
By | February 13, 2008; 10:57 AM ET | Comments (24)
Couple of Weather Postponements
Our Web site is running a list of closings and cancellations, because of today's storm, but I heard about a couple of others related to transportation events. -- The Prince William Committee of 100 has postponed this evening's forum on transportation scheduled for the Four Points Sheraton in Manassas and will pick a new date for the event. (I heard about that one because I was scheduled to moderate the panel and am looking forward to getting there on the new date.) -- The Maryland State Highway Administration has postponed an open house scheduled for tonight in Montgomery County to discuss plans to widen Route 124. SHA spokeswoman Kellie Boulware says the new date is Feb. 7. The meeting at Judith A. Resnick Elementary School cafeteria, 7301 Hadley Farms Drive, Gaithersburg, will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. (The SHA is planning to widen Route 124 to...
By | January 17, 2008; 01:48 PM ET | Comments (6)
Snow Traveling
Driving around at midafternoon, I noticed that the commenters on the previous blog entry offer up to the minute advice: Visibility and speed are likely to be the traffic problems as you head home. Pavement on the Beltway's outer loop in Silver Spring was clear. (Robert Thomson) Knock the snow off your car, including the roof, for your sake and that of your fellow drivers. And turn your headlights on. The main roads I traveled were in pretty good shape. But conditions can change quickly. An easy drive on a main road can become problematic as you cross a bridge or overpass, where you may quickly encounter snow, slush or ice. That and poor visibility are two good reasons to keep speeds down this afternoon. Here's University Boulevard, also looking good. (Robert Thomson) And don't let the relatively good conditions on the main roads deceive you about what you'll encounter...
By | December 5, 2007; 01:30 PM ET | Comments (18)
Weather and Other Advisories
Main roads remain clear, but the snow is falling more heavily in many areas than it was during your morning commute. If you made it to work just fine, don't get over confident about the afternoon trip. Be particularly careful on bridges and overpasses. Camera views show them starting to turn white with snow in some areas. Metro The trains are slow this morning, because two seasons have come together: We've got snow and leaves falling on the tracks. If your trip involves above ground stations, build in extra time. The train speeds have been cut to 30 mph from the normal operating speed of 55 mph. Bus service will vary with your route. You may very well be waiting longer than usual, and your bus may detour around slippery or blocked roadways. Don't count on the "Next Bus" system of real-time schedule information, even if you're seeing signs for...
By | December 5, 2007; 10:44 AM ET | Comments (11)
Advice on Today's Travels
These are some advisories from transportation officials, travel experts and just plain commuters about getting around in today's hot weather. -- It's another Code Orange day, so the bus rides in Northern Virginia are again free. -- Cars are stressed. By 4 p.m. Tuesday, the call volume was again soaring at AAA Mid-Atlantic's emergency switchboard, said John Townsend, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. More than 40 percent requested towing, indicating mechanical breakdowns. Almost a quarter involved starting problems and about 15 percent were related to tires that popped in the extreme heat. -- Suburban rail riders probably already know to expect slower trips because of heat restrictions and the summertime plague of equipment breakdowns. But Metrorail riders also will fnd their trips slowed on the above ground lines. As it did Tuesday, Metro has switched from automatic train control to operator control and told the operators to slow the trains to...
By | August 8, 2007; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (2)
Travel Tips for Hot Days
Here's some advice for a day when the forecast calls for high temperatures approaching 100 degrees and air quality bad enough to rate a Code Orange. -- The buses in Northern Virginia are free, because of the Code Orange alert. (That includes the Metrobuses that run in Northern Virginia, but none of our other jurisdictions participates in this free ride program on Code Orange days. You know a bus line is participating when you see the farebox covered, but they usually display signs saying, "Code Orange Day, Ride Free.") -- MARC train passengers are likely to be slowed by CSX heat restrictions, which reduce train speeds for safety during times when high heat may bend the rails. But VRE seems to have worked out a way with CSX this year to reduce the delays caused by these afternoon restrictions. Both lines have problems with equipment that breaks down in the...
By | August 7, 2007; 08:24 AM ET | Comments (10)
Snow Advisories for Commuters
The District is deploying 150 trucks and 450 people to work clearing the roads. The top priorities will be major roadways, bridges and overpasses. The next set of targets will be secondary roads and neighborhood streets. Maryland keeps track of traffic alerts on this page. Virginia posts a road conditions map. You can see a map showing how well the District plows are doing during the storm or get an update on traffic conditions throughout the region on our Web site. "We will do our part in treating roadways -- and motorists need to do their part in driving carefully or taking public transportation instead of driving," Emeka Moneme, the District transportation director, said in a statement. He urged city residents and businesses to clean the sidewalks and clear catch basin openings near their property to keep pedestrians safe and also to prevent flooding once the snow melts. District residents...
By | March 6, 2007; 04:54 PM ET | Email a Comment
Seeking Commuter Advice on Storms
Drivers, with the snow and ice storm fresh in your minds, what are the chronic trouble spots that people newer to the area should be warned about? I'd like to compile traveler suggestions into a warning list we can use in advance of future storms. Seems to me there might be two categories on this: -- Places that are normally just fine but turn nasty during very bad weather. That might be a highway overpass or ramp that tends to freeze earlier than the rest of a roadway, or a dip in the road where water tends to collect and freeze. -- Places that are normally bad for traffic and should flat out be avoided during a storm. This might be a crowded spot on your everyday commute where many drivers are trying to change lanes, and one mistake can create a dangerous situation or at least a long-lasting jam....
By | February 15, 2007; 09:08 AM ET | Comments (10)
New Way to Monitor D.C. Snow Clearing
Check out a new way of monitoring the progress of snow clearing equipment in the District. The District Department of Transportation has launched a pilot project on its Web site so people can see what the city's snow crews are doing on the streets. DDOT says the goal is to create a stream of information for the public to see how and when road surfaces are treated during a winter storm, and the department wants your feedback. The site can be found at www.ddot.dc.gov. Click on "Snow Plan," then click on "Snow Automatic Vehicle Locator." Or click on this link to take you there. One thing you'll notice is that this system doesn't do primary roads, like Connecticut or Wisconsin avenues, that are maintained by contractors rather than DDOT crews. You can tell the city what you think of this new information and accountability system by using this e-mail: customerservice.ddot@dc.gov....
By | February 14, 2007; 06:11 AM ET | Comments (9)
