From WMATA in consideration of the proposed elimination of the E6 bus line through upper NW Washington, there are a series of Town Halls:
We are tuning in to you to help us make important decisions about Metro's future.
For the first time ever, Metro will host combined Open Houses and Town Hall Meetings prior to its official Public Hearings. Metro staff members will be available at Open Houses for one-on-one conversations about Metro service and programs. Town Hall Meetings will give you an opportunity to talk about the future of the system with Metro leaders, including members of the Metro Board of Directors. During the Public
Hearings, Metro will take formal testimony on the following options under consideration for the FY12 budget:
o Increasing the Metrorail train wait times on weekends
o Eliminating the Metrobus E6, K1 and N8 lines
o Restructuring the Metrobus M4, V7, V8, 70 and 71 lines
o Eliminating the 50¢ discount on certain Anacostia bus routes, resulting in MetroAccess fare increase, and modification of the Anacostia station bus transfer discount program
The Open Houses will be from 5:30-6:00 p.m. followed by the Town Hall Meetings/Q&A from 6:00-6:45 p.m. The Public Hearings will start at 6:45 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 17
St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church
4125 Fessenden St, NW
Washington, DC
Metrorail stop: Friendship Heights
1 comment:
Over 1,000 concerned DC area residents have signed a petition to retain the E6 bus line after Metro and DDOT announced their proposal to completely eliminate the E6 bus (Chevy Chase line) between Friendship Heights and Knollwood (a retirement residence on Oregon Avenue). Hundreds of riders depend on this bus route every day. It meets the needs of residents who may not own a car or want to drive; it allows many seniors, in particular, to get to their physicians on Wisconsin Avenue; it allows commuters to get to work in downtown DC, Maryland, and to connect to other parts of the DC metro region; it allows access to shopping near Chevy Chase Circle, including the Broad Branch Market, Safeway, and Magruders; and, it brings many people to the Chevy Chase Library and Community Center. Finally, it permits students to use the bus to get to school including Lafayette Elementary School and St. Johns. Years ago, the E6 bus also ran on weekends. Now it is a Monday to Friday service only. Its elimination will directly affect the lives of hundreds of citizens that reside in Ward 3 and Ward 4 and their visitors as well as workers that provide services to the homeowners that live along the bus route (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, and others). If the WMATA/DDOT proposal is approved bus service could also be discontinued for the K1 bus (Takoma-Walter Reed Line) and the N8 bus (Tenleytown-Glover Park Loop Line). Notably, no other bus routes in the city would be discontinued only those in upper Northwest DC.
The proposed plan is also ill-timed. Gas prices are higher than ever (already over $4.00 in many places and seem to be trending to $5.00 or more). More people might opt for public bus transportation as a result. In areas like DC Chevy Chase demographics show a shift to older residents that depend on public transportation for their mobility. Access to metrobus should be made easier rather than harder, which could, of course, increase ridership. Finally, all citizens of DC should have access to public transportation, including those residents that live in upper Northwest. Increasingly, this community is being shut out and one day might lose all of its access to Metrobus services. Some areas of the District, like parts of upper Northwest, might become completely automobile dependent.
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