I live on the Pike and was surprised how split my building was regarding the streetcar. For the most part, those against wasn’t due to cost, but the lack of a dedicated lane. Most feared the increased congestion potential. For the record, I wanted the street car, but the lack of a dedicated lane concerned me as well. I feel most congestion occurs from buses stopped to load/unload and vehicles waiting to make a left. As much as I dislike them stopping in the lane, the reason (I’ve been told) the buses do not have pull outs for stops is due to the inability to get back into traffic. Over the course of a route, thirty second/one minute delays add up. It makes sense, but it still sucks when you’re stuck behind a bus.
Based on my balcony observations, I feel a large percentage of Pike traffic is transient headed to the Pentagon, downtown etc. The argument against a another Metro line citing a lack of population on the route ignores this traffic. If people in Fairfax Station, Burke, Annandale, etc had commuter lot/Metro options would it take a significant portion of vehicular traffic off the Pike? Out of curiosity, was the population density along the Orange greater than what the Pike density is today when it was first conceived?
Then again, I’m also the guy who thinks the Orange should be extended to Centerville, the Green extended to Ft. Meade, the Blue rerouted along 395 with stops at W Glebe or Shirlington, Seminary, Landmark, and extended from Springfield to Ft. Belvoir North. Plus build the Purple line as well as a line along Route 7 from Tysons to Kings Street Station and a circular line around the metro area. I’m sure most everyone has ideas where metro stops and lines should be built.
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