Bates Area Civic Association

Dear Neighbors,
Please be wise and stay off the roads unless it is absolutely necessary. Below are some transporation options for Monday, February 8th.
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DDOT Announces DC Circulator Service to Resume on Monday
All Routes Open and FREE

(Washington, D.C.) – The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced bus services for the DC Circulator will operate on all routes on Monday. Normal hours of operation are in effect with service beginning at 6a.m. and 7a.m. as per routes. In addition, all rides are free in an effort to provide DC government employees and residents who will be heading into work an alternative to driving.

“We wanted to get the service up by Monday and we have,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein. “In addition, we are offering the service for free Monday to encourage use of the service and assist residents and commuters traveling to work.”

In addition to being the first bus transit option back in service after the weekend’s massive snow storm, DDOT is providing free service all day.

Passengers are warned that there is a possibility of delays and longer waits in between buses. In addition, detours may be put into effect which will be announced. Riders of the service are asked to monitor for updates at http://www.dccirculator.com or follow DDOT on Twitter at http://twitter/DDOTDC.

Passengers should be extremely cautious entering and exiting buses because of snow and ice at many of the bus stops. Be sure to allow for additional time to your normal commute.
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Underground-only Metrorail and limited Metrobus service expected Monday
For immediate release: February 7, 2010

Metro staff continue to clear above-ground tracks

For Monday morning, Feb. 8, commuters should expect limited underground Metrorail service to start at 7 a.m., and very limited Metrobus service from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., as icy conditions on roadways and Metrorail tracks continue to be a barrier to providing safe service. MetroAccess service for Monday will be suspended for the entire day.

Metro staff continue efforts in clearing the above-ground tracks. However, continued re-icing of the electrified third rail and winds are blowing snow back onto the tracks are hampering Metro’s ability to restore service to the above ground tracks.

Fewer than two dozen Metrobus lines will be in service on Monday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. due to snowy and icy conditions that persist on the region’s roadways. Metrobuses will stick to snow emergency routes to start the day. Customers may want to take advantage of the next bus prediction technology to get an idea when the next bus will be arriving by logging onto Metro’s web site
or calling 202-637-7000 and saying, “Next Bus.” Buses are expected to be moving slowly on the roads, which remain slippery.

Limited service will be established tomorrow on the following bus routes in the District of Columbia: the U8 line (Minn. Ave – Capitol Heights), the 64 line (Georgia Ave-Petworth– Fort Totten), the 50 line (14th and Colorado Ave) the 70 line (Silver Spring – Archives), the S4 line (Silver Spring – Federal Triangle) the 30 line (Friendship Heights – Potomac Ave) and the A line (Southern Ave to Anacostia). In Northern Virginia, the 16 line (Pentagon – Baileys Crossroads) the 1C line (Dunn Loring), 2C line (Dunn Loring), 17 line (Braddock Road) and 28 line (Alexandria – Tysons Corner). In Maryland, the Z2 and Z8 line (Silver Spring), the Q line (Silver Spring-Shady Grove), the Y line (Silver Spring –Norbeck Road), the F1 and F2 line (Takoma – Cheverly), the J2 line (Bethesda –
Silver Spring), the J7/J9 line (Bethesda – Lake Forest Mall), and the P12 line (Eastover – Addison Road).

These routes are subject to change depending on the conditions of the roads. Bus service operations managers will monitor all of these areas with an eye toward returning service to those lines when road conditions improve and it is deemed safe for buses to drive along those streets.

Bus officials continue to stay in touch with the local departments of
transportation to let officials in the local jurisdictions know where some of the biggest challenges exist for providing bus service in hopes that those areas can be cleared of snow and treated for icy conditions to allow for safe bus passage.

Metro officials cautioned riders to be mindful of slippery roads, which are being used as walkways because most sidewalks remain covered with snow. “Take your time when boarding a bus, as we know that there are huge piles of snow lining the edges of streets and blocking the bus stops,” said Dave Kubicek, Metro’s Acting Deputy General Manager for Operations. “Please do not to run to catch a bus or a train as it’s not worth a fall that could cause an injury.”

Metro has 86 stations and 106-miles of track. Forty-six stations along 50.5 miles of track are located underground and 40 stations along 55.5 miles of track are above ground. All 40 above-ground stations remain closed. On Monday, trains will be servicing stations at 24- to 30-minute intervals to the underground stations as follows:

Red Line – Medical Center to Union Station and Glenmont to Forest Glen
Orange and Blue Lines – Ballston to Stadium-Armory
Green Line – Fort Totten to Congress Heights
Yellow Line – Pentagon to Crystal City

To read the full text, visit: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4291

News release issued at 8:27 pm, February 7, 2010.