The Silver Line's Dark Lining

The reality of how the Silver Line will further screw Blue Line riders and "Rush+" Orange Line riders west of East Fall Church is starting to dawn on people.

Blue Line headways will be 12 minutes all day, and Orange Line riders west of East Falls Church will see their service cut dramatically.

You can read the rosy side of the story here on Metro's planning (bad news) blog.

Metro has also targeted Blue Line riders with yet another survey, the subtext of which is "take the bus."

Here's the intro text:

Dear Metro Customer:

When the Silver Line opens, in order to create more space in the Rosslyn tunnel, Blue Line trains, all day long, will run 12 minutes apart. We’ve identified you as a Metrorail customer who may be impacted by the change to the Blue Line service. Will you take a brief 5 minute survey to let us know how you will be impacted by the change?

I'd give you a link to the survey but they're individualized.

Some Blue Line riders are outraged.

From Peggy:

The questions ask whether I'd be willing to take a bus instead. There was no way to indicate in the answers that I already take a bus to Farragut and am not interested in another transfer into street traffic.

As you know, the Orange line changes last year have meant that the Blue line is already running less frequently. You can imagine how frustrating it is to look up at the board and see that 3 orange trains are due, with no mention of a Blue in sight. This happens frequently! Twelve minutes apart --that's 5 trains per hour -- is unacceptable. They shouldn't charge a rush hour fee for that kind of service.

For the first time ever, I am considering driving to work. Please tell your followers to fight this!

From Albert:

More proof that they are screwing Blue Line riders. Note the confirmation of 12 minute delays, all day.

When you take the survey, you will see that they are trying to sell bus service as a Metro substitute.  Why not let people keep taking buses from Dulles, as they do now?

Please, have some hard hitting fun with this.  I also think they are gaming the survey by not allowing answers that many of us would give.