47 years ago, on this date in 1976, WATA Metrorail service began operating. Source: Council of the District of Columbiamadmoneymcgee t1_je1wias wrote
Reply to comment by CommodoreBeta in 47 years ago, on this date in 1976, WATA Metrorail service began operating. Source: Council of the District of Columbia by TimAppleBurner
I read The Great Society Subway last year and a few things stood out:
- The relative lack of control the local governments had did help. It really was a federal project and local places either got in line or they got nothing. And no one really wanted to be left out so that's how we got all 5 (now 6) lines. You notice when the Feds had political leaders who liked metro things went better and when you had leaders who didn't then things slowed down a lot.
- Every time they tried to cut costs by rerouting or abandoning a line they ended up either not saving any money or finding out the original plan was probably the best all along.
- Bus service today suffers because it was forced to be part of metro after the fact and was never really integrated that well in terms of an overall service philosophy. They were promised as a better replacement for the city's streetcar system but never actually given a chance to do so.
- NPS has always been a villain when it comes to Metro. They fought hard against a "Smithsonian" station at all much less an entrance actually on the mall. Can you imagine?
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