The original date for the ground braking of the first segment of the system was to originally be on 10 01 1968. However the chairman (William Natcher (D 2D KY) of the DC Subcommittee of the House Appropriation Committee blocked funding in exchange for building the never built systems of freeway in DC. The impasse ended on 11 25 1969 when President Richard Nixon (R) told him to back down. Ground was broken on 12 09 1969 a week after the first construction contract was awarded.

gnocchicotti t1_je02v43 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 1:29 PM

#2,415,809

Blue Line looked a lot different back then

Baby_compost t1_je03em4 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 1:33 PM

#2,415,914

If only we kept expanding it at the same speed as before

Yellowdog727 t1_je03zcw wrote on March 28, 2023 at 1:37 PM

#2,416,024

Replying to SandBoxJohn (#2,415,772)

Thank God we went with metro instead of a freeway

azureai t1_je04dlj wrote on March 28, 2023 at 1:40 PM

#2,416,102

Wow - it didn't even include Gallery Place/Chinatown...

TimAppleBurner OP t1_je07akv wrote on March 28, 2023 at 2:01 PM

#2,416,665

Replying to azureai (#2,416,102)

I watched a video on it last night after seeing this photo on Facebook. Gallery Place was under construction, but it was not finished. It would open later that year on December 16th. They did not want the rest of the system to be held up by this stop, so it did not open at the same time as the rest of them.

OllieOllieOxenfry t1_je0bz2j wrote on March 28, 2023 at 2:33 PM

#2,417,576

I wonder how much progress we will make on expanding metro in the next 50 years.

FRSftw t1_je0r8p3 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 4:12 PM

#2,420,095

We overestimate how much we can do in the short term and underestimate what we can do over decades.

keithsy t1_je11njv wrote on March 28, 2023 at 5:18 PM

#2,421,953

It is not in good hands.

keithsy t1_je11td4 wrote on March 28, 2023 at 5:19 PM

#2,421,980

Replying to CommodoreBeta (#2,409,200)

That is your govt. that many people love.

Cythrosi t1_je1eocp wrote on March 28, 2023 at 6:39 PM

#2,424,152

Replying to TimAppleBurner (#2,416,665)

I believe WMATA wanted to open it, but the elevators weren't ready and they were forced to wait until they were operational to open the station.

blacksheepghost t1_je1hvxu wrote on March 28, 2023 at 6:59 PM

#2,424,771

Replying to Bendragonpants (#2,409,828)

Also metro has a train depot just south of RI Ave. I assume that's why it went there specifically.

madmoneymcgee t1_je1wias wrote on March 28, 2023 at 8:29 PM

#2,427,186

Replying to CommodoreBeta (#2,409,200)

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?

SoonerLater85 t1_je2t2eb wrote on March 29, 2023 at 12:13 AM

#2,433,130

Replying to blacksheepghost (#2,424,771)

Yup, they wanted to have Union Station open first and they needed a rail yard. Dupont Circle was supposed to be included in the initial opening as well but was delayed because of flood damage.