Georgetown and Metrorail

[DFW HOYA]

Some extended discussion over at GGW on a Metro stop in Georgetown.

greatergreaterwashington.org/post/24168/if-georgetown-had-a-metro-station-it-would-be-one-of-the-systems-busiest/

[jgalt]

In the comments there is mention that WMATA was considering a second stop in gtown closer to campus (i vaguely remember hearing about this in the past). Dont see that being necessary or useful. Booey's, Five Guys, J Pauls, Thirds(no el centro?), etc. are all near the proposed M/Wisco station and students have no problem going to those places (though i am sure booze and food help with that).

Also from the comments, a suggesting that may make many people on this board happy:

"There is a parking lot there opposite side is a park....Also, maybe can demolish that bldg
and would be easy to continue on under the Potomac River to Rosslyn."

That building of course, would be Lauinger. Of course this idea is even less likely to happen than Gtown going FBS, but i thought it was funny.

Also whats crazy to think is that the first students to benefit from these stations havent even been born yet.

[RusskyHoya]

Disclosure: I post on GGW as "Dizzy"

The Georgetown University stop was hypothesized by Metro on the grounds that the University is the largest private employer in the District, as well as home to a major regional hospital center. Because of the dearth of direct transit connectivity, the University is obliged to operate what may well be two of the most intensive bus routes in the entire region; GUTS has a ridership of over 2 million per year.

With that in mind, and as I say in the comments on that GGW post, I think the optimal location for a campus stop would be where Lot A sits today, just north of Kober-Cogan. It's far enough away from the Wisconsin & M stop to meaningfully extent the walkshed, it's convenient to students, hospital users, and even the French Embassy, Duke Ellington, and the relatively dense residential area of Burleith. Realistically, though, I don't see how it happens; it's simple geometry. The notion of the streetcar coming up from K Street to campus and using the Southwest Garage as a car barn is, at least, physically possible.

From a timetable perspective, for what it's worth, the Georgetown BID is doing its best to rally support regionally for accelerating the timeline for the separated Blue Line. It's a seriously uphill fight, though, and WMATA itself seems resigned to it not happening until the 2040 timeframe. We'll see if the new General Manager is more aggressive/proactive.

[strummer8526]

Sept 29, 2014 20:48:56 GMT -5 jgalt said:

In the comments there is mention that WMATA was considering a second stop in gtown closer to campus (i vaguely remember hearing about this in the past). Dont see that being necessary or useful. Booey's, Five Guys, J Pauls, Thirds(no el centro?), etc. are all near the proposed M/Wisco station and students have no problem going to those places (though i am sure booze and food help with that).

Also from the comments, a suggesting that may make many people on this board happy:

"There is a parking lot there opposite side is a park....Also, maybe can demolish that bldg
and would be easy to continue on under the Potomac River to Rosslyn."

That building of course, would be Lauinger. Of course this idea is even less likely to happen than Gtown going FBS, but i thought it was funny.

Also whats crazy to think is that the first students to benefit from these stations havent even been born yet.

So a random person on a message board suggested tearing down our library? That person sounds grounded and well-informed enough to be a HoyaTalk contributor.

[strummer8526]

Sept 29, 2014 20:48:56 GMT -5 jgalt said:

In the comments there is mention that WMATA was considering a second stop in gtown closer to campus (i vaguely remember hearing about this in the past). Dont see that being necessary or useful. Booey's, Five Guys, J Pauls, Thirds(no el centro?), etc. are all near the proposed M/Wisco station and students have no problem going to those places (though i am sure booze and food help with that).

Also from the comments, a suggesting that may make many people on this board happy:

"There is a parking lot there opposite side is a park....Also, maybe can demolish that bldg
and would be easy to continue on under the Potomac River to Rosslyn."

That building of course, would be Lauinger. Of course this idea is even less likely to happen than Gtown going FBS, but i thought it was funny.

Also whats crazy to think is that the first students to benefit from these stations havent even been born yet.

So a random person on a message board suggested tearing down our library? That person sounds grounded and well-informed enough to be a HoyaTalk contributor.

[TC]

This "blowing up Lauinger" idea intrigues me and I wish to subscribe to this GGW message board.

[RusskyHoya]

Oct 1, 2014 22:28:00 GMT -5 TC said:

This "blowing up Lauinger" idea intrigues me and I wish to subscribe to this GGW message board.

Heh. Lauinger isn't being blown up anytime soon, obviously, but the sooner we can make its renovation and expansion a reality, the better. It'll look much the same from the front lawn, of course, but taken as a whole (and from the river), it'll be a much more attractive structure, I think. To say nothing of the experience from inside.

It is interesting how the building boom at Georgetown has coincided with a general building boom throughout the District since the start of the third millennium. Or, if one prefers different starting points, the installation of John J. DeGioia and 9/11, respectively. The fates of the two continue to be inextricably tied.

[Problem of Dog]

Sept 29, 2014 22:01:08 GMT -5 RusskyHoya said:

Disclosure: I post on GGW as "Dizzy"

The Georgetown University stop was hypothesized by Metro on the grounds that the University is the largest private employer in the District, as well as home to a major regional hospital center. Because of the dearth of direct transit connectivity, the University is obliged to operate what may well be two of the most intensive bus routes in the entire region; GUTS has a ridership of over 2 million per year.

With that in mind, and as I say in the comments on that GGW post, I think the optimal location for a campus stop would be where Lot A sits today, just north of Kober-Cogan. It's far enough away from the Wisconsin & M stop to meaningfully extent the walkshed, it's convenient to students, hospital users, and even the French Embassy, Duke Ellington, and the relatively dense residential area of Burleith. Realistically, though, I don't see how it happens; it's simple geometry. The notion of the streetcar coming up from K Street to campus and using the Southwest Garage as a car barn is, at least, physically possible.

From a timetable perspective, for what it's worth, the Georgetown BID is doing its best to rally support regionally for accelerating the timeline for the separated Blue Line. It's a seriously uphill fight, though, and WMATA itself seems resigned to it not happening until the 2040 timeframe. We'll see if the new General Manager is more aggressive/proactive.

Lot A could be used for a thousand things. It is being used for zero of them.