Metro is replacing the bus shelters at Fort Totten Metro station. The first phase will take place April 22 to May 10, 2024 (residents might have noticed preliminary work happening in the area already). The second phase is scheduled to take place May 13 to May 28, 2024.

Below copied from Metro’s website

Fort Totten

The following bus bays at Fort Totten will be receiving new shelters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K
The installation of new bus shelters will occur in two phases at Fort Totten:

Phase 1 – April 22, 2024 – May 10, 2024
Bus bays A, B, C, and K will temporarily close from April 22nd to May 10th to install the new bus shelters. During this timeframe, customers will board their regularly scheduled buses at temporary stop locations:

Bus bays D, E, F, G, H and J will not be impacted during Phase 1 of the temporary bus stop relocations at Fort Totten.

Customers should be aware that the Kiss & Ride shelter will close temporarily on Wednesday, April 10th and will reopen at the end of Phase 1. Additionally, four parking spaces at the Kiss & Ride will be temporarily unavailable during Phase 1. Sidewalk accessibility will be maintained outside of the Kiss & Ride shelter construction area.

For more information on temporary bus stop locations and accessibility during phase 1, see map.

Phase 2 – May 13, 2024 – May 28, 2024
Bus bay D, E, F, G, H and J will temporarily close. The Kiss & Ride will also be closed during this period. Customers may board buses at temporary stop locations:

Bus routes serving temporary bus stops T1, T2 and T3 during Phase 1 will be relocated to new temporary bus stop locations during Phase 2. Customers may board buses at temporary stops locations:

Bus bay K and the shelter at the Kiss & Ride will not be impacted during Phase 2 of the temporary bus stop relocations.

Customers should be aware that the Kiss & Ride will be closed during Phase 2.

For more information on temporary bus stop locations and accessibility during Phase 2, see map.

Please plan on additional travel time to access these temporary locations.

Station entrances and exits will not be impacted during construction.

DDOT is helping make e-bikes more affordable for DC residents through the District E-Bike
Incentive Program! Preferred Applicants (DC residents enrolled in SNAP/TANF/Medicaid or DC
Health Alliance) can apply between April 1 – 15 to receive up to $2,000 towards the purchase of
an e-bike, cargo e-bike, e-bike maintenance, or other qualified accessories. To learn more, visit ddot.dc.gov/ebikes.

Things to Know

• Applicants can apply anytime between April 1 – April 15.
• Voucher recipients will be chosen at random after the application window closes.
• Preferred Applicants (District resident enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
  Program (SNAP)), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, or the DC
  Healthcare Alliance) are the only applications being accepted during this round.
• Applicants must apply and be an approved voucher recipient BEFORE purchasing an e-bike.
• Approved applicants can redeem their vouchers only at authorized bike retailers.
• Voucher amounts vary based on applicant status and the item intended for purchase.
  See website for details.

Yesterday, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced that applications for the e-bike voucher program will be accepted from eligible “Preferred Applicants” from April 1 to April 15, 2024.

A Preferred Applicant is “a District resident enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, or the DC Healthcare Alliance.” Proof of District residency and proof of enrollment in one of these programs will be required if applying as a Preferred Applicant. Residents must apply for and receive a voucher before purchasing an e-bike.

If funds remain, a second application window will open for Standard Applicants.

E-bikes are a great way to travel around the city, especially with the completed Metropolitan Branch Trail extension to Fort Totten station and the gradual progress the city is making to construct more protected bike infrastructure.

For more information about the e-bike voucher program, visit ddot.dc.gov/ebikes.

Metro is seeking input on its proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. Potential service cuts/reductions would impact several neighborhood bus routes and rail service. See details of the revised FY2025 budget (with jurisdictional funding) at wmata.com/budget. Submit survey responses and comment letters by 5:00 pm on March 5, 2024.

See proposed bus service cuts by visiting the Docket for Public Feedback.

A few notable proposed changes for the neighborhood:

• Eliminate routes 60, E2, F1, K2, K9
• Eliminate route R1, retain route R2
• Shorten route 64 to operate between Fort Totten and Georgia Ave-Petworth. Route 64 would no longer have weekend service.
• Shorten route 80 to operate between Fort Totten and Union Station. Decrease frequency on route 80 to every 20 minutes or better all day

—

Portion of Metro News Release copied below

Metro has released a revised FY25 proposed Budget based on public funding commitments that keeps operating spending flat with Fiscal Year 2024 and minimizes service changes. Pending this funding, the FY25 Budget proposal would severely limit service and increase costs for customers. These include:

Fares

• Up to 25 percent fare increase
• 20 percent parking rate increase

Metrobus

• Eliminate service on 83 of 184 routes
• Reduce service on 51 of 184 routes
• Shorten routes with rail service

Metrorail

• Close 10 lower ridership stations
• Turn back every other Red Line train at Grosvenor-Strathmore and Silver Spring
• Turn back Silver Line trains at Stadium-Armory
• Decrease service on all lines – weekdays every 15 minutes, weekends every 20 minutes
• Decrease Hours of operation: Close the rail system at 10pm; or
• Keep existing rail system hours and open earlier and close later weekends: open at 6am on Saturdays and Sundays, close at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays

MetroAccess

• Reduced service area due to a reduction in fixed route bus service
• Approximately 20 percent of MetroAccess trips would no longer be served

How to provide feedback

Take the Survey 

Take the survey and upload documents, letters, and written comments 

Public Hearings 

Metro will host three in-person and one virtual public hearing. Information about the FY25 Proposed Budget will be available during a “Your Metro” Open House along with staff to answer your questions. The Open House will begin one hour prior to the start of the hearing. 

If you’re interested in providing in-person testimony at a hearing, pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but not required. Email speak@wmata.com or call 202-962-2511 by 12 p.m. the day of the hearing.

Monday, Feb. 26
Open House at 5 p.m. and Public Hearing begins at 6 p.m.
 
Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans’ Plaza 
1 Veterans Pl 
Silver Spring, MD 

Nearest rail station: Red Line Silver Spring Station

Bus routes: Metrobus Z6, Z8; Ride On 9, 12, 15, and Flash 

Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
Open House at 5 p.m. and Public Hearing begins at 6 p.m.

Metro L’Enfant Plaza HQ 
300 7^th Street SW 
Washington, DC 

Nearest rail station: Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, Yellow lines (L’Enfant Plaza) 

Bus routes: Metrobus 32, 36, 52, P6, DC Circulator 

Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. 
Open House at 5 p.m. and Public Hearing begins at 6 p.m. 

Arlington County Board Room 
Ellen M. Bozman Government Center 
2100 Clarendon Blvd., Ste. #307 
Arlington, VA 

Nearest rail station: Orange, Silver lines (Court House) 

Bus routes: Metrobus 4B, 38B, ART Bus 41, 77 

Thursday, Feb. 29, at 12 p.m.

Virtual only (via telephone or video) on Microsoft Teams*.

To provide video testimony, pre-register by emailing your name and organizational affiliation, if any, to speak@wmata.com or calling 202-962-2511 by 5 p.m. the day before the hearing. 

To take part by phone, call 206-899-2028 during the hearing and enter meeting code 164 729 013. No advance registration available.  

*You do not need to download Teams or have a Microsoft account to join the meetings. 

Watch the Public Hearings Live 

You can watch the Public Hearings live on our YouTube channel.

Metro is planning to shut down the red line between Fort Totten and Glenmont from June to September 2024. Metro will provide more details about the planned outage at a later date. At its board meeting on February 8, Metro stated this closure is needed to support Maryland’s work on the purple line:

June 2024 – September 2024: Fort Totten Metrorail Station to Glenmont Metrorail Station Red Line service will be shutdown to allow the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) access to construct the Purple Line mezzanine at Silver Spring. The work must be completed during a shutdown as the scope of work involves both tracks for extended timeframe. Additional work scheduled includes leak mitigation, automatic train control system replacements, traction power cables installation, drain pumping station replacement, tunnel standpipe replacement, and elevator/escalator maintenance. Shuttle Bus Service will be provided to customers.

Read Metro press release at https://wmata.com/about/news/Metro-announces-three-year-capital-construction-plans-including-Red-Line-station-closures-this-summer.cfm.

From Metro

Metrorail weekend service for Saturday, February 10 through Sunday, February 11

Advisory Effective: 2/10/24 – 2/11/24

Hours: Sat 7 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Sun 7 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Service-At-A-Glance

Neighbor Gavin noted that a recent newsletter from Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George shared information about the District Department of Transportation’s Sidewalk Gap Program. DDOT has a scoring system in place for missing sidewalks, which you can view on the sidewalk gap dashboard. In 2024, DDOT plans to install sidewalks on the even side of 3rd Street NE, from Oglethorpe Street to Peabody Street and from Quackenbos Street to New Hampshire Avenue.

There are of course lots more missing sidewalks around the neighborhood, including along Kennedy Street, 4th Street, 5th Street, Nicholson Street, Jefferson Street, Jamaica Street, Oglethorpe Street, Rittenhouse Street, Chillum Place, 1st Place, 2nd Street, Sligo Mill Road, and Galloway Street.

We have been waiting for a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street NE from South Dakota Avenue to 4th Street for a long while now. There is a plan for a 10-foot-wide multi-use path (this is separate from the planned pedestrian trail between Gallatin and Galloway). The Galloway Street sidewalk had to be redesigned after a couple of missteps. Complicated by the grade changes and large tree roots, the design required the collaboration of the National Park Service and DDOT. The project is being funded partially with federal funds. Construction is planned for 2025-2026.

From Metro

Metrorail weekend service for Saturday, January 6 through Sunday, January 7

Advisory Effective: 1/6/24 – 1/7/24

Hours: Sat 7 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Sun 7 a.m. – 2 a.m.; Mon 7 a.m. – midnight

Service-At-A-Glance

Yesterday, Metro announced that all red line stations will be open for normal service starting December 30, 2023, at 7:00 am. Red line service has been suspended between Gallery Place and Dupont since December 18 for construction. Metro will finish construction activities one day earlier than planned.

Read the announcement at https://wmata.com/about/news/Red-Line-Construction-Reopening.cfm.

Reminder, Metro will be doing construction on a portion of the red line December 18-30, 2023. Red line trains will be running every 10-12 minutes. Details on station closures, transit options, shuttle bus information, FAQs at https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/red-line-construction/index.cfm.

From Metro

Important Dates and Service Information

• Dec. 18-21 and Dec. 25-30, 2023:
  • No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place
  • Station closures: Farragut North and Metro Center (upper level)
  • Free shuttle buses replace trains.
  • Blue, Orange, and Silver line service available at Metro Center.
    • Entrances at G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed, use entrances on 12th street to access station.
  • Green and Yellow lines service available at Gallery Place
• Dec. 22-24, 2023:
  • No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Union Station
  • Station closures: Farragut North, Metro Center (upper level), Gallery Place (upper level), and Judiciary Sq
  • Free shuttle buses will replace trains
  • Blue, Orange, and Silver lines service available at Metro
    • Entrances at G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed, use entrances on 12th street to access station.
  • Green and Yellow lines available at Gallery Place
    • Entrance at Ninth & G streets NW will be closed

It seems like almost every year, Metro releases a doomsday budget because of its unfortunate funding structure. For its fiscal year 2025 budget, Metro states that in the absence of additional funding, it is looking to close a $750 million budget gap in several ways.

• Financial Management – $95 Million in contract services management, office consolidation efficiencies, vacancy, and personnel expense management
• No salary increases for employees (administrative staff and union staff)
• Half of bus routes cut
• Train frequency increases to trains every 15 minutes on weekdays, 20 minutes on weekends
• 20% fare increase
• Metro Access service area limited which will limit travel
• 10 p.m. early closures for rail system
• Close 10 stations (exact stations TBD)
• Turn back half of Red Line Trains at Grosvenor and Silver Spring
• Turn back Silver Line Trains at Stadium-Armory
• Use of Preventive Maintenance funds which put priority investments at risk

Budget information at https://wmata.com/budget.

A neighbor took a look at the neighborhood impacts of the threatened severe cuts in the FY2025 budget. Out of the various proposed cuts, the bus service cuts include several specific impacts to the neighborhood. Most of the buses serving Fort Totten Metro station would be affected. Routes E2 (Fort Totten to Ivy City), 70 (Fort Totten to Petworth), and K2 (Fort Totten to Takoma) would be eliminated. Routes 80 (North Capitol Street, K6 (New Hampshire Avenue), 64 (Fort Totten to Federal Triangle), and R1 and R2 (Riggs Road) would be reduced. Routes F1 and F2, which have a few stops in Lamond, also would be eliminated.

Metro is requesting a one-time adjustment of the baseline subsidy from DC, Maryland, and Virginia in order to avoid having to implement this doomsday budget. Metro would have to start taking steps to freeze hiring and reduce staff as early as January 2024, so Metro states that the sooner it has clarity from the jurisdictions, the better.

Metro’s board is meeting today. Over the next couple of months, Metro’s board and staff will work together to finalize a proposed budget. Metro plans to provide information about a public hearing and an opportunity to submit comments in February 2024.

Metro will be doing construction on a portion of the red line December 18-30, 2023. Details, transit options, shuttle bus information, FAQs at https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/red-line-construction/index.cfm.

From Metro

Important Dates and Service Information

• Dec. 18-21 and Dec. 25-30, 2023:
  • No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place
  • Station closures: Farragut North and Metro Center (upper level)
  • Free shuttle buses replace trains.
  • Blue, Orange, and Silver line service available at Metro Center.
    • Entrances at G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed, use entrances on 12th street to access station.
  • Green and Yellow lines service available at Gallery Place
• Dec. 22-24, 2023:
  • No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Union Station
  • Station closures: Farragut North, Metro Center (upper level), Gallery Place (upper level), and Judiciary Sq
  • Free shuttle buses will replace trains
  • Blue, Orange, and Silver lines service available at Metro
    • Entrances at G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed, use entrances on 12th street to access station.
  • Green and Yellow lines available at Gallery Place
    • Entrance at Ninth & G streets NW will be closed

Starting December 17, 2023, Metro will begin operating overnight bus service on 14 routes, including route 80. Between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., bus service will operate every 20 minutes or better on the following routes:

• A6
• A8
• B2
• H4
• S2
• V2
• W4
• X2
• 32
• 33
• 52
• 70
• 80
• 92

View 24/7 DC Bus Map.

Between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., customers can request courtesy stops along these routes to get off at a location in between designated bus stops.

From Metro on Requesting a Courtesy Stop:

1. When boarding, let our Bus Operator know you’ll be requesting a Courtesy Stop
2. In approach to your desired drop-off, pull the Stop Requested cord to signal to the Operator
3. Walk to the front and inform the Bus Operator of your Courtesy Stop location

A Courtesy Stop may only be made at the front of the bus and not through the rear doors.
Courtesy stops are at the discretion of the Bus Operator to ensure the safety of our customers and to not interfere with any other traffic or road conditions when stopping the bus.

More information at https://wmata.com/247dcbus and https://wmata.com/about/news/Metro-announces-launch-of-24-7-Bus-Service-Across-DC.cfm.

From the District Department of Transportation (DDOT)

DDOT is giving away 170 bikes at Open Streets Georgia Avenue on Saturday, October 7th! 50% of the bikes will go to low-income families, and the rest will be raffled off to lucky DC residents! Enter the raffle here: https://forms.office.com/g/fUn2rFgwUq

[Ed. Note: For those neighbors who may be interested in potential changes at Brookland Metro station, Metro passed along the following information about tonight’s hearing.]

Metro is reminding the public there will be an open house and public hearing on Tuesday, September 12, in Northeast DC on proposed facility changes at the Brookland-CUA Station. The changes are necessary for future joint development on the site as part of Metro’s 10-year Strategic Plan for Joint Development.

The public hearing is part of ongoing outreach efforts that began last month to solicit feedback on the proposal, including online information and comments.

Under the proposal, Metro would reconfigure the bus loop, relocate the Kiss & Ride lot to an on-street facility and reduce the exiting 34 Kiss & Ride spaces to eight spaces. This would improve bicycle and pedestrian access and safety and allow a mix of housing and retail on Metro’s existing property with a future joint development partner.

Customers are encouraged to provide feedback and learn more about the proposed changes during an open house and public hearing:

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023
Open House begins at 6 p.m. and Public Hearing begins at 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Luke C. Moore High School Auditorium, 1001 Monroe St. NE, Washington, DC 20017

PHONE: Dial 206-899-2028 and enter meeting code 337 433 234 #

VIDEO: Email speak@wmata.com by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, to register.

The hearing will also be available live at YouTube.com/MetroForward, or by calling the phone number above and entering the meeting code. Testimony is not required to attend or listen. Video of the hearings will also be archived at YouTube.com/MetroForward.

Those unable to participate in the public hearing may provide feedback through 5 p.m., Friday, September 22:

Visit wmata.com/plansandprojects to submit comments online and/or upload documents.

All public comments will be provided to Metro’s Board of Directors for final review and inclusion into Metro’s Mass Transit Plan.

Metro has installed another set of faregates at Fort Totten station, settling on a final design after two rounds of prototype testing that started around November 2022. People are still finding ways around the taller, stronger gates. This final installation follows several weeks of stepped up security presence at the station to deter people from entering the gates without paying. During morning and evening rush hour, a row of officers has been lined up just inside the faregates.

Last month in June, Metro introduced Metro Lift, a reduced fare program for DC, Maryland, and Virginia residents enrolled in SNAP. Information at https://www.wmata.com/fares/Reduced-Fare-Programs/MetroLift/index.cfm.

In other Metro news, last week local news reported that a special police officer shot a teen at Fort Totten station after responding to a fight between a group of people. The teen allegedly fired a gun at another individual. News reports state that the teen has been charged with assault with intent to kill and carrying a pistol without a license. A few months ago in March, a special police officer apparently chased a “suspect” fleeing towards Fort Totten station and discharged his weapon, according to MPD. No more details have been provided about that particular incident.