Comments on: Columbia Pike Closed Due to Water Main Break

By: John K

John K — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 08:41:32 +0000

New sewage lines on one side and correction of their previous lack of homework from when they went to put the power lines underground and then realized oh hey… there’s stuff in the way here.

By: YTK

YTK — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:31:28 +0000

Water main break? RU sure it just wasn’t Four Mile Run backing up????

By: Columbia Pk Resident

Columbia Pk Resident — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:13:29 +0000

What is the reason for all the road construction at Columbia Pike and 4 mile run intersection? Is there gold underneath the road? It is taking a toll on my car’s suspension. I was so happy when they finally re-paved it, only to be horrified when I saw several new patches that were done haphazardly.
Also is our tax money being used to pave the road, only to have it be destroyed a short time later?
Something needs to be done to prevent this from continuing.

By: Barticus

Barticus — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:08:49 +0000

@Buckingham Beauty: Apparently we must stock a fleet of reliable but unglamous buses to backstop the gleaming streetcar’s delicate needs.

To answer your question, why not just use buses in the first place? It’s too rational an answer. Besides, there wouldn’t be ribbon cutting ceremony.

By: Josh S

Josh S — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:08:33 +0000

Spare rolling stock? When was the last time you drove by the bus yard down by the water treatment plant? There are always buses parked there. Spare rolling stock. As if you are some sort of transportation engineering genius and no one has ever run a large public transportation agency before. Good grief, get over yourself.

By: Buckingham Beauty

Buckingham Beauty — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:05:30 +0000

And for that to work, enough spare rolling stock would have to be kept on hand solely for the purpose of backing up the streetcar. And that would have to be enough to transport the same number of people as the streetcar. So, why not just stick with buses?

By: DB

DB — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:53:55 +0000

Buses can be brought in to shuttle people around when the streetcar is blocked. .

By: Buckingham Beauty

Buckingham Beauty — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:57:32 +0000

DANG, was that a long snarl. 25-minute bus ride became 65. 30 minutes just to detour down Four Mile Run and back up George Mason to the Pike. Ugh.

By: RTK

RTK — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:44:46 +0000

Well the nice new pavement we waited for over 2 years to get lasted all of a couple months before it will be returned to its natural Beirut bombed out self…. Eagerly awaiting 2015 before we can enjoy another 90 days of a smooth commute.

By: Pablo

Pablo — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:21:51 +0000

This really does point to why you do NOT want a Streetcar. Buses can be re-routed in cases such as this….Streetcars cannot. Of course Zimmerman has no conflict of interest here so he can view this incident as to why they should not spend $$$$ on infrastructure that is not necessary and is expensive to maintain. Although he may not get as big of a bonus from his consulting job if that is the case.