As you are well aware--Metro Is The Way To Go. Maybe, not this weekend.
Last night, while watching Our Washington Nationals on MASN, a Metro Weekend Disruption Announcement was shown on the broadcast. The information stated that due to Track Maintenance--customers using Metrorail to and from New Nationals Park this coming weekend MAY face significant delays leaving the South Capitol Street Ballpark after the game.
This is a problem I have feared for some time.
For well over one year--Metro has been virtually an impossible service to depend on during any weekend. Continuing Track Maintenance forcing single tracking--causing delays up to 45 minutes in any one direction. It's why Sohna and I NEVER use Metro on the weekend.
Now--fans of Our Washington Nationals are going to have to make a determined choice. What mode of transportation to use for this weekend's games against The Florida Marlins. Mother's Day Weekend--usually well attended affairs.
According to Metro's website--when leaving the ballpark after the game--Free shuttle buses will be available from Navy Yard Station to Federal Center SW beginning after the 7th inning of each game. The N22 will also be a Free Shuttle after the 7th inning to Eastern Market Station and on to Union Station. Each shuttle bus running every five minutes.
Also--a shuttle train link will run from Navy Yard to L'Enfant Plaza Station.
Before the game--fans on The Red Line commuting from Shady Grove are requested to get off at Metro Center, Not Gallery Place/Chinatown, then transfer to a Blue or Orange Line train to L'Enfant Plaza--then catch the shuttle train to Navy Yard/Nationals Park. Red Line customers from Silver Spring are asked to get off at Union Station and transfer to the N22 Bus to Nationals Park.
There is a lot of information to shift through. So, if this disruption might affect your route to the ballgames this weekend--please read the information provided in both links.
Thankfully, The Free Nats Express has worked wonderfully from RFK Stadium's Lot 8. And parking in and around New Nationals Park has not exactly been hard to find in the designated lots. Especially since paid daily parking is now available.
Unfortunately, this is exact type of scenario where Metro promises, then historically changes it's tune to satisfy their needs--not necessarily those of their customers. Yes, Metro needs to retro fit and maintain their system. But, do they have to disrupt the time and ease of the up to 20,000 Patrons whom have been ASKED/BEGGED to use Metro as their sole choice of transportation to and from the new ballyard?
Sohna and I are taking The Nats Express this weekend as Our Way To Go. And we can imagine many more fans deciding to use their cars as well for their Way To Go--not willing to experience a SIGNIFICANT DELAY on Metro on Saturday or Sunday.
I am dealing with this problem by not going to the games on Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, I have to eat the cost of my season tickets for those games, but watching from my couch will be better than the delays.
ReplyDeleteSaturday is also a soccer game, so lot 7 will be the lot utilized, not lot 8.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteDon't eat your tickets, give them to me!
Cheers,
Sam
I've only been to one game this year, but hopefully I'll go this saturday or sunday. I took metro (it was a sunday afternoon game) and it was fantastic. (I was lucky enough to get one of the "extra trains" coming back from l'anfant, so no one was on it. They kept everything moving.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks for the tip, I didn't know about the delay warning for the weekend.
Don't forget that the Outer Loop on the Wilson Bridge will be reduced this weekend as well.
ReplyDeleteFrom 9pm Friday to mid-day Saturday, it will be ONE lane.
From mid-day Saturday to sometime Sunday, it will be TWO lanes.
So driving from southern VA to DC is going to suck.
My plans is just taking the Metro to Capitol South and walking down. It's not a bad walk.
Metro's running a special shuttle train link from L'Enfant Plaza to the ballpark? And free shuttle buses every five minutes from both Federal Triangle (Blue Orange) and Union Station (Red) lines?
ReplyDeleteI'll give Metro credit for an honest effort to deploy resources to provide alternatives to work around the track maintenance. I hope the alternatives are well publicized, so that people will know they're available.
This isn't for everybody, but for those fans who don't mind walking, you can get out at Capitol South on the Blue/Orange line and walk a mile south on First St. then New Jersey Avenue till you get to the ballpark. If you stay on NJ instead of veering right at I Street, there's a wonderful Starbucks at the corner of New Jersey and M.
ReplyDeleteJD Land's walking route to Nationals Park
Saturday is also a soccer game, so lot 7 will be the lot utilized, not lot 8.
ReplyDeleteWhat soccer game? DC United's schedule shows no game this Saturday (5/10), an away game on Saturday 5/17, and the next Saturday game at RFK not unti 5/24.
Should be Lot 8 for Nats Express this weekend.
Employees got a note saying that it would be lot 7 this weekend.
ReplyDeleteAssumed that meant soccer, maybe it is another event
Employees got a note saying that it would be lot 7 this weekend.
ReplyDeleteAssumed that meant soccer, maybe it is another event
Perhaps it just means that they're expecting a larger than usual crowd of fans wanting to use the Nats Express this weekend due to the Metro issues, and they don't want employees filling up Lot 8 and taking space away from them. The employees bus is the first one, right? They may be having employees park in Lot 7 and take a bus from there, then shifting all the other bus operations over to Lot 8 to service the fans. Like malls do when they have employees park in the fringe lots to keep prime space available for customers.
Usually when there's a shift in Nats Express operations over to Lot 7 they make lots of announcements to alert fans of that. I've seen none of that as of yet, although there have been lots of announcements from the team about the Metro issues.
I believe its women's soccer at RFK on Saturday. USA vs. Canada.
ReplyDelete