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COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ‘THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING 1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004 Charles Allen ‘Commitee Member CCounctmember - Ward 6 ‘Business and Econoaie Development Chairperson Btocation (Commitee on the Judiciary and Public Safety ‘Transporation andthe Environment October 10, 2017 Paul J. Wiedefeld General Manager/CEO ‘Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 600 Sth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Dear Mr. Wiedefeld, lam writing today regarding service changes for Metrobus routes that will impact the Southwest waterfront community, the 74 line in particular. As | am sure you have heard, the community there is concerned that the changes as proposed will not adequately address public transit needs for a neighborhood undergoing rapid transformation and growth. ‘As you know, the 74 line was originally created as a replacement for the Circulator route that was “suspended” in 2011. Unfortunately, there is no indication that the Circulator will return to the Southwest waterfront anytime soon, and the 74 service is no longer the replacement it was intended to be. The 74 did start with the same 10-minute headways that make the Circulator especially popular. But budget cuts have led those headways to slip to 16 minutes at rush hour, 20 minutes during non-peak weekday hours, and 24 minutes on the weekend. That level of service does not meet the current and future needs of this neighborhood. While budget cuts have hit bus riders hard across the region, the need is especially acute in Southwest DC. With the opening of Phase 1 of the Wharf development on October 12, there will be thousands of new residents, dozens of new bars and restaurants, thousands of additional square feet of retail and office space, and a new 6,000-person music venue in the neighborhood. Additionally, the new Spy Museum and Museum of the Bible opening on 10th Street will bring another influx of visitors to the neighborhood. Long-time residents have been dealing with increased congestion due to construction for years now. Starting October 12, there will be thousands of additional residents and visitors who need to get in and out of this area every day—and that will be exacerbated during special events at the Wharf. The District and the region are about to discover the Anacostia River as a destination, and we must have the transit infrastructure to meet that need. The District needs WMATA to help create transit options that will get people out of their cars. To that end, | urge you to consider the following when finalizing service changes in Southwest: © Restore 10-minute headways for the 74 line, particularly during rush hour. Frequent, consistent service will help to make the bus—over commuting by car—a viable habit for residents and visitors; ‘© Ensure that expanded service does not compromise existing service for long-time residents. | applaud WMATA for adding stops to service the Wharf and the coming DC United stadium, but that new service does not justify cutting stops that long-time residents, seniors in particular, rely on; * Enhance service to the Southwest waterfront, without displacing existing service. |, and the community in Southwest, welcome the expansion of the 52 line to the neighborhood and the connections to other areas of the District it will bring. However, that must be additional service, not a fix for the 74 service that has been lost. | stand ready to help you implement these recommendations. | look forward to continued discussions with you and your staff on ensuring the Southwest waterfront has transit options that will meet the growing need there. Thank you for your consideration of these concerns and | look forward to your response. Sincerely, al Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6 Chair, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety

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