Metro's Problems

The theory for transit-oriented development is a sound one — as more people from Millennials to Baby Boomers decide that urban living is superior to the burbs, it is natural they want to be within walking distance of a mass transit system.

Unfortunately, the Washington Metro System has problems, namely poor service quality and reliability, which has led to declining ridership. Delta Associates' tackled this issue in its Trendlines report it released earlier this year.

The crux of Metro's problems is lack of consistent funding, Trendlines found, as its annual budget relies on negotiations between Virginia, Maryland and the District. The federal government makes a $150 million capital commitment each year, but the current agreement expires in 2019.

“There isn't a dedicated source of funding and that has become a real problem,” William Rich, Delta Associates CEO, told GlobeSt.com in an earlier interview.

Indeed, the system had been deferring necessary maintenance for years to the point that WMATA made the decision to implement 'Safe Track' last year — an arduous schedule of repairs in which three years worth of deferred work will be completed in one. There will be a lot of down time for certain parts of metro and riders have been encouraged to find alternative modes of transportation during those periods.

So far Metro's problems haven't dissuaded developers from building transit-oriented projects. But Rich said, it might be a factor that will have to be considered down the road for new project planning if funding isn't solved.

WASHINGTON, DC–Live near the Red Line and catch the metro to go to work to your office located along the Silver Line. That is the pattern that is forming in transit-oriented development in the Washington DC area, according to JLL.

It reports that more new apartment construction is underway within a half mile of a Red Line station than any other line in the system and that approximately 70% of the multifamily growth around the Red Line is in DC, mostly in NoMa.

Meanwhile 40% of the new office space under construction in Metro DC is located within a half mile of a Silver Line station, JLL said. All told there is more new office space under construction around the Silver Line than any other line in the system. Multifamily development activity is also strong along the Silver Line, which is close to almost 30% of the new multifamily units under construction in Northern Virginia.

However, the Silver Line's related apartment development doesn't top what is happening along the Green Line, according to JLL. It found that 44% of the 9,200 new apartment units under construction are served by the Green Line, predominantly in Southwest and the Ballpark District.

Metro's Problems

The theory for transit-oriented development is a sound one — as more people from Millennials to Baby Boomers decide that urban living is superior to the burbs, it is natural they want to be within walking distance of a mass transit system.

Unfortunately, the Washington Metro System has problems, namely poor service quality and reliability, which has led to declining ridership. Delta Associates' tackled this issue in its Trendlines report it released earlier this year.

The crux of Metro's problems is lack of consistent funding, Trendlines found, as its annual budget relies on negotiations between Virginia, Maryland and the District. The federal government makes a $150 million capital commitment each year, but the current agreement expires in 2019.

“There isn't a dedicated source of funding and that has become a real problem,” William Rich, Delta Associates CEO, told GlobeSt.com in an earlier interview.

Indeed, the system had been deferring necessary maintenance for years to the point that WMATA made the decision to implement 'Safe Track' last year — an arduous schedule of repairs in which three years worth of deferred work will be completed in one. There will be a lot of down time for certain parts of metro and riders have been encouraged to find alternative modes of transportation during those periods.

So far Metro's problems haven't dissuaded developers from building transit-oriented projects. But Rich said, it might be a factor that will have to be considered down the road for new project planning if funding isn't solved.