Metro struggles in storm aftermath

Metro Backup at Braddock Road

Photo by Gordon Withers, special to We Love DC

About 10:30 last night, as I was getting ready for bed, the heavens were rent asunder, and the entirety of a swimming pool was dumped on my back yard. For the next 30 minutes or so, the storm was without pause. Across town on Twitter, the storm was met with universal awe.

Somehow, WMATA didn’t notice.

This morning, the tunnels between Braddock Road Metro and National Airport were still flooded with the results of last night’s deluge, and as of 8:45am this morning, the pumps were still in action, struggling to deal with the load. Service between the two stations was interrupted, and only at 6:20am was shuttle service listed as being “requested” by Metro.

The situation at Braddock Road, as crowds waited for the shuttle buses, is a commuting disaster, where hundreds are waiting for shuttles to bridge the gap.

Metro’s going to take a beating today if they can’t get ahead of the frustration with today’s situation. The storms were mostly east of I-95 by 11pm last night, but the 2-3″ that that strong cell brought with it seem to have been missed by all of Metro’s staff, leaving the delays to be found the next day when trains approached the tunnels.  How that was missed, well, I just don’t know.

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.

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2 thoughts on “Metro struggles in storm aftermath

  1. Metro fails once again.

    I was on the shuttle this morning going toward Braddock Road from National. Why did the bus driver not know how to get to Braddock Road and was driving toward D.C.?