Metro needs to continue Great Society

A recent book  The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro recently came out as reported by DCist and Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space. (RPUS has a link to the NPR interview with the author, which is pretty interesting). I also recently read this article DART may Become Bike Friendly for Commute and this article (again thanks to RPUS) Silver Spring's Plans For Transit Center Move to Final Stages. All of which got me to thinking that while Metro has done some admirable things (bikes on bus, removing the need for a license to take your bike on metro) when it comes to being bike friendly, I'd like to see it do more.  In the first article I read that

Cyclists have criticized the agency for not allowing bikes on trains or buses before 9 a.m. and between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays.  "All the literature we're reading indicates that if an agency is bicycle-friendly, ridership will grow," Mr. Mendoza said.

"The biggest complaint they have is that bicyclists tend to work the same hours we do," he said.    

The revised policy would allow bicycle commuters to board the last train car at any time, but only if space is available. If the train is crowded, transit authorities could have a bicyclist wait for the next train.

Yes. Yes. A commonsense approach. This allows cyclist to reverse commute, it allows them to ride empty trains. The rule in place now is poorly designed and as I've pointed out before, discriminatory. They don't limit people with luggage. I like that someone realized that bike commuters work a normal work day. There are no restrictions on taking bikes on New York's Subway other than that you be safe and courteous. In San Francisco a few stations are off limits during rush hour, but not THE ENTIRE SYSTEM as is true here. If all of these cities - and Dallas is not some transit heaven like Portland - can trust bike commuters to use common sense, why can't Metro?

The second article is noteworthy for what is not mentioned. Bikes. Silver Spring was originally suppose to be a bicycle transit hub with a bike station and connections to the CCT, Green Trail and Met Branch trail; but now they really downplay it. I doubt it will be anything like what it was originally planned to be. 

Here is my short list of Metro's necessary improvements re:bikes. (also included other rail systems)

1. Replace rush hour restriction with common sense "no bikes on crowded trains" rule.
2. New station entrances (like at Ballston and the new Silver Spring) should include stairs with bicycle channels so that cyclist aren't forced to use the elevators. Similar stairs inside stations should be pursued as well, especially on the new Dulles line.
3. Stations should provide cheap, safe parking facilities - like bike boxes or, where possible, bike stations.
4. Bikes on VRE, Amtrak and Marc trains.
5. Bike maps at each station that show the area, similar to the ones there now, but with an emphasis on bikeable roads, shops, trails etc...
6. Future projects, like the pedestrian tunnels and streetcars, should provide adequate accommodations for bike commuters as well.
7. When new metro cars are ordered they should have racks inside the cars (see photo for Minneapolis's bike rack)