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  • Writer's pictureAlex Bemish

#SayNoToDCDangleway (A Trip Down the Mental Rabbit Hole)

A clear example of my mental rabbit hole in fine form:

  1. Find an ad from Traintrackr for a "beautiful PCB [that] displays the live bi-directional movement of trains throughout all stations on the Washington Metro" and clicks. Looks cool, cost $240...

  2. Tries to see if they added the new Potomac Yard station and remembering how my family lobbied in favor for it. Mostly remember how it took about 10 years and lots of arguing with NIMBYs to get it done.

  3. Found out on Wikipedia that it finally opened just 5 days ago, so it's unlikely to be on the PCB board from Traintrackr.

  4. Proceed to start reading about all the different expansions planned for D.C. transit, including the Purple Line.

  5. Soon come across this: "In 2013, the Georgetown Business Improvement District proposed a gondola lift between Georgetown and Rosslyn as an alternative to placing a Metro stop at Georgetown in its 2013–2028 economic plans. Washington, D.C and Arlington County have been conducting feasibility studies for it since 2016."

  6. Says this to my spouse, who agrees that this is an insane idea and would never work, especially from an ADA perspective. (I'm also concerned about the fact of that particular point of the Potomac is also a ravine and would cause intense vertigo...)

  7. Started reading about gondola lifts and found out about the IFS Cloud cable car in London over the River Thames. It's apparently also known as "The Dangleway."

GMD Mueller gondola lift in Gstaad, Switzerland (via Wikipedia)

Conclusion: #SayNoToDCDangleway (Also, I'm a huge freaking nerd).

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