The Maryland Transit Administration suddenly shut down the Baltimore Metro last week, forcing commuters and other riders to find alternatives with less than 24 hours notice. The state said an inspection had found unexpectedly excessive wear on the rails that could have caused a derailment, and it plans to keep the line closed for a month while it fixes the problem — and then to close it again this summer for further work.
Thousands of Trips Per Year
| Trips/mile | Trips/station | Subsidy/Trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Subway | 3,211 | 5,699 | 1.64 |
| NY-NJ Path | 2,049 | 6,794 | 1.60 |
| Boston | 1,615 | 3,231 | 2.66 |
| Los Angeles | 1,349 | 2,875 | 7.82 |
| Philadelphia-SEPTA | 1,020 | 1,358 | 16.05 |
| Washington | 852 | 2,738 | 1.96 |
| Chicago | 900 | 1,645 | 4.56 |
| Atlanta | 693 | 1,893 | 6.08 |
| Oakland | 510 | 3,105 | 3.48 |
| Miami | 368 | 933 | 5.18 |
| Baltimore | 359 | 872 | 6.92 |
| San Juan | 322 | 513 | 9.17 |
| Staten Island | 271 | 391 | 2.34 |
| Philadelphia-PATCO | 277 | 819 | 3.23 |
| Cleveland | 168 | 356 | 3.11 |
The coincidence that the shut-down took place the same day the White House announced its infrastructure plan led the Washington Post to call the metro the latest poster child for the need for more infrastructure spending. In fact, it is a poster child for less infrastructure spending, as it should never have been built in the first place. Continue reading
