Commuting in the Dark

The Washington Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the Metro, is well known for single-tracking, off-loading and other commuting horrors. It's often not given credit for the tens of thousands of folks that it safely transports to and fro every day.

True, it is difficult to understand why it takes two years to repair an escalator, but I imagine there are the usual bureaucratic hurdles to surmount. All this is to say that I hesitate to complain about an "improvement" — but now I'm going to do exactly that.

One thing WMTA does right, at least in my opinion, is it keeps the lights low. When your fleet is aging and your platforms have seen better days, that's a wise move. But if my stop is any indication, that's ending. Bright lights now illuminate the top tier of the station. That which was hidden is now revealed. And it's not a pretty sight.

All those dim platforms and stairways, which gave commuting the blurriness that made it bearable, may be going away. Sunglasses on Metro? That may be next.