T-33 Days Until AWESOMENESS

It shouldn't be a secret to anyone that I secretly wish I was an urban planner. I'm obsessed with academic studies and real-life applications of urbanization, suburbanization, and mass transit planning. Sometimes it works perfectly, sometimes not so much. Case in point: Bailey's Crossroads, a neighborhood that sits at the confluence of Arlington County, Fairfax County, Alexandria City, and Falls Church City. I often think when I drive through that neighborhood that it is where every bad urban planning went to be implemented unsuccessfully. OK, fine, perhaps it's not that bad, but it isn't great.


Metro Map With Silver Line (Courtesy: WMATA)

In any case, I LOVE urban planning,and today, my love grew exponentially when the DC Metro General Manager announced an opening date for Phase I of the long-awaited Silver Line. In 33 days (26 July 2014), the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority expects the first train to leave the Wiehle-Reston East Station (the closest one to me at this point) at 12 noon. Have I mentioned that I'm super excited for this?

There is one sad thing associated with this announced opening date. I have been telling people for years that my goal is to ride the Silver Line on the day it opens. The construction of it messed up my commute enough over the past few years that I wanted to experience it when it was completely done. So why the sadness? Well, I'm going to be out of town on 26 July. And away for a few days past that too. :( I won't be able to ride the Silver Line until a few days after it opens. That's OK, though, I guess, since I hope to ride it often in the next couple of years.

So there you have it. If you see me in person, I'll probably be super giddy for the next month anxiously anticipating the awesomeness of having a metro station very close to my house. And for something completely unrelated yet very funny....