WHAT THE ELECTION RESULTS MEAN FOR TRANSPORTATION IN BETHESDA

The upset victory by (unofficial) Governor-elect Larry Hogan (R) last night, and voters' approval of a lesser-known Statewide Ballot Question, could mean a long-overdue focus on Montgomery County's unfinished highway system. Hogan's defeat of Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown means the challenger's promise to focus scarce transportation funds on road construction and improvements can now be realized in actual policy terms.

Should Hogan deliver on his promise, Bethesda could be a major beneficiary of state funding and support. Assuming Hogan would support the long-delayed new Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area, there would actually be someone on our side of the river to pick up the phone that's been ringing from Virginia's Department of Transportation for years. A seeming victory by incumbent U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia) leaves another high-profile bridge supporter in place, as well.

Given that 25% of traffic on the American Legion Bridge is traveling to, or from, the Dulles area, and the albatross that lack of direct access to Dulles Airport has been for economic development here, the compelling case for a new bridge could finally have a high-profile advocate in Hogan (should he choose to act on it).

The other big winner locally last night? The Town of Chevy Chase. Just 24 hours ago, the planned Purple Line light rail was considered by most as a done deal. State and county leaders vowed in recent weeks to hold a groundbreaking on the project next year. Yet, when the sun rose this morning, the Purple Line's future is in doubt. Hogan does not support it, and it's hard to imagine his administration getting on board. Chevy Chase residents and Capital Crescent Trail supporters who have been fighting the transit project have to feel a transfusion of confidence. This thing really might not happen at this point, an unimaginable outcome until now. At a minimum, it's going to be a much heavier lift for the County Council and General Assembly, both of which overwhelmingly support the Purple Line.

Money intended for light rail, and the severely-watered-down Corridor Cities Transitway bus project upcounty, could now be available for the Montrose Parkway extension, grade-separation of failing intersections, and other road projects, widening, and improvements. Greater capacity on roads would also translate into faster Metrobus and Ride On service.

Hopefully 8-car trains for the Metro Red Line will still be a priority, as that is essential to handle existing and planned development in downtown Bethesda and beyond. It would also help if Hogan would take a tougher approach than the previous administration to forcing leadership and operational changes at Metro. How Richard Sarles lasted so long - and got a raise, to boot - presiding over a system that (in practical terms) shuts down every weekend remains one of the great puzzles of humankind.

Speaking of money, Maryland voters delivered a clear message to politicians in Annapolis last night - hands-off our transportation tax dollars. Abuse of Maryland's Transportation Trust Fund is a lot harder this morning, as (at current count) 81.6% of statewide voters said elected officials should not be able to divert those funds to non-transportation uses, or budget-"balancing" chicanery.

A governor supporting projects that move the vast majority of commuters - and a new legal restraint on misuse of the dollars needed for those projects - mean Bethesda residents could be mildly optimistic about finally getting something done about our failing transportation system.

METRO TESTING 7000-SERIES RAILCARS ON RED LINE (PHOTOS)

WMATA is finally on something of a timetable to restore automatic train control to its subway system, and the Red Line will be the first route to have it, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. In October, some Red Line trains will begin operating automatically, and all trains will do so by next March, according to the Post report. That long-overdue positive sign wasn't the only big Red Line news this past weekend. Metro tested new 7000-series railcars on the Red Line Saturday and Sunday, between the Twinbrook and Shady Grove Metro stations.

I caught one in action at the Rockville station on Sunday. The train was not accepting passengers during the test run. The 7000-series are manufactured by Kawasaki.

We simply must improve the service and reliability of Metro, if we are to even begin to manage future growth in places like downtown Bethesda, White Flint, Silver Spring and Rockville. Scarce transportation dollars need to go to the projects where they impact the most people, such as 8-car trains for Metro, more capacity on the Red Line (especially north of Grosvenor), and a new Potomac River crossing to relieve congestion on the Beltway and I-270.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY BRT BACKFIRE AT COUNTY FAIR

The latest gaffe in the effort to sell a skeptical public on Bus Rapid Transit was a photo op that backfired at the Montgomery County Fair. After several years of claiming BRT vehicles would be futuristic, and more like railcars than buses, a BRT vehicle presented to media at the fair looked...exactly like a bus! Inside and out, the vehicle resembled the Metro buses we ride all over the DC area today. Just how this would help overcome the lower ridership potential of buses versus rail was not explained.

I'm also curious - who paid to transport this vehicle to the fair, and for all of the display materials and signage? It would be very costly to do so. Was this lobbying by a company for the theoretical fleet contract? An organization (financially backed by whom?)? Or was it paid for by the taxpayers?

The media blitz contained no mention of the 155 homes and businesses that would be condemned between Olney and Wheaton alone to build the BRT line along Georgia Avenue. What would be condemned in Rockville and Bethesda for a line that duplicates the Red Line, and dumps downtown DC-bound commuters short of the DC-MD line?

Signage promoted "Rapid Transit" (note they dropped the "bus" part), but the vehicle screamed "bus."  At a speed of 12 miles in 50 minutes, they may want to consider dropping the "Rapid" term, as well. While there was no indication of who paid for the BRT vehicle, there was also no indication of how the BRT system will be paid for.

Overall, there seems to be a much more compelling need to finance 8-car trains for Metro with some of the $5 billion that would be spent on BRT. We know Metro - as with rail transit in general - would have higher ridership than BRT. Increased capacity on the Red Line would be far more effective in accommodating current and future development in downtown Bethesda, and along Rockville Pike. It would also avoid the currently-planned seizure of automobile lanes for BRT, which would reduce auto capacity on that congested corridor by 33%.

Rail transit, and a new Potomac River crossing, would have far greater impact on economic development and job creation than BRT.

MOCO, DC DON'T MAKE TECH JOBS TOP 25 LIST; VA EXURBS DO

An interesting piece in USA Today on the top 25 tech industry job growth jurisdictions in America ended up making the opposite point of its pro-smart-growth title. Currently-urbanizing Montgomery County failed to make the list, and so did the District, which is ostensibly the model MoCo is now following in regards to development and transportation policies. Not even Arlington or Fairfax are on it. Who in the DC region did make the list?

Exurban Loudoun and Prince William Counties. Neither of which is known for nightlife, transit-oriented urban centers, or other amenities that ostensibly draw "the young and the hip" to urban areas. While the article touts an "urban renaissance," the most recent data shows that urban growth has stalled or is going backwards, and the suburbs are now growing faster than cities. Did you know that, when you are using the internet, 70% of your data is streaming through Loudoun County? If anything, the establishment of Loudoun and Prince William as tech growth centers makes the case for an Outer Beltway even stronger, to manage the workers commuting there. It also again shows the foresight in the planning of the Silver Line through booming-but-squarely-suburban Tysons out to Loudoun.

Another intriguing data point in the study, is the growth rate of non-tech private jobs between 2007-2012. Loudoun (8.7%) and Prince William (6.8%) have had an astounding growth rate, only behind the Texas Miracle of Denton County (11.9%) and Kings County, NY (11.2%).

The success of DC's exurbs - listed alongside New York City, San Francisco and other major urban employment centers on this Top 25 - proves the point again that all of the alcohol, nightlife and high-density development in the world won't assure economic development nor job growth. No one would consider Loudoun or Prince William a hot nightlife spot. Yet both are among the 25 most attractive places to skilled tech workers. That's because they have the companies - and most importantly, the jobs. Conversely, think about Las Vegas. Vegas has arguably the best nightlife in America. But young workers are not flocking to Vegas, because it doesn't have the corporate headquarters and jobs.

Jobs are the biggest draw for college graduates, making economic development - and the attraction of major firms with high-wage jobs - far more critical than high-density development or nightlife. That also includes considering what else Loudoun and Prince William are doing right, that Montgomery County isn't.