Here’s what happened: The BeyondDC blog runs off an older version of Word Press software. This software was attacked multiple times, first to install phishing material and then to modify the home page. With the help of technical support at our hosting company PowWeb, we think we’ve got all the malicious code removed, so here we are online once again.

We expect to be uploading updated blogging software as soon as possible. It’s possible we’ll go offline again for a short time when that occurs.

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned.

These ain’t cheap

Now that construction on the road has started, project managers admit that the middle segment of the ICC will cost at least $150 million more to build than initial estimates, and a solid $100 million more than the very highest predictions.

Cost overruns on infrastructure projects are fairly standard these days due to the rapidly rising cost of materials. The global market is saturated with demand from China, so cost goes up. Overruns happen for transit projects too.

At BeyondDC we have long maintained that the ICC is too expensive, that it’s bad policy for Maryland to spend such a large portion of its infrastructure budget on one project of questionable value. So while we won’t attack the ICC for being over budget, we will simply point out that given the staggering dollar amounts involved, when a project the size of the ICC does go over budget it’s worth taking a step back and recognizing just how huge an investment it is.

Never mind the total cost of the ICC. For just the cost of this single overrun on this single fraction of the road, we could build an entire streetcar line, start to finish. As in bam, done.

Just sayin.

Preliminary plans for a Farragut pedestrian tunnel. Click to enlarge. (Source unknown; if you know please leave a comment.)

Want a free transfer between Farragut North and Farragut West, or between Metro Center and Gallery Place? WMATA has been studying a pair of pedestrian tunnels to provide that transfer, but even under the best case scenario they will cost millions and are years away.

CommuterPageBlog makes the case that WMATA could provide that transfer very quickly and essentially for free by programming SmarTrip cards to allow a free transfer between those destinations if the transfer is made within a set period of time. People would simply leave the station in question, go up to the surface, and walk on the sidewalk to their transfer station.

Says CommuterPageBlog:

There is no downside to implementing this idea. No downside. No studies required. No excuses to put it off. Repeat: no downside. All it takes is a little computer programming and a press release to get the word out.

If CommuterPageBlog is right, Metro should be implementing this as soon as possible. Like, yesterday.