Escalator Canopy Not Coming Brookland's Way
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FOR YEARS, the escalators at the Brookland Metro station have been regularly out-of-service. In fact, a 2005 investigation by The Post found that the station's escalators were among the most problematic in the system.
Since the transit agency began to install canopies over many station entrances to protect equipment like escalators from rain, snow and other inclement weather, Metro's overall escalator performance has improved. But one of Brookland's problematic escalators — the one at its eastern entrance near the Metrobus bays, pictured at right — never got a canopy. And recently, amid continued breakdowns, residents are wondering why.
One neighbor, Alex Mathews, wrote a letter to Metro and posted it to Brookland's neighborhood message board, which has been discussing the situation:
The escalator on the bus lot side of the Brookland station has been out of service for [approximately five] months. Prior to the latest outage, it suffered numerous breakdowns each year previous to this most recent and lengthy one. There is only one escalator at this exit site and therefore the inadequate stairway and equally inadequate elevator must be used. This escalator does not have a covering above it as many stations now do. ... When will a cover be placed over that escalator?Probably not anytime soon, Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel told Express. "There are no funds," he said, for a new canopy.
An escalator canopy, pictured at left, was installed on the Catholic University side of the station as part of a $23 million program to install protective covers at 30 locations across the system. The eastern station entrance — the one most neighborhood residents use — is wider than most and would have required a custom design. "The escalator opening was considered a unique location because of its size and scope," Taubenkibel said.
So for the conceivable future, some Brookland residents are going to have to hoof it.
» EARLIER: "The Downside of Escalator Renovation" [WaPo]
File photos by Larry Morris/The Washington Post and Stephanie K. Kuykendal for The Washington Post
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Addison Road
custom design? taubenkibel is being disingenuous here. it's wider, not shaped like a hexagon or tilted at a 45 degree angle. just take the basic design and add an extra row or two of glass tiles.
that being said, the lack of money sucks. could you imagine what it would be like if the government actually funded the infrastructure that helps keep our economy moving?
no wait, they only do that in europe, asia, south america, and some other continents that no one cares about. certainly not here, not in the "greatest country in the world". pffffft.
By IMGoph , Posted February 13, 2008 8:24 PM"it's wider, not shaped like a hexagon or tilted at a 45 degree angle. just take the basic design and add an extra row or two of glass tiles."
It's just not that simple, and he is not being disingenuous.
If you add those tiles, you have to redo all the structural calcs. You'd have the increased weight of the glass, and you would also add more surface area which would increase your snow loading. Depending on the original safety factors, the main beams may not be adequate.
And that's just the design side. The beams currently used could not be used for a wider design, so you'd have to custom order them. Same with any other pieces from the original design that would have to change as a result of the above.
By Politburo , Posted February 14, 2008 10:25 AMI'm sure that Metro's customers would be perfectly happy with a corrugated metal sheet covering a working escalator, rather than complaints of expense and a broken one.
By AUA , Posted February 14, 2008 11:38 AM