Funding DC Metro for Efficient and Secure Urban Transport

Annotated Bibliography

Cole, Danny. "The effect of a curfew law on juvenile crime in Washington, DC." American Journal of Criminal Justice 27.2 (2003): 217–232.

This journal investigates criminal patterns in DC. It will facilitate this research by examining the nature of crime and the ways in which criminals in DC use relatively underutilized infrastructure to further their goals.

Grieger, T. A. "Follow-Up of Pentagon Employees Two Years After the Terrorist Attack of September 11, 2001." Psychiatric Services 56.11 (2005): 1374–1378.

This article assesses the nature of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the neighboring state of Virginia. It illustrates how the DC transport system can present a potential vulnerability for terrorists and elaborates on the relationship between transport infrastructure and domestic insecurity.

Guo, Zhan. "Does residential parking supply affect household car ownership? The case of New York City." Journal of Transport Geography 26 (2013): 18–28.

Data and Background

This article assesses vehicle ownership patterns and the effects of private vehicles on the transport systems of major urban centers. It further examines the integral role that metro transport development plays in easing congestion in major cities and considers the broader economic impact of metro transport on local, state, and federal economies.

Kamruzzaman, Md., Douglas Baker, Simon Washington, and Gavin Turrell. "Residential Dissonance and Mode Choice." Journal of Transport Geography 33 (2013): 12–28.

This article examines how the majority of commuters choose their mode of transport and how those choices are shaped by varying levels of economic development. The article clarifies that metro transport is a more decisive public mode of transport compared to the use of private vehicles.

Claim

Marangos, John. "The Evolution of the Anti-Washington Consensus Debate: From 'Post-Washington Consensus' to 'After the Washington Consensus.'" Competition & Change 12.3 (2008): 227–244.

This article examines various debates held in the state of DC in which transport and security have continued to dominate discussion. It further provides empirical information regarding the advantages of using metro transport over predominantly private cars.

Warrants

The District of Columbia metro system presents a model of an urbanized railway network. The system encompasses both bus and rail services; however, a significant number of residents continue to use private cars to move around the city. DC's metro system is one of the oldest in the eastern part of the country. The rail network dates back as far as 1870 and was originally funded by the Treasury. Marangos (233) argues that the system was previously sold to different investors who attempted to improve its functionality. Since the switch from mechanical to electrically driven operation in 1888, no other major development to the rail infrastructure has been undertaken. For more than a century, the metro has not achieved its full capacity. Additionally, as part of the relevant data, crime in DC stands at twelve percent higher than in other states, and nineteen million tourists visit DC each year.

The District of Columbia rail system is underfunded and thus underutilized. There is therefore a pressing necessity to ensure that funding is increased to optimal levels. Upgrading the metro system will facilitate efficient transport between different parts of the region at a significantly reduced financial and time cost. This would mean that more resources would be available for easing transport in other sections of the city and, consequently, in other parts of the state.

DC serves as the nation's capital, and transport into and out of the city is therefore a crucial consideration. Although the federal government has consistently discouraged massive urban development in DC over the past decade, the general desire for an effective metro system remains strong. DC is surrounded by a number of sprawling metropolitan areas, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey. Most of these states are densely populated, and there is heavy traffic to and from DC on a regular basis. Statistics suggest that each year, over nineteen million tourists visit DC, the majority of them from neighboring states (Guo, 24).

Additionally, this claim responds to specific conditions in DC as a jurisdiction. It should be noted that DC experiences high levels of poverty, drug abuse, and gang activity in city suburbs. Cole (222) further establishes that over sixty thousand residents are former federal convicts. Historically, DC was known as one of the most violent cities in the eastern United States. With the increasing threat of terrorism, it is paramount to develop an effective railway system that directly addresses the vulnerabilities created by inadequate public transit infrastructure.

Based on this analysis and the facts outlining the nature of DC's metro system, it is necessary to justify a collective approach to establishing a proper funding mechanism. A desirable funding mechanism is one that responds decisively to the challenges facing the metro system. The DC system should be capable of mitigating transport challenges within the city, minimizing insecurity problems, and providing reliable movement throughout the region.