DEBORAH SIMMONS: Sprawl, crawl and real life in the DMV

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Remember these three words: Just say no. You’ll soon learn why.

If the local officials of Virginia, Maryland and the District want to know what issue is at the very top of their constituents’ transportation wish list, they need look no further or guess any longer.

A new survey says residents in the D.C. region want Metro to focus on maintenance and reliability — not expansion. They also said that transportation is the area’s greatest challenge, and that reducing traffic congestion and delays is numero uno. Improving roads, bridges and transit facilities came in second place.

In fact, 84 percent of the 800 adult residents who were surveyed said pouring money into roads and transit is a priority of theirs, and 60 percent said they would willingly fork over money to reduce congestion.

Elected officials and authorities are giddy, of course. They love it when John Q. Public and Plain Jane want to pay more.

Indeed, Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, a D.C. lawmaker who’s as fiscally conservative as they come in Democratland, has said property taxes, sales taxes and gas taxes are on the proverbial drawing board as dedicated funding streams.

For sure, however, fare increases — a steady stream of well-thought-out fare increases — should hit the No. 1 spot on the to-do list. Property owners and motorists already are dishing out big bucks, and sales taxes are equal-opportunity pickpockets.

The survey in and of itself offers a clear path to those conclusions for anyone in doubt, especially those officials who seem to think that bicycling, streetcars and walking will alleviate traffic congestion — because they will not. They prove why Uber, Lyft and car-sharing operations are more than cottage industries.

Also important is the timely release of the poll, the Greater Washington Transportation Issues Survey, which was commissioned by the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance and the Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance, and conducted Dec. 1-5 by OpinionWorks.

The timing is noteworthy because of Metrorail accidents and delays over the course of the last 18 months, increased federal oversight and mandates and recent congressional testimony by officials at a public hearing that could have prepared us for a Trump-Clinton matchup in November.

At a hearing on Capitol Hill last week, Metro officials said the system needs more public investment, while congressional leaders said they aren’t keen on dipping into federal coffers.

If the past is prologue, Metro authorities won’t go where they should have gone in the very beginning — as faraway from a freebie, poorly managed transit system as possible.

Instead of planning and managing for the future, D.C., Maryland and Virginia officials got stuck on mismanagement and inefficiency. And when the trains don’t even run on time anymore, what’s the use?

People who live, work and play in a large metropolitan region such as the DMV have to drive but don’t necessarily like to drive. Sure, an estimated 700,000 folks hop on and off Metro Monday through Friday, but a third more are driving. That’s nearly a million folks motoring about on a regular workday.

It simply does not make sense that you can ride Metrorail for a mere $1.75 — the same fare to ride Metrobus.

Metro gives away cheap, underpriced rides to all who seek them, and the unreliability and unsafe conditions of the rail system are bearing the brunt of that reality.

That is why Congress said no to a Metro bailout last week.

That’s also why residents of the DMV complain about clogged roads — not the lack of bike racks and bike lanes.

Property owners and other taxpayers need to speak more succinctly: Say no to any tax increases, say yes to Metro fare increases and tell officials to construct more and safer roads and bridges.

The people have spoken.

• Deborah Simmons can be reached at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.