Yet Another Reason to Avoid Adams Morgan on the Weekends

The Adams Morgan Business Improvement District and the bowtie-wearing DC Councilman Jim Graham recently teamed up to try to improve traffic on 18th Street through the area with an alternative taxi system.

There are now two taxi stands set up near 18th street, and from 9pm until 4am this 90 day pilot program makes it illegal for a taxi to pick up a fare on 18th Street if not at one of these designated stands.

First of all, I don't see the point. Except for stalling Metrobus, which could easily route itself 1 block away in either direction, 18th St isn't a major thruway, and isn't a major traffic disruption to rush hour at those times. Yes, traffic gets clogged there on the weekends, but the only people it's really blocking that badly are the very ones who are causing the issue - the bar traffic taking cabs to go out. Yeah, its annoying, but not intolerable. Residents in the area can take easily-accessed alternate routes.

And shockingly, reports are widespread that the system isn't working. People who try to obey the rules while cabs skirt the taxi stands in favor of side streets one or two blocks over - so all they've done is to spread out the problem to streets that were previously clear for the most part. Which is even better when you consider that the violent crime rate has spiked in that area recently, so sending the scattered masses into the less-travelled neighborhoods nearby is a swell idea. Not.

Adams Morgan is a good time... Tues - Thursday. I know I'm going to get hate mail for this, but this is just the latest in a long list of reasons to stay away from 18th Street on the weekend.