Let’s Play “Find the Metro Station”

The poor Washington Metro system has gotten such a bad rap lately (here for instance) that I hate to pile on, but on a recent visit to DC I couldn’t help but notice how hard it is to find the entrance to a station you’re not familiar with.  Partly I think this is just lack of maintenance (as in the following photo) and partly it’s a matter of an overall design scheme that is “tasteful” and “muted.”  “Garish” isn’t what you want in our nation’s capital, but how about more pedestrian trailblazer signs?

In the long run, Metro needs more money for maintenance (who doesn’t?).  Also, to maximize its long-term value, the Metro system (in my minority-of-probably-one opinion) should double its inside-the-beltway network.