This map I made shows the accessibility of the Metro. Each circle has a 1/2 mile diameter and centered about the points of entry to Metro Stations - they represent a 5 minute walking distance (1/4 mile) to each station. Clearly, there are a lot of holes and “access deserts,” the largest of which includes the greater Capitol Hill neighborhood (which is one of DC’s oldest and most dense neighborhoods). Further, this is a map focused on the core of the historically planned city of Washington, the access deserts only get worse as you zoom out to the entirety of the District and includes areas of the city that are most economically and socially depressed.
There is also another layer of information here that is often overlooked in evaluating transit access. Not only do these gaps, holes, and deserts make the livability of a city suppressed for residents who live outside of access areas, but this lack of access also makes the knowing, understanding, and therefore ownership of a city much more difficult for all those who live there.
