The US has experienced two main periods of subway building. The first took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with cities like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia constructing subway systems. However, as car usage increased in the early 20th century, enthusiasm for subways declined. The second period of subway building began in the 1960s, as cities recognized the downsides of cars and the need for mass transit. The Washington DC metro became the largest post-war system, spanning over 100 miles. The book “The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro” covers the challenges of building a transit system in a post-car world. Washington DC’s slow growth compared to other cities delayed the implementation of a transit system until after World War II. The increase in population and car usage led to traffic congestion and a need for transit solutions. The Mass Transportation Survey (MTS) was conducted to plan for Washington’s future transportation needs, which included a mostly highway-based system. However, public sentiment began to shift against highways, leading to debate and the creation of the National Capital Transportation Agency (NCTA) in 1960. The NCTA proposed a plan heavily focused on rail transit, which
https://www.construction-physics.com/p/how-washington-dc-got-its-metro