It is because the idiots who planned don’t know their butts from a hole in the ground.
If they wanted to ensure HUGE public use, all they need to do is build a Disneyland/Awleg style monorail and follow the 134, 110, 405, 5 and 605 (and complete the 710 run).
Instead they built the subway system to where very few people can get to it without hassle.
They also failed to provide sufficient parking at the Metrorail stations, so it isn’t worth the hassle of trying to get a parking spot.
I lived there over 50 years and it always amazed me how they never allowed a chance to make a huge mistake go by.
When Martin O’Malley was Governor of Maryland, he approved of a light rail Red Line. I think it was 14 miles long and went right along the main harbor road. The wanted to tunnel in at one point less than 200 ft. from the bay.
The projected cost was $2billion and they anticipated within 15 years serving 59,000 riders a day.
By federal law, light rail cars must be replaced after 25 years of service. I ran some rough numbers and with no overruns or maintenance and labor, also assuming 59000 riders for day 1, my calculations showed that they would have to charge $9 a ride to break even in 25 years.
You know that ain’t happenin.
O’Malley’s competent Republican successor cancelled the lunacy. You can buy a whole lot of buses for $2 billion.