After more than fifty years since the last streetcars serviced the District, they returned to District streets today with the arrival of the first streetcar vehicle on H Street, NE. The first DC Streetcar was delivered and unloaded by the District Department of Transportation around 9:00 p.m. on the Hopscotch Bridge tuck track located at H and 3rd streets NE. This streetcar will begin the mandatory functional testing process to ready DC Streetcar for passenger service that is expected to start early next year. The initial streetcar line will run from Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road to Union Station at the Hopscotch Bridge.
The return of streetcars is an important milestone for transit in the District and DowntownDC. Plans are to continue streetcar service from Union Station into DowntownDC along K Street NW and terminate in Georgetown.
DDOT’s Union Station to Georgetown Premium Transit Alternative Analysis was completed in October 2013 with input from agencies, stakeholders, DDOT staff, and the public. The AA recommended alternative is “primarily using K Street NW, New Jersey Avenue NW, and H Street between Georgetown and the Union Station area.” This will situate DC Streetcar service at the doorsteps of numerous DowntownDC businesses and residents along the K Street corridor.
DowntownDC hopes that by 2020 we will see streetcars rolling along the K Street corridor. With the AA complete DDOT will now proceed to the environmental review and approval process, which will then be followed by design and construction. When all of these steps are completed, businesses and visitors will benefit from yet another mode of high quality transit available in DowntownDC. For project updates and information on how you can participate in the process please visit www.dcstreetcar.com.
Updated 12/14/2013