The District Department of Transportation is gearing up for a massive streetcar initiative that would connect all of D.C.’s eight wards through a 37-mile streetcar network, including a line that would extend along the Georgetown Waterfront on K Street. DDOT is currently holding a series of community meetings in each ward to build support for its initiative.
Although streetcars may evoke images of the District as a blossoming, vaguely European paradise of public transportation options, the reality is that streetcars are a terrible choice for D.C.
Considering that just a few weeks ago, D.C’s budget shortfall threatened D.C. Circulator service on Wisconsin Avenue, DDOT’s expansion plans for not only new lines but an entirely new mode of transportation around the city are especially frustrating.
DDOT Director of Communications John Lisle wrote in an e-mail that DDOT will not have to secure funding for an entire streetcar network for 7 years. Lisle explained that capital investment is several years in the future, by which time he expects the economy to have recovered, bringing District tax revenues along with it.
That’s a hefty assumption for DDOT to make, considering that the city has trouble coming up with money for some programs even in the best of times. In addition to the recent proposed cuts, Metro is faced with budget shortfall of $110 million in 2011. It seems incomprehensible that DDOT would propose a quixotic network of slow-moving streetcars while more essential, more practical transportation routes appear vulnerable to Mayor Adrian Fenty’s relentless budget cuts.
Apart from the heavy financial burden of maintaining such an extensive system, streetcars aren’t practical—the trams occupy a tremendous amount of space and create unnecessary congestion. In other words, they’re glorified and inefficient versions of the buses already operated by DDOT and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
DDOT’s assumptions are lofty and impracticable—funding sources and effects on traffic are still unknown. Whether DC residents actually plan on using the system is just as uncertain. Despite the minor environmental gains offered by installing a streetcar system, the District should be focusing its limited fiscal resources where they are most needed.
Wow, this is amazing. You would think after missing out on Metro service for the same short-sighted reasons, Georgetowners would recognize the importance of being linked to the rest of the city, and transit in general. This is probably the reason that we were left out of the initial plans. Know that this bizarre flashback of an editorial does not represent this Georgetowner or most of the people I know. Please consider bringing the streetcar back to Georgetown!
DDOT wanted to remove Circulator service on Wisconsin Avenue because very few people rode it, but it represented a fairly significant portion of its operating cost. They did not propose eliminating Circulator service to the heart of Georgetown (Wisconsin and M Street intersection) which has many riders (most of whom get off and walk around at this location). Seems like the decision to eliminate the WI Ave portion was a good business decision regardless of budget pressures. I have faith that they have done the analysis (and will continue to do the analysis) on the Streetcar system and will make decisions that make financial sense. (Unless…of course…the Council gets involved.)
As I recall Georgetown was a strong supporter of DC streetcars and fought hard to keep them from being abandoned especially through Georgetown. What a difference a generation makes and the loss of knowledge of just how good a streetcar system is compared to busses.