DDOT to Unveil Proposed Streetcar System Plan

DDOT to Unveil Proposed Streetcar System Plan
Series of Public Meetings Scheduled in Every Ward

Better mobility, economic development and congestion relief may soon come to the streets of the District of Columbia in the form of a new transit system. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is embarking on a public outreach tour to all eight wards of the District to engage residents and businesses in the implementation of a new streetcar system in the city.

DDOT has already initiated construction on two streetcar lines, and the public meetings will give District residents an opportunity to hear about the current progress and view updated plans for future streetcar lines across the District.

The dates, times, and locations of the public meetings are as follows:

Ward 6:
Thursday, October 22, 2009
7 pm – 8:30 pm
J.O. Wilson Elementary, 660 K Street, NE

Ward 1: Monday, October 26, 2009, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Columbia Heights Education Campus, 3101 16th Street, NW

Ward 4: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 7 pm – 9 pm
Brightwood Elementary, 1300 Nicholson Street, NW

Ward 2: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Francis-Stevens Education Campus, 2425 N. Street, NW

Ward 7: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 7 pm – 9 pm
Thomas Elementary, 650 Anacostia Avenue, NE

Ward 8: Monday, November 2, 2009, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Savoy Elementary, 2400 Shannon Place, SE

Ward 5: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Luke Moore Academy, 1001 Monroe Street, NE

Ward 3: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 6:30pm – 8:30 pm
Stoddert Elementary, 4001 Calvert Street, NW

The program for all eight open houses is the same; it will consist of display boards, maps, information about the proposed system, and opportunities for participants to speak individually with and ask questions of project team members. The meetings are open to the public, and no RSVP is necessary.

DDOT has been laying the groundwork for the streetcar system plan for several years and the meetings will reference DC’s Transit Future which was a study launched in 2004 as a joint effort with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to look at both short-term and long-term surface transit improvements for the District.

The study included a comprehensive public outreach program and a multi-corridor Alternatives Analysis that identified modes and a phased implementation of transit improvements in the District. The study culminated in 2005 with a set of recommendations that called for the implementation of Streetcar service on some corridors and enhanced bus service on others. As part of this plan, bus improvements have taken place on Georgia Avenue/7th Street, 16th Street, and the Metrobus 30s Line.

Now in 2009, with a growing population and employment opportunities and the need for greater economic development for residents in the District, DDOT is revisiting the District’s future transit options, and is looking to engage residents to comment on the recommendations.

For further information, please visit Streetcars in DC or contact the project hotline at 703-682-5060

The District Department of Transportation [DDOT] is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its projects, programs, and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, or gender, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or on the basis of disability as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation) please contact Circe Torruellas at (202)673-1733 or by email at circe.torruellas@dc.gov in advance of the meeting. These services will be provided free of charge.

Note: The above comes from DDOT's listserv news release