E V A T A S I G H R T 6 O 1 E MILITARY RD G 1 W C 4 O T I S N H C N S O E T N C S T I I N C U A T V E A V E E E M AV V A A S AN D S G N A HI LA C IC IS H M E U D S O E RH T T CALVERT ST 4.0 RecommendedS A V SystemE Plan Based on the results of the planning process described in the preceding chapter, the recommended SystemK S PlanT consists of a network of eight new interconnected streetcar lines and thirteen Metro Express bus lines. HThe ST following BsectionsE de- NNIN scribe each of these elements and their phased implementation. This chapterG RD also describes the recommended maintenance facilities and fundingT strategies to sup- S E V port the proposed streetcar system. T H A S T A 8 H As shown in Figure 4-2,I theND EsystemPEND includesENCE theAV Efollowing T 4.1 Streetcar System T O 7 eight streetcar lines that connect neighborhoods, S The recommended plan includes the addition of modern E employment centers, shopping, recreational facilities, and N streetcar service to the multimodal transportation network N intermodal transportation hubs. The lines represent generalI serving the District of Columbia. Figure 4-1 shows M corridors for service rather than specific alignments. More examples of typical streetcar vehicles, tracks , and stops. M ST detailed environmental studies and alignment studies will The streetcar system will consist of small rail cars that need to be completed before specific routings canPE be operate along in-street tracks, at grade level, and mixed NN determined. SY with automobile traffic. There may be some instances LV AN where the system utilizes exclusive right-of-way where • Bolling AFB to Minnesota Avenue MetrorailG Station IA O A it is available. The streetcar tracks will be located along Line – This streetcar line will connect BollingOD Air Force VE H the curbside travel lanes in some areas and along the Base and the Naval Annex offices to the AnacostiaO PE P Metrorail Station, running generally along portions of centermost travel lanes, or possibly in a roadway median, RD o in other areas. The streetcar system will use modern South Capitol Street,E Howard Road and Firth Sterling t Avenue. The line willV also extend further to the northeast and sleek, low-floor vehicles with wide doors and largeo A R windows. The air-conditioned streetcar vehicles are m generally following a portion of Martin Luther King, Jr. J a Avenue, Good Hope Road and Minnesota Avenue to the typically about 8 feet wide and 66 feet long and can K L accommodate up to 168 seated and standing passengers.c Minnesota Avenue Metrorail Station. This line will connect M Each vehicle can be operated in either direction, eliminating neighborhoods to existing and planned pedestrian-friendly R the need for end-of-line turn around loops. commercial and mixed-use development in the Historic i v Anacostia area and downtown Ward 7 at the Minnesota Streetcar stops will be located about every ¼ mile toe ½ Avenue and Benning Road intersection, which includes mile along the routes. They will include a passenger r waiting the new District Department of Employment Services area, a shelter, and system information regarding fares, headquarters. routes, and schedules. The stops may be located on a special platform that is about 75-feet long and 14-inches • Georgetown to Benning Road Metrorail Station high, which enables level boarding, or they may simply Line – This line will connect the downtown Washington utilize a portion of the sidewalk where possible. For areas employment core to residential neighborhoods in with on-street parking, the streetcar stop may be located Northeast DC, a revitalizing commercial district along on a curb bulb-out that extends the sidewalk out to meet H Street NE, established commercial retail businesses the streetcar vehicle operating in the roadway travel lane. in Georgetown, and the Union Station Intermodal Streetcar stops may also be located in a center median Transportation Center. The line also will connect to of the roadway in areas where center-running tracks are seven Metrorail Stations and serve planned mixed-use used. The streetcar system is planned to operate seven development located in downtown Ward 7 near the days per week with service frequencies of around 10 intersection of Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue. minutes throughout the day and evening, including late • Congress Heights to Washington Circle Line – night service on weekends. For segments of the system This line will extend streetcar service from the Historic that accommodate multiple lines, the services will be more Anacostia business district south to Savannah Street in frequent along these trunk lines. the Congress Heights neighborhood in Southeast DC LEGEND DC’s Transit Future Streetcar Lines Rhode Island Ave/U St/14th St/K St System Plan 4-1 MLK Jr. Ave/M St Florida Ave/8th St/U St/Calvert St K St/H St/Benning Rd Minnesota Ave Georgia Ave/14th St/7th St Calvert St/Columbia Rd/Irving St/Michigan Ave 0 0.5 1 Miles 8th St/MLK Jr. Ave/K St/H St Figure 4-1: Streetcar Features Raised Platform for Low Floor Boarding Shelter with System Information Vehicle Interior Streetcar Vehicle on Rails Embedded in the Pavement 4-2 Recommended System Plan Figure 4-2: System Plan-Streetcar Element E H ST 6T 1 MILITARY RD GEORGIA AV 14TH ST W CON ISCONSIN AVE NECTICUT AVE MASSACHUSET VE N AVE D A AN MICHIGA RHODE ISL TS AVE CALVERT ST K ST H ST BENNING RD H ST T 8 H ST INDEPENDENCE AVE 7T MINNESOTA AVE M ST PENN SY LVANIA AVE GOO D HOPE P RD o t o m a c MLK JR AVE R i v e r LEGEND Metrorail with Connection to Streetcar Congress Heights to Buzzard Point Line Metrorail Station Takoma Metrorail Station to Buzzard Point Line Streetcar Lines Woodley Park/Adams Morgan to Congress Heights Line Bolling AFB to Minnesota Avenue Metrorail Station Line Rhode Island Avenue/Eastern Avenue to Washington Circle Line Woodley Park/Adams Morgan to Brookland Line Georgetown to Benning Road Metrorail Station Line 010.5 Congress Heights to Washington Circle Line Miles DC’s Transit Future System Plan 4-3 Figure 4-3: Streetcar Ridership Projections E T A AV S I 16TH MILITARY RD GEORG 14TH ST WI CONNECTICU S CON S IN AVE T AVE MASSACHUSETT AVE IGAN MICH RHODE ISLAND AVE CALVERT ST S AVE K ST H ST BENNING RD T T 8TH S INDEPENDENCE AVE 7TH S MINNESOTA AVE M ST PE NNSYL VANIA A G OOD HOPE RD VE P o E t o m JR AV a c MLK R i v e r LEGEND Daily Boardings Per Mile (Year 2030) > 4,000 2,000 - 4,000 010.5 < 2,000 Miles 4-4 Recommended System Plan and north across the Anacostia River to the Capitol Hill • Woodley Park/Adams Morgan to Brookland Line – neighborhood, the H Street NE commercial district, and This line will extend from Woodley Park to the Brookland then to the downtown Washington employment core neighborhood in Northeast DC. The line will provide along K Street NW. Along the way the line will serve a needed east-west transit connection and serves the the future headquarters of the Department of Homeland Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights commercial Security at the former St. Elizabeths Hospital site, which districts, Washington Hospital Center, Howard University, will bring 14,000 new employees to the area. The line Catholic University, and planned large scale mixed-use also will serve the Anacostia Waterfront, growing offi ce developments located near the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s and mixed-use development in the Near Southeast area, Home and McMillan Reservoir. commercial businesses in the M Street SE/Barracks Row Forecasts of ridership for the streetcar system were area, and connect to Union Station. This line will connect prepared using the Metropolitan Washington Council of to all fi ve Metrorail lines along the corridor. Governments Regional Travel Demand Forecasting Model. • Congress Heights to Buzzard Point Line – This line The Year 2030 forecast ridership for the entire streetcar will serve the Anacostia Waterfront area including the system is about 147,000 riders on the average weekday. Nationals Park baseball stadium, Buzzard Point, and the The total system ridership translates to an average daily growing commercial, offi ce, and residential development ridership per mile of 3,900 for the system. As shown in along the route. The line will extend across the Figure 4-3, the heaviest forecast ridership is likely to occur Anacostia River at the 11th Street Bridge and connect to along the K Street NW, Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, residential neighborhoods east of the river. The line will 14th Street NW, and H Street NE segments of the planned link with the Metrorail Green Line at the Anacostia and system. Navy Yard Stations • Takoma Metrorail Station to Buzzard Point Line – This 4.2 Metro Express Limited-Stop Bus line will connect the Georgia Avenue NW commercial System corridor and adjacent neighborhoods with Howard University, the revitalized U Street NW commercial The Metro Express (originally called “Metro Extra”) bus corridor, downtown Washington, the National Mall, and service element implements new branded limited-stop the Southwest Waterfront. This corridor will extend from bus service in several corridors. Metro Express service the Takoma Park Metrorail Station west to the Georgia consists of limited-stop bus service that would only serve Avenue Corridor and then south to the U Street area.