Friday, February 01, 2008

Streetscape, Breaking Ground

For those you who missed the ceremony yesterday you can get the idea of what it was like from watching this video report from NBC4. For those desiring a more authentic recreation of the experience I suggest standing outside in 45 degree weather and then watching the video. You also won't want to miss this piece from the Post that discusses some facets of the streetcars, and also links to DDOT's rendering of the new cars.
More coverage:
ABC7

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right, this is a "can't miss" article from the Post. Very encouraging.

Anonymous said...

Each time I take the laptop outside for a more authentic recreation of the experience, the stupid rain makes it stop.

They sure like the word poor. Poor me. Poor you. Poor light but hey let's embrace the chaos and disorder.

Ha, Ha, Ha CHAOS!!! Ha, Ha Disorder! I guess they think this must be the hood or something.

Anonymous said...

Also from the article, it looks like the "Great Streets" website has been updated.

http://greatstreetsdc.com/intro.asp

Anonymous said...

Just a typo note... the ABC 7 link at the bottom says "NBC7"... I know a lot of guys who'd be horrified by that. I'm just amused.

inked said...

Thanks former employee. I've fixed it.

Tom A. said...

Wake me up in 2011 when it finally is operating- at least from 14th street to 3rd streets - which is all there will be in this first phase. I wish they'd stop saying it's going to to go to Union Station.

Of course I'm in favor of this, but 2011 seems really far off.

Anonymous said...

Imagine if you have been on Capitol Hill since 1980 waiting for things.

Alan Page said...

"- at least from 14th street to 3rd streets - which is all there will be in this first phase."

the info inked linked said the first phase will be on benning, which doesn't extend to 14th. what's your source?

Anonymous said...

I can't remember where I read it, but I seem to remember something along the lines that there would only be one street car to start with. Does anyone have additional information on that? One street car -- its a start, but not enough to be effective.

Anonymous said...

I believe that the H Street street improvements are to run from north side of third to 14th and turn around and come down the other side. The Street car's(I believe) first phase will be on Benning. And, yes, there is one street car to start with. If I remember the presentation at the ANC meeting last month. There was discussion about why only one, when they take so long to build and why wouldn't there be more in the pipeline. I don't remember the upshot of that. Maybe someone else can add some info.

inked said...

I think they won't order them until they allocated the funding, and thus far they've only done that for one streetcar on H.

Anonymous said...

So who is funding the streetcars? I would have thought Metro would be funding them, or at least operating them.

IMGoph said...

it's really interesting that, if you listen to the actual words that the DC leaders say, they're talking about how this project will help make things better for the neighborhoods around H street, yet the TV people only talk about, and spin the story, in how it will affect commuters.

it's like we don't exist here in the city....we're just a roadblock between point A in maryland and point B downtown...but hey, there's a lot of text written about how the local news is made for and about suburbanite consumption...

Anonymous said...

Joe E:
I saw you quoted in the Hill Rag to the effect that the construction related to the streetscape project would kill the business along H Street, "burning the village down in order to save it." Is that accurate, and if so, is there anything to be done about it?