SeattlePI.com: Streetcar

I'll forgo the easy jokes. The article concerns an urban streetcar in Seattle.

WIRED: BRT

Wired covers Bus Rapid Transit in four parts:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Express: How to Get to H Street

Ok,the fact that the is even the call for a piece like this says something about are transit situation.

Streetcars Make Mayor's 2008 Budget

Funding for two streetcars to run on H Street will be included in the 2008 budget. It's my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's supposed to take about three years from the time that we order a streetcar before it can actually be constructed and make it to the street. So, though this is only a commitment for two cars, it is still a big step in the right direction. Streetscape improvements (and tracklaying) under the Great Streets program is set to begin this summer.

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UPDATE
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It now appears that the budget includes funding for five streetcars (presumably [hopefully] to be somehow split between Anacostia and H Street).

Check out Richard's earlier post on using historic cars for trams and trolleys.

ANC 6A Requests Dedicated Buses

They've sent a letter to DDOT expressing support for a dedicated special busline (like the circulator) that would run down H Street (but wouldn't run the entire route that the X2 covers) until the streetcar arrives. The idea is to get peopple used to using transit on the corridor (and it can't hurt the businesses on the far east end).

WP: Metro to Students: Behave!

According to the Post Metro is now focused on minimizing bad behavior from students using public transportation after school. Unfortunately the link on the Post site to page 2 of the story is messed up. Follow this link if you want to read the end of the story.

RP: Two Tracks to Tartarus?

Sorry, I couldn't resist the (increadibly dorky) Highway to Hell reference. This is more of citywide (and really, just generally urban) issue, but Richard Layman (Rebuilding Place) has a really great piece on why Metro's two track system is a serious problem (main points: delays when anything goes wrong, major danger if we ever experience a terrorist attack, a limit on DC's capacity for latenight service because they have to stop trains to do track maintenance).

Express: New Metro Chief Speaks

Read his thoughts here. Mr. Catoe discusses H Street, lightrail, bus rapid transit ("BRT"), clean vehicles and more. Another interesting point he makes is that even non-Metro riders have a reason to support Metro: if someone is riding a Metro train/bus, that person is probably driving (imagine what would happen if a large chunk of Metro users suddenly decided to drive everywhere). By the way, Catoe attended Springarn High School, which is located in Langston Terrace.

WP: Metro Fare Hikes in Limbo

Following a large public outcry Metro is holding off on raising fares. Metro ridership is up in recent years costs are rising as Metro needs additional cars to ferry these new riders. The budget shortfall for fiscal 2008 is $116 million.

Examiner: Stereotypes Keep Buses Down

Thanks to Rebuilding Place for pointing out this article on the image problems that can plague buses. There are various reasons people don't ride buses:
-lack of knowledge of routes
-lack of knowledge of schedules (or fear of/actual irregularity in schedules)
-perceptions about the types of people that do ride the bus
-preference for cars/metro
Whether you think these reasons are valid, or not, you've got to admit that a good number of people simply refuse to ride the bus. Will many of these people be willing to ride the H Street streetcar? I'm betting they will. Even if you object to making changes to cater to the prejudices that keep some off buses, the reality is that a streetcar will get these guys out on H Street and they will spend money here. That, is a good thing.
Bus Load: The B.S. Bus Solution (Dan Savage)
How to Ride the Bus (Rick VanderKnyff) <--Serious, yet funny bustales.com <--true stories from the bus