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.

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.

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