The long-delayed D.C. Streetcar got some very bad news last week, when a panel of industry experts found evidence of construction mistakes that will severely impact the system's reliability.
"The District failed to install underground heaters at key points along its beleaguered streetcar line, allowing snow and ice to freeze up critical switches that are supposed to guide the 35-ton vehicles from one piece of track to another," reports Michael Laris.
That information is one of the findings of a report by an outside experts organized by the American Public Transportation Association.
The lack of switch heaters, as their known, has "broad implications for the reliability of the 2.2-mile line running east of Union Station along H Street and Benning Road NE. During months of test runs last winter, the city’s red-and-gray streetcars were sometimes essentially left frozen in their tracks; workers had to dig out blockages by hand so the vehicles could pass."
The switch heater snafu is only one of the findings of the report. Also included in the damning conclusions of the report: " poor coordination among, and oversight of, contractors; shortcomings with the system’s design; and a variety of safety concerns."
FULL STORY: As costs were cut, D.C.’s streetcars were left frozen in tracks
D.C. Officials Dramatically Scale Back Streetcar System
In a recent move, officials from Mayor Vincent C. Gray's administration shortened DC's streetcar system to a much-shorter eight miles.
Delayed, Expensive, and Poorly Planned—D.C. Streetcar Called 'Worse than Nothing'
In January, Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray claimed that the district's new streetcar would open in February. Still not open, the D.C. City Council this week slashed future streetcar spending.
A Sneak Peak at D.C.'s Streetcar Extension Plans
With the controversy about the value of its newly opened streetcar ongoing, Washington, D.C. has commenced with a planning process for extending the line to Georgetown.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research