Washington, D.C. Streetcar Original Plans

Today, DC's rump streetcar line is the subject of much ridicule from the general public and transit fans alike. Indeed, the DC Streetcar has been privy to the sort of issues that plague all US transit plans -- financial problems, delays, alterations, etc. Ultimately, the short streetcar corridor we got along H St appears to be a failed experiment, as the DC mayor recently unveiled plans to remove the streetcar from service by 2029 and replace the route with electric buses. What most people don't know is that the H Street rump-line was originally intended to be merely a segment of a sprawling modern streetcar system, encompassing 8 lines across 37 miles of track. This proposed system would have complimented the metro and provided modern, comfortable transit to thousands of Washingtonians, especially those without access to the metro. I had to guess on station locations, but this map is a close approximation to what the plans called for at their height under Mayor Fenty.