Georgetown Affected by Budget Cuts to D.C. Streetcar System

While the streetcar system is moving forward, budget cuts have caused it to be majorly scaled-back including in Georgetown.

Originally, the D.C. Council proposed $1.9 billion in funding for the 22-mile streetcar system over the next 10 years. That number was cut to $570 million over the summer.

The three-mile Union Station-to-Georgetown line expected to open in 2022 has been delayed until 2024.

“Unfortunately, this announcement is bittersweet considering the steep funding cuts to the system made by the DC Council,” Mayor Gray said in a news release. “By cutting Streetcar funding by nearly 75 percent, the Council has prevented us from building out the full system over the next 10 years.”

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Despite the funding change that only supports a majorly scaled-down version of the system, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) continues to take the next steps with the D.C. Streetcar and Integrated Premium Transit systems.

Read more: Streetcar Pre-Revenue Operations Begin in D.C.

The list has been narrowed down to three teams, with partners, for potential builder-operators. The teams being considered for the delivery design, build, operations, and maintenance of the system include:

• Capital Transit Partners (Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure, Inc., FCC Construction, CPT Operators, and Parsons Brincherhoff)
• DC Transit Partners (Clark Construction Group, Shirley Contracting Company, and Herzog Transit Services, Inc.)
• Potomac Transit Partners (URS, MC Dean, Facchina, and RDMT)

“Moving forward with the IPT is a game-changer in delivering streetcars to the District,” DDOT Director Matt Brown said in a news release. “Issuing the short list is an exciting first step in the process.”

For more information visit the District Department of Transportation.

Photo Credit: DCStreetcar.com