The District has won $1 million in federal money to evaluate its streetcar technology and a bus transitway on K Street, the Federal Transit Administration announced Tuesday.
The city was one of 24 programs to win a combined $25.7 million, but the money itself isn’t as meaningful as the support it signifies. The analysis grants are the first step in securing “New Starts” funding that awards up to $1.8 billion annually for construction of new transit projects.
“Careful planning is an essential first step toward making wise investments in local transportation solutions,” FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff said. “We depend on our regional and local partners to determine how transportation fits best within their communities. These funds will move these communities forward.”
The city is planning a more than $1.5 billion streetcar system, a portion of which is already under construction. But it has been trying to find an alternative way of running the streetcars besides power from overhead lines that could mar the city’s iconic views of national monuments.
It also is trying to build a bus transitway along K Street, creating a dedicated set of lanes in the middle lanes on a busy downtown section of the road. That plan lost out on another, much larger federal grant earlier this year so Tuesday's award signifies the possibility of renewed support for the plan.
