USA: Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has announced plans for the DC Streetcar tramway to be replaced by a bus service.
Presenting the 2026 budget proposals on May 27, the Mayor said the tram would be replaced by the 2028 financial year with what was termed a ‘next generation streetcar’. This would use the existing 750 V DC overhead to charge, but would not have fixed tracks.
City Administrator Kevin Donahue told local media this would make it possible ‘to more nimbly and quickly expand the streetcar line out beyond where we currently are’.
The DC Streetcar’s single route runs about 3·9 km along H Street NE and Benning Road from Union Station to Oklahoma Avenue, serving eight stops. Services operated by RATP Dev run at 12 min headways, and travel is free of charge.
The project endured numerous delays before it opened late and over-budget in February 2016. Performance has been impacted by mix-traffic on-street running, and local buses already provide alternative travel options.
Ridership has been lower than expected, peaking at 1·185 million journeys in 2017, but only 836 438 passengers were carried in 2023. Plans to extend the short initial line were dropped.
