Streetcars and Rhode Island Ave

As the construction of the H Street Streetcar infrastructure (tracks, pole foundations, conduits) is finishing up with a projected completion date of October 2011 and the Anacostia Streetcar line is starting with public meetings I was interested to see where Rhode Island Ave stands in the plans. DDOT has launched a website for the DC Streetcars.

What I learned is that the Rhode Island Ave Streetcar segment is part of Phase II and DDOT is still working on the initial segments which are not scheduled to be operational until March 2012. Once the initial segments are done then they will be doing Phase I and then us. So, it seems that we have quite awhile before we see the streetcars in our area. They have posted the full plan and proposed map which is exciting to look at even though realistically it will be awhile especially with our current budget situation. The Rhode Island Ave line will run from Eastern Ave all the way down Rhode Island Ave to Florida Ave where it will connect with the Florida Ave line. Proposed stops on Rhode Island Ave are at Eastern Ave NE, South Dakota Ave NE, 18th Street NE, 13th Street NE, Rhode Island Ave/Brentwood Metro Station, 3rd Street NE, North Capitol, and Florida Ave. For now we can be excited that come March 2012 we can take the Met Branch Trail from Edgewood down to Union Station and ride the streetcar down H Street.