The Rhode Island Streetcar
As a new resident of the LeDroit/Bloomingdale area, I'm pretty jazzed -- do people still say jazzed? -- about the proposed streetcar line that's slated to run a few blocks from my new home. But I'd also second Left for LeDroit's amendments to make the Rhode Island line more synonymous with its main street, more straightforward for its users, and less likely to get caught in the god-awful tangle that is Florida Avenue between 300 NW and 600 NW.
Also: Are community blogs the community meetings of the future? On the one hand, they're limited to neighborhood obsessives who are pretty computer-savvy. On the other hand, neighborhood meetings are limited to obsessives with a lot of free time. And though people aren't getting more free time as, well, time goes on, they are getting more computer-savvy. Think about it!
By
Ezra Klein
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November 2, 2009; 11:00 AM ET
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I like it! The best part is, DC could phase in the line by first building the original proposal, and then later constructing the reform proposal when the shared K/14 trunks start to get too busy.
Posted by: tomveiltomveil | November 2, 2009 11:06 AM | Report abuse
My 2 cents: Streetcars can be safely powered from below, without overhead wires. It's more expensive at first, but actually more robust, especially during winter ice storms which tend to snap overhead lines [putting mass transit out-of-service when its most needed]. The two methods were compared back in 1938... and the matter is awaiting follow-up.
Posted by: rmgregory | November 2, 2009 11:27 AM | Report abuse
It's about time Rhode Island Avenue gets some attention! It's the often neglected "Great Street" of DC. And the line would run right by my house :-)
Posted by: ShawnDC | November 2, 2009 11:35 AM | Report abuse
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