[Photo by Ted Eytan]
The opening dates for the D.C. area's two most exciting new transit projects, the H Street Streetcar and the Silver Line, have not yet been revealed by that magical Transit Crystal Ball but there are at least some indications that the opening date for both is "very soon."
On the subject of the Silver Line, WAMU's Martin DiCaro has tweeted the breaking news that the Dulles Transit Partners have deemed Phase One of this newest metro line "substantially complete." Looks like those pesky glitches have been worked out. Now, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has fifteen days to confirm this "substantially complete" status. If all looks good, Metro will then have ninety days to open the Silver Line. So, for those who are bad at math, D.C. could have the Silver Line by Memorial Day!
The streetcar news also comes from a WAMU source, Martin Austermuhle, who attended the meeting that the D.C. City Council had with DDOT. The streetcar opening date is still the mystical "thirty days after the completion of safety checks" but now there are hours of operation and they look a lot like Metro's: 5:00 a.m.-midnight Sunday through Thursday and 5:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Perhaps the most disturbing thing that Austermuhle mentioned is that the Hopscotch Bridge (over which the streetcar will run) will have to be replaced in five years. Stay tuned to this space as we learn more.
BREAKING: Dulles Transit Partners says #SilverLine has reached substantial completion, can hand project to Metro. @wamu885news #MWAA
— Martin Di Caro (@MartinDiCaro) February 7, 2014
H Street operating hours: 5 a.m.-midnight Su-Th, until 2 a.m. on weekends. Fare structure has not yet been decided.
— Martin Austermuhle (@maustermuhle) February 7, 2014
· Martin DiCaro [Twitter]
· Martin Austermuhle [Twitter]
· All Streetcar Coverage [CDC]
· All Silver Line Coverage [CDC]