DDOT's Dan Tangherlini on Kojo Nnamdi Show

I have the Frozen Tropics blog to thank for cluing me into Monday's Kojo Nnamdi Show's interview with Dan Tangherlini. Dan is the director of DC's Department of Transportation and he is a new member of the Board of Directors for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Here are some of the highlights from the session:

1. A general discussion of the Streetcar Studies.

2. The Anacostia Demonstration Project for streetcars/light rail is expected to open in the Fall of 2006. Cars are being constructed in the Czech Republic now for this line.

3. While the Anacostia line is a "dedicated" right-of-way because it utilizes "abandoned" rail tracks, it is intended that the proposed streetcar lines will run on the public right of way (streets).

4. DC is second to Boston for the number of people that walk to work.

5. DC is second only to New York City for the number of people that take mass transit to work.

6. WRT light rail, how will it be powered, with overhead wires or underground (like before). In the L'Enfant City (Old City) there is the Fire Protection Zone, enacted in 1909, which doesn't allow for overhead wires. (In historic trolley photos you see overhead wires from the "County" area of the city. Not in the core.)

One advantage offered by the demonstration project is that it allows for testing of different technologies. There could be dual power systems allowing for underground and overhead power, or the use of buried conduit systems, which are being tested and used extensively in Europe. (Dr. Transit notes that yesterday the House of Commons released a report on the UK's recent experience with light rail and streetcar systems.)

7. The City isn't ignoring bus systems. APTA is conducting a peer review report on the DC bus system and the report should be available soon.

8. The City is developing improved bus transportation with the Downtown Circulator, which will provide high frequency, high quality, low cost transportation between Union Station and Georgetown, with a significant amount of intra-downtown access as well.

9. A question came in about the advantages of streetcars or buses? Dan T's reply:

a. People are more prone to ride streetcars over buses, so there is greater use.
b. The ROI is much higher for streetcards over buses. The economic and other development that is a "spillover investment" generated by the public investment is more comparable to what happens around subway lines (i.e., Wilson Corridor in Arlington).
c. People like to ride streetcars more than buses.

Listen to the show. It might not be the Murder City Devils, but it's good radio nonetheless.

Also, I have added links to the Kojo Nnamdi Show and to Mark Plotkin's commentaries on WTOP in the DC-Regional Links section.