The Washington DC City Council voted Wednesday to approve a FY2011 budget which strips nearly all the funding to complete the H Street-Benning Road streetcar line. The line is partially complete, and several streetcars have already been purchased.
The budget proposal was submitted by Council Chairman Vincent Gray's staff at 2:00 am Wednesday morning, and came as a surprise to several city council members who were under the impression the day before that funding for the streetcar line would be preserved. Still, the vote to approve the budget passed, with just two council members voting against.
The official reason given for the cut is to help plug a $550 million gap in Washington DC's budget. However many in the city's blogging community are crying foul as Sarah Campbell, Gray's Deputy Director for Capital Projects, had been pushing for an elimination of the project. Campbell previously expressed concerns about the rapid planning process for the streetcar system. She is also a known acquaintance of Meg McGuire, a leader of a campaign against the the overhead wires needed to power the new system.
FULL STORY: Funding for Washington DC H Street Streetcar Line Pulled at 11th Hour
D.C. Metro Seeks Public Input on Proposed Service Cuts
D.C. Metro Seeks Public Input on Proposed Service Cuts
Planetizen Week in Review: September 10, 2016
The fastest two minutes in planning news.
A Sneak Peak at D.C.'s Streetcar Extension Plans
With the controversy about the value of its newly opened streetcar ongoing, Washington, D.C. has commenced with a planning process for extending the line to Georgetown.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
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Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
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