by Nena Perry-Brown

While the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is considering trading out the existing streetcar carriages for others, the agency still has reason to pat itself on the back on the two-year anniversary of the H Street line: average daily ridership is by far exceeding the original projections.

Streetcar statistics

As seen in the above graphic, 3,500 riders used the streetcar on an average weekday last year and 2,800 riders used the streetcar on an average weekend day. Two million total passengers have used the streetcar during its two-year existence. Prior to the streetcar taking its first trip, DDOT projected average daily ridership of 1,500 people.

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Route of the planned streetcar extension to Benning Road Metro

The fact that it is free to ride the streetcar surely contributed to its popularity, and it stands to reason that daily ridership would probably dip somewhat if there was a charge. DDOT public information officer Terry Owens informed UrbanTurf that any plans to begin charging for the streetcar would be enacted after completion of the streetcar extension across the Anacostia River to Benning Road Metro station.

The extension to Benning Road is anticipated to be complete as early as 2024.

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This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/two-years-in-streetcar-ridership-exceeds-expectations/13619