D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 408
408.1 The District and the surrounding region are served by the second largest rail transit system and the sixth largest bus network in the United States. The bus and rail systems are operated by WMATA, which provides service throughout the Washington metropolitan region.
408.2 WMATA was created in 1967 by an interstate compact to plan, develop, build, finance, and operate a balanced regional transportation system in the national capital area. Construction of the planned 103-mile Metrorail system began in 1969 and was largely funded by the federal government. The first phase of Metrorail began operation in 1976 and was completed in early 2001. In 2004, three new stations opened—two extended the Blue Line east of the Beltway and the first infill station (NoMa-Gallaudet U) opened on the Red Line. With the opening of the first phase of the Silver Line in 2014, the system now totals 117 miles, 38.3 miles of which are located within the District itself. Close to half of the stations on the system—40 of 91—are located in the District. The Metrorail system is shown in Map 4.1. While much of the District is within a half mile of a station, some areas—such as Georgetown, the New York Avenue corridor, and Bolling Air Force Base—are not.
408.3 As the core of the region and the hub of the Metrorail system, much of WMATA's transit usage centers in the District. In 2016, the total average weekday boardings at all Metrorail stations was 639,000. Nearly 57percent of these boardings occurred at District stations.
408.4 Downtown station platforms are often congested in the peak period. The District and WMATA continue to coordinate on opportunities to relieve overcrowding and improve safety through short- and long-term design modifications of platforms and station access points.
408.5 The capacity of the core of the Metrorail system—in particular the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines—is constrained because various lines share tracks. WMATA will continue to work with partner jurisdictions to advance capacity solutions, such as moving to eight-car trains and expanding core stations to accommodate more passengers. Long-term solutions to core capacity constraints are needed and should be considered, including the potential for new stations and lines in the District.
408.6 Because of the very high cost of building entirely new Metrorail subway lines within Washington, DC, the District is proposing better connections, to and among, the various spokes of the Metrorail system, with investments in surface transit. These improvements include limited-stop bus service and dedicated transit lanes, streetcars, and improvements to local bus service through the use of new
technologies, including, real-time bus arrival information and transit signal priority. In addition, the District is working with WMATA to make more efficient use of existing infrastructure through measures such as increasing train lengths from six cars to eight cars. The increased train length would add about one-third more capacity to each train, greatly helping to alleviate congestion problems on some lines in the system. This technique does not require any changes to railroad or station infrastructure but does require the power delivery infrastructure to be upgraded. The District and other jurisdictions are currently working toward upgrading the power system to support eight-car trains and working to procure new rail cars.
Source: DC Office of Planning, 2018
408.8 WMATA also operates the Metrobus regional bus service. The buses run approximately 160,020 miles on an average weekday, making 422,000 trips. Approximately 55 percent of these trips are within the District. Metrobus operates 171 lines and 270 routes on 1,184 miles of roadway throughout the metropolitan area. Within the District, Metrobus operates 71 bus lines and 105 routes on 261 miles of roadway, or 22 percent of the roadway system. Average weekday
ridership on these District-based lines ranges from about 200 persons to over 19,000 persons. Some of the high-volume bus corridors include Wisconsin/Pennsylvania Avenue (routes 30N, 30S, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37), 14th Street NW (routes 52, 53, 54, 59), 16th Street NW (S1, S2, S4, S9), and Georgia Avenue —7th Street (routes 70, 74, 79).
408.9 WMATA faces complex and unique funding and budgetary challenges to maintain and operate the transit system. Research shows that over half of the total capital spending for other transit systems in other cities comes from dedicated sources of one kind or another. However, until recently, WMATA received no funding from such sources. A historic funding agreement for WMATA was reached in May 2018, with the District, Maryland, and Virginia officially agreeing to $500 million in annual dedicated funding for Metro's capital program. The Dedicated Funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Emergency Act of 2018 commits the District to $178.5 million per year in capital funding through fiscal year 2059, as part of the WMATA Dedicated Funding Fund. This agreement creates the first stable funding source for WMATA since its creation in 1967.
408.10 The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission met for the first time in February 2018. The commission was established through an interstate compact and requires funding from the District, Maryland, Virginia, and the federal government. As an independent legal entity, the commission is empowered to review, approve, oversee, and enforce the safety plan of the Metrorail system. The commission is responsible for publishing an annual safety report and submitting it to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and publishing an annual report of operations (detailing its programs, operations, and finances) and an annual independent audit of its finances.
408.11 WMATA now has a stable, reliable, and dedicated source of capital funding. The District will continue to actively collaborate with jurisdictions throughout the region and with the federal government to encourage the success of the WMATA Dedicated Funding Fund.
408.12 The District is served by many regional bus carriers in addition to Metrobus. In Maryland, these include Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Commuter Bus, Dillon, Eyre, and Keller Transportation. In Virginia, these include Quick's, Martz National Coach, Loudoun County Commuter Bus, Fairfax Connector, and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) OmniRide. Some private bus services also provide circulation within the District for schools, hospitals, universities, and other areas or attractions. The District is also served by regional commuter rail (found in the next section).
408.13 In addition to the regional WMATA bus service, the District began the DC Circulator service in July 2005. Circulator, a District-operated service that
connects people to business, culture, and entertainment throughout Washington, DC, has grown to have six routes, providing more than 16,000 trips on the average weekday.
408.14 The District is working to increase transit options for intra-District trips. These options will include a variety of transit technologies, including neighborhood circulators, streetcars, limited-stop bus service, and Capital Bikeshare. The intra-District system is designed to be cohesive, supplement and complement existing Metro services, and support District land use objectives.
408.15 Map 4.2 illustrates the High-Capacity Transit (HCT) Corridors recommended in WMATA's Priority Corridor Network (PCN) Plan and the eight-mile streetcar corridor currently moving through planning and implementation. Further analysis will be necessary on each corridor to specify the mode and operational characteristics.
408.16 Phase 1 of the DC Streetcar began service in 2016, connecting Oklahoma Avenue/Benning Road NE to Union Station. Plans for extending the line east to Benning Road Metrorail station are underway.
408.17 As of 2019, other ongoing transit improvement initiatives include:
K Street Transitway: The transitway will provide two travel lanes for exclusive use by buses between 21st Street NW and 12th Street NW.
Circulator: The Transit Development Plan for the DC Circulator is being updated with a focus on the performance of the six current routes. Projects are also underway for the replacement of more than half of the bus fleet as well as acquisition of a site for a maintenance and storage facility.
16th Street NW Bus Lanes: The design phase is underway for a suite of bus improvements on the 16th Street NW corridor, which provides more than 20,000 bus trips each weekday. Improvements include peak-period, peak-direction bus lanes; transit signal priority; real-time passenger information displays; off-board fare collection; and operational changes, such as additional limited-stop service and route simplification.
408.18 Policy T-2.1.1: Transit Accessibility
Work with transit providers to develop transit service that is fast, frequent, and reliable and that is accessible to the District's residents, workers, and visitors, including during late-night hours. Pursue strategies that make transit safe, equitable, secure, comfortable, accessible, and affordable.
408.19 Policy T-2.1.2: Surface Transit Improvements
Enhance surface transit service by improving scheduling and reliability, providing timed transfers, reducing travel time, providing relief for overcrowding, increasing frequency and service hours, and improving both local access and crosstown connections. Key strategies in support of this policy may include roadway priority treatments, including dedicated transit lanes and transit signal priority, proof-of-payment systems, and larger vehicles capable of carrying more riders.
408.20 Policy T-2.1.3: WMATA Funding
Support the continuation of the WMATA Dedicated Funding Fund, which provides the District's share of the regional dedicated, reliable capital funding for Metro, and work with Virginia and Maryland to ensure the funding continues beyond fiscal year 2059.
408.21 Policy T-2.1.4: Maintenance of Transit Facilities
Facilitate coordination among WMATA, DDOT, and the Department of Public Works (DPW) to program and prioritize safety and state-of-good-repair investments for WMATA-owned, District-owned, and other transportation infrastructure and facilities.
408.22 Map 4.2: Proposed High-Capacity Transit Corridors
Source: DC Office of Planning, 2018
408.23
Expand transit options for District residents by developing a streetcar line. Create a streetcar line that will connect neighborhoods and key destinations, and create walkable, amenity-rich, and diverse communities along the streetcar route. Explore various value-capture strategies to obtain private and other financial support for the construction and ongoing operation of streetcars.
408.24 Policy T-2.1.6: First- and Last-Mile Connections
The District should advance the planning and implementation processes to consider last-mile travel between major transit or commercial nodes to and from nearby residential areas.
408.25 Policy T-2.1.7: Water Taxis
Support privately funded ventures to provide water taxis and support facilities on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers to serve close-in areas around the District as well as longer-distance routes from points south, such as Indian Head on the east side of the Potomac and Woodbridge to the south.
408.26 Action T-2.1.A: New High-Capacity Transit Corridors
Develop transportation and land use plans to construct a network of new premium transit infrastructure, including priority bus corridors to provide travel options, better connect the District, improve surface-level public transportation, and stimulate economic development. As needed, replace existing travel and parking lanes along select major corridors with new transit services—such as limited-stop bus service, dedicated bus lanes, and transit signal priority—to improve mobility within Washington, DC.
408.27 Action T-2.1.B: Eight-Car Trains
Increase Metrorail train lengths from six cars to eight cars when justified by demand to meet service guidelines and passenger levels.
408.28 Action T-2.1.C: Circulator Buses
In addition to the current DC Circulator bus routes, consider implementing Circulator routes in other areas of the District that will support all-day, high-frequency transit service. Modified, expanded, or new routes should be designed in collaboration with WMATA to strengthen the District's bus network and provide appropriate levels of service to meet the demands of each corridor. The Circulator will continue to connect residents, workers, and visitors to commercial centers and visitor attractions.
408.29 Action T-2.1.D: Bus Stop Improvements
Improve key bus stop locations through such actions as:
408.30 Action T-2.1.E: College Student Metro Passes
Continue to explore potential partnerships between WMATA and local colleges and universities, similar to the University Pass partnership with American University, to provide Metro passes to college students. As part of this program, improve connections between campuses and Metrorail stations during both on- and off-peak hours.
408.31 Action T-2.1.F: Transit Amenities
Seek opportunities to dedicate space in the right-of-way for surface transit amenities, such as bus stops, signage, shelters, passenger information, and offboard fare collection. Follow best practices in bus-stop siting (most often on the far side of an intersection) yet evaluate each case separately. Consider opportunities for enhanced stops and amenities with large-scale developments and redevelopments.
408.32 Action T-2.1.G: Performance Measures
Develop, apply, and report on transit performance measures to identify strengths, deficiencies, and potential improvements and to support the development of new and innovative facilities and programs.
SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21,
2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).