It’s the final week for the DC Streetcar. The vehicles will go out of service at the end of the day Wednesday, March 31.
It’s been a long journey for a short route. The Streetcar was a throwback to a past time, when electric vehicles criss-crossed the city on 200 miles of rail. During Art All Night events on H Street, performers would use the vehicles as a moving stage.
But the high costs associated with construction and vehicles meant that although DC only ever built a 2-mile, eight stop route along H Street NE, the project cost $200 million to build and, according to the Mayor’s office, $8-10 million to run annually.
The cars have now been in service for ten years and are coming to their end of life. But replacements run about $11 million each, and Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced that the system would be phased out by 2027. That timeline was moved up to this year in the face of intense budget pressure.
The streetcar was hampered by lower ridership than Metrobuses and the lack of a dedicated lane that meant the cars could only travel as quickly as traffic, sometimes trapped behind the vehicles that frequently double-parked along the rail.
But it is clear that the residents will miss them. Two events are scheduled to memorialize them. On Sunday, March 29 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Gallery O on H (1354 H St. NE) wil host a farewell to the DC Streetcar, billed as “a humorous send-off for the end of the line.” The event is free with a cash bar, and will feature an evening of live music, performances from by Jonny Grave and Terry Boes, drinks and “the opportunity for questionable open mic eulogies.”
Meanwhile, on the final day of service, Cynthia Bar and Bistro (502 H St. NE) will host a final farewell and happy hour on Tuesday, March 31 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the restaurant suggests a donation to the nascent H Street BID organization. RSVP Here.
It is not yet clear what will replace the streetcars. Bowser had proposed electric busses, but no plan has been publicly presented. Funding for a study to identify a replacement transit investment for the H Street corridor was included in the FY 2026 budget. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is expected to implement bus improvements along H Street, including curbside changes to make it easier for buses to load and unload and move more efficiently.
