Arlington Streetcar Project Canceled

[mahatmakanejeeves]

I commute home in the evenings on a 16X Metrobus. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA's) 16 routes serve Columbia Pike. The money spent on improving bus service will be spent far more effectively than money spent on building a streetcar line on Columbia Pike.

BREAKING: Streetcar Project Canceled

by ARLnow.com — November 18, 2014 at 12:10 pm
(Updated at 1:05 p.m.)

Arlington County’s half-billion-dollar streetcar project for Columbia Pike and Crystal City is being canceled, County Board Chair Jay Fisette announced today.

“I have come to the conclusion that the only way to move forward together … is to discontinue the streetcar project,” Fisette said solemnly, before a large crowd of reporters. “After close consultation with [County Board members Mary] Hynes and [Walter] Tejada, with our partners in Fairfax and Richmond and with members of the community, Ms. Hynes and I have agreed that all spending on streetcar must end.”

Fisette will make it official with a motion at this afternoon’s County Board meeting. Tejada is said to oppose canceling the project and may vote against Fisette’s motion.
....

Fisette said the county will instead explore options for improving bus service on Columbia Pike. The transitway between Crystal City and Alexandria will continue to operate and be developed, but will be served only by buses. Existing streetcar contracts — like the $26 million engineering contract awarded in September — will be “wound down” as quickly as possible.