DDOT to Seek Input On Light-Rail Plans

Imagine the well-to-do folks of Georgetown or Woodley Park filling up the RFK Stadium for a top-notch football game, after crossing the town in half of the time without driving their cars.

Or the less well-to-do folks of Anacostia visiting their relatives and friends in Silver Spring, after arriving by the clean, fast and state-of-art light rail directly connecting the two places.

This is what the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) have in mind for the future alternative transit in the next 10 years. And they want your opinion too.

At the monthly meeting of North Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association on Tuesday evening, Gregory Walker, senior program manager of WMATA, was on hand to explain how far the 18-month DC Transit Alternatives Analysis has come. He said the core of the study has to do with building light-rail transit corridors, "to fill up the gap between existing Metro Rail and Metro Bus transit."

The proposed Georgetown-to-RFK Stadium line would be running either on H Street or along it, according to Mr. Walker.

The study has made steady progress.

In fact, WMATA won't even wait around for all the money necessary to fund the whole 10-year capital plan, which is estimated to cost $1.3 billion.

The agency and DDOT are planning to build a 2.7 mile demonstration project starting as soon as next spring, to prove the feasibility for the whole 10-year plan.

However, before the $40 million demo project proceeds officials will consider input from D.C. residents.

A formal public hearing on the matter will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 28, at Birney School, 2501 Martin Luther King Ave. SE.

But you can also voice your opinion by calling the project hotline at 669-8098 or by visiting http://www.dctransitfuture.com.

Mr. Walker of WMATA said the decision on whether to build the Anacostia Corridor Light Rail Demonstration Project will be made in January, 2004.

It will then take 12 to 18 months to build. §