The District Department of Transportation recently released detailed plans for the new system, which has been in the making for more than 14 years.
Initial plans call for construction of two lines: a 2-mile track connecting Union Station and the H Street Corridor and a 1-mile segment between the Navy Annex and the Anacostia Metrorail station. The project, which District hopes will expand options for crosstown commuters and spur growth in underdeveloped areas, is expected to cost $194 million, with operation beginning in 2012. Eventually, the streetcar network will extend 37 miles citywide.
Finding adequate funding is the major challenge to kicking off the first phase, writes Derek Kravitz:
"The District government has applied for more than $110 million in federal funding, but last week it lost out on $18 million worth of U.S. Transportation Department infrastructure grants. Transportation officials have proposed tapping $180 million of debt service provided for the Metrorail system; private landowners have been lobbied to consider a special tax district or additional fees for zoning or density allowances; and public-private partnerships are being looked at."
FULL STORY: Details emerge for D.C. streetcars, set to begin in 2012

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie