Water Taxis For Washington D.C.?

Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein offers his ideas for a fleet of ferries shuttling passengers across the Potomac river.

1 minute read

May 29, 2007, 8:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Here's an idea that could boost the tourist industry, alleviate traffic, encourage smart growth and open neglected urban areas for development while helping to unify an often fractured region: Water taxis."

"Transportation planners have been talking for decades about water transport, but it's been slow going. There are the charter cruises from the Southwest waterfront up and down the Potomac, the daily cruises down to Mount Vernon and more regular service from Georgetown to Old Town. And starting next April, with the opening of the first phase of National Harbor, there will be regular service across the Potomac to Alexandria and back"

"Other metropolitan areas have more experience and success integrating water transport into daily life. Think of New York, London, Paris, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Sydney and Vancouver, to name a few. Their networks of ferries and water taxis not only provide pleasant and convenient alternatives to cars, buses and subways, but like highway exits and train stations, act as magnets for development or recreation. They have helped to reorient life in cities that had turned their backs on waterfront areas and allowed them to decay."

Thursday, May 24, 2007 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

Close-up of person on bike wearing backpack riding on city street.

Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’

Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.

January 14, 2025 - Streetsblog California

Close-up of green and white sign for Lincoln Tunnel and Hoboken.

NYC Congestion Pricing Reduced Traffic in its First Week

The program has taken tens of thousands of vehicles off the city’s roads in its first week.

January 16, 2025 - The New York Times

View of black oil wells behind chain link fence with barbed wire top

Healing the Land: Collaborative Effort to Reclaim Orphan Well Sites

The Well Done Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are partnering to plug over 110 orphan wells across four National Wildlife Refuges, restoring habitats, protecting ecosystems, and reducing methane emissions.

30 minutes ago - PRNewswire

Aerial view of insula ruins in Ostia, near Rome, Italy.

The Apartment Through History

The humble apartment, as a typology, has been with us for millennia.

1 hour ago - JSTOR Daily

Two cyclists on a paved bike path overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Reveals New Bike Plan

The draft plan targets improvements on 385 road segments.

2 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle