16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is undertaking a planning study of the 16th Street, NW, bus line between H Street and Arkansas Avenue to improve transit performance and reliability.The 16th Street line currently serves more than 20,000 bus riders each weekday, making it one of the highest in the region for ridership; more than half of the people traveling on 16th Street in the peak are bus riders.

However, the line suffers from reliability issues and overcrowding, resulting in bus bunching, pass-bys, and slow travel speeds. Motorists also experience significant queuing during rush hours. In addition, 16th Street often serves as a barrier between neighborhoods. Pedestrian crossings are difficult, especially at several complex intersections, and east-west connectivity is limited for vehicles.

Approach to the Study

This 12-month planning study seeks to improve transit performance, as measured by end-to-end travel time and reliability, along 16th Street, NW, from H Street to Arkansas Avenue. A range of operational and physical improvements will be examined, which includes the following:

Transit lanes;
Signal optimization;
Turn restrictions;
Off-board fare payment; and
Queue jumping.

A set of three conceptual alternatives will be developed based on public input and coordination with agency partners. The alternatives will be evaluated based on impacts to transit performance, multimodal mobility and safety.

The 16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study builds directly upon DDOT’s 2013 16th Street NW Safety and Mobility report and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's and DDOT’s 2009 Metrobus 16th Street Line Study.

moveDC, the District’s multimodal transportation plan, identified 16th Street as a transit priority corridor and the "2-year Action Plan" calls for advancement of high-capacity transit improvements along the line.

The Final Study

16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study, Final Report 2016 by District Department of Transportation

16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study

16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study Website:

Goals
• Improve travel for persons using public transit
• Develop alternatives based on public and stakeholder input
• Evaluate alternatives in terms of their benefits to transit users, possible impacts on other users of the corridor, and safety

Objectives
1. Improve transit service reliability and travel times by identifying and addressing sources of problems
2. Prioritize transit while maintaining operations for those traveling by other modes
3. Improve rider comfort and safety
4. Accommodate current unmet passenger demand for public transit service
5. Develop an implementation plan that includes costs estimates

Public Engagement

The fifth Citizens Advisory Group meeting was held Thursday, September 22 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm at the Mt. Pleasant Library, 3160 16th Street, NW. DDOT provided an update on the project, including the start of the design phase and proposed transit service changes, and gathered community feedback. The Citizens Advisory Group meetings are open to the public and all are welcome.

Please contact [email protected] for project update emails.

Project at a Glance

Project Title: 16th Street NW Transit Priority Planning Study
Providing Agency: District Department of Transportation
Status: Ongoing
Type: Education/Training

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District Department of Transportation