Streetcar Parking Enforcement Starts July 14
As the District of Columbia prepares for streetcar service later this year along H Street and Benning Road NE, drivers are being warned to park carefully.
Cars parked outside the white lines or double parked will get a $100 ticket and possibly towed. (Photo: DDOT)
The D.C. Department of Public Works is cracking down on parking along H Street from Union Station to Benning Road. Ticketing begins Monday. The best advice if you are driving in the area: Don’t block the streetcar tracks. When parking, vehicles must be within the white lines to give streetcars traveling through the area enough clearance to pass by safely.
Violators – including anyone parked on the white lines or double parked — will receive $100 tickets for parking illegally on streetcar tracks. Vehicles may also be towed to clear the streetcar’s path and then relocated within the immediate neighborhood.
The enforcement schedule will be 6 a.m.-midnight Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m.-2 a.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m.-2 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m.-10 p.m. on Sundays. The city has handed out warnings for the last month.
Officials want to ensure streetcars have a clear path in the corridor, which runs from the Hopscotch Bridge to the old Spingarn High School. The enforcement clears the way for testing the rest of the summer, with service to begin by the end of the year.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.
