[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6533521,"mediaKeyId","3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6","parentId",3745644,"title","H Street Bridge funding adjusted in FY26 budget; DDOT says bids, streetcar removal and PLA rules affect final cost","audioSeconds",2265,"startMs",1903000,"endMs",4168000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6&start=1903&end=4168","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6/thumbnail_1903000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6533521/H-Street-Bridge-funding-adjusted-in-FY26-budget-DDOT-says-bids-streetcar-removal-and-PLA-rules-affect-final-cost","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533521-b7bdf5f32cab1502ec065bdde004c900/orig.mp4?Expires=1770454169&Signature=C8aMao7x9KVfBa3hLjD64gK75zCotUWa9n8a4E9mO6IUVr99GvfOwuij4y~NZ4Gk0l4QfXU2Z~DMQKfhnsYuzP7KZyjChXXCoahUXwVB332v4QEDFoOuEqKPU49ZYOS84T7Te7oBSKnp5m3OQ1Bojf8I~XiZL1F7Y6A-EjES7ypxrOtZE5GlVSd5TnjSGYzPK~vhfAunWJkT~VW8AYNhs873MX~7-3RQeyw0jRe9zu-CYv4h368okMI88~5yR5ju~OsmU9py8qH3DhpYCiTTbzyDuIK7ie95D9FUuvN3Vm8CLWpj~bpPvwaR0JuRWo6j3z~p5xmN9ujWdC6Mxh1EqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Transportation and the Environment)","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","Councilmembers pressed DDOT on the H Street Bridge rehabilitation, which was reflected in the FY25 budget with a larger FY26 allotment than the mayor\u0000s FY26 proposal includes. The proposed FY26 budget reduces year-specific spending for the H Street Bridge (for example, the FY26 line dropped from a previously estimated $69.4 million to $30.0 million), but DDOT said the total program budget remains \"well over $300,000,000\" when prior-year funds are included.

DDOT told the committee it has received bids and is reviewing solicitation responses; the agency expects to finalize contract selection in roughly a month and said construction work is likely to begin in 2027.

Project labor agreements and potential cost impacts
Kirschbaum said the agency\u0000s industry contacts and cost estimators have told DDOT that project labor agreements (PLAs) can increase bid prices by 10% to 20%. When Councilmember Lewis George asked whether the lower FY26 number assumes changes to PLA or the removal of streetcar infrastructure, Kirschbaum said the revised FY26 funding estimate accounts for a scope without streetcar infrastructure and noted that a change in PLA requirements would also affect cost estimates.

\"We have known from our industry partners that project labor agreements have increased cost by 10 to 20%.\" Kirschbaum told the committee.

Scope consequences of streetcar change
Kirschbaum said that if streetcar infrastructure were to be removed from the bridge design, the project scope and cost estimate would change. She also said the agency would review solicitation packages and adjust scope if appropriate but emphasized she was cautious about discussing active solicitations in public.

Ending: DDOT committed to reporting final bid evaluations and timeline updates to the committee and confirmed the agency believes the current capital request will allow the project to proceed, with construction likely beginning in 2027.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Transportation and the Environment) - Committee on Transportation & the Environment, Budget Oversight Hearing, Charles Allen, Chairperson - Jun 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","DDOT told the committee the H Street Bridge rehabilitation remains funded but the FY26 cashflow shows lower year-one spending; the agency said overall project funding remains above $300 million and that project labor agreements (PLAs) and streetcar infrastructure could materially change bid costs.","taxTitle","Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",15954,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6533523,"DDOT keeps Safe Routes to School program but reports ongoing crossing-guard staffing shortfall",2141,544000,2685000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6&start=544&end=2685","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6/thumbnail_544000.jpg","/articles/6533523/DDOT-keeps-Safe-Routes-to-School-program-but-reports-ongoing-crossing-guard-staffing-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533523-d6e1b0e1a5e162e7b98f5af80ab07026/orig.mp4?Expires=1770454169&Signature=ZmDxBQ2qzm5IJy9RItuDaRDTHxjvDh86YFxSm-lY46S75-su-N4JVwVjk93g6J62~ecgK81WugbtdUyDx0L0TBzEAu2BPEKuHgTqfnmb6w0IHJuHIFBDpBrPRC492s4oxziyxXqzUErOEAYTzKinWPUg6MjHUyXrG7ymcC2tLQlIb-rJtb8FdzV~rnc2sQxJBWzkh8~VCqnZdUyIXpMxsVYsVS9uA7CvdLmgiLqzQNyUJGrS1DStloghmOOA34e1ipGUjyb-uvf-QeoUUGHnEP~IkRepQYjOQKCFcqL88wXFevTGD4lw37sHIQjqTsL1pajoKxLtjnG5-nr-kFR3kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DDOT told the Committee on Transportation and the Environment it will continue to operate a robust Safe Routes to School program and aims to deliver at least 25 Safe Routes action plans annually under the FY26 budget. Director Sharon Kirschbaum described the program as drawing from multiple funding streams and producing school-specific action plans.

\"These investments have allowed the agency to stand up a robust program that works with schools and parents alike to make walking and cycling to schools safer,\" Kirschbaum said, adding DDOT will continue to deliver at least 25 action plans per year.

Crossing-guard shortages and recruitment
Councilmembers pressed DDOT about school crossing guards (safety techs). Kirschbaum said DDOT currently has roughly 223 safety techs on staff and about 56 vacancies that are funded but unfilled. She described recruitment and onboarding challenges and said the agency had a successful recent recruitment round but could not onboard immediately because of a hiring freeze; Kirschbaum said the aim is to onboard a new cohort and have them trained before the start of the next school year.

\"We have resources. Right now we have about 223 on staff safety techs and about 56 vacancies. And those are funded. We really struggled with the recruiting and onboarding and even retention,\" Kirschbaum said.

Drug-testing barrier flagged
Members raised testing for cannabis as a barrier to hiring. Kirschbaum said qualified applicants were being disqualified because they tested positive for marijuana even if they had used it days earlier or had a medical card. She said the agency is exploring recruiting changes, internal screening adjustments and other alternatives, but emphasized safety concerns remain paramount.

Council members asked DDOT to provide advance lists of which schools will have crossing-guard gaps at the start of the school year so council offices can coordinate outreach if needed. Kirschbaum said DDOT will pursue an exemption to align hires with the start of the school year and will continue recruiting this summer.

Ending: DDOT said Safe Routes funding is intact in FY26 and reiterated the agency\u0000s goal to have a fully staffed complement of crossing guards trained and available before school resumes.","DDOT said FY26 will continue funding for Safe Routes to School and plans 25 action plans per year, but the agency reported 56 funded crossing-guard vacancies and recruitment and drug-testing challenges that have limited staffing.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6533528,"DDOT trims bus-priority pace but keeps Georgia Avenue and bikeshare investments in FY26 plan",2231,727000,2958000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6&start=727&end=2958","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6/thumbnail_727000.jpg","/articles/6533528/DDOT-trims-bus-priority-pace-but-keeps-Georgia-Avenue-and-bikeshare-investments-in-FY26-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533528-265561743547a0d273b643ec0b87d180/orig.mp4?Expires=1770454169&Signature=eHj4RzMOfcrO2rTuKb~vlBzKrIRVnp-T29T5ohEQ40NM~wvoVEB~kCiIj8k4ALNVtYJYuaC0kdJ7O6MA~tNtkT-BkyF8QGB6wdWMJjFX07WNlonicTOF9vBplE2wtgt5J3eLmubhrPAXJ4JvrPm5RlkY~ud6EeOW10c4oqL2KIoaf8rspyuuWVlinr6C61QMSM302BHOACLnJ-kRqNIg2pXIsIZxKJp43-gBGb4LXjm1Y4O6XWySKPLQAAMrZvCBFf~84nVQcQO~4IWLAQ-MuSihGIF~Obp7GytXNqeRlnAWnWvtVgn0exMEk2h2Xgb-efq2hoJCImPwSJZyKz7-TA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DDOT testified that bus-priority funding and the timing of projects will be \"rightsized\" in the FY26 CIP, with the agency re-prioritizing projects to match staff bandwidth and the effects of WMATA's Better Bus Network redesign.

Director Sharon Kirschbaum told the committee DDOT will continue to focus on high-frequency corridors and projects that will most improve bus speed and reliability. The FY26 CIP includes $56,500,000 over the capital improvement plan to continue delivering bus-priority projects, she said.

\"This is of all of the projects that we're looking at over the next few years, I would say our number 1 priority,\" Kirschbaum said of Georgia Avenue improvements. She described design for the Georgia Avenue bus-priority project as already underway, with design expected to take 12 to 18 months and construction likely starting at the end of FY26 or early FY27.

The committee discussed pacing and trade-offs
Council members repeatedly pressed DDOT about whether a funding slowdown equals a de-prioritization. Kirschbaum said the reduced pace reflects a more realistic projection of project delivery time and staff bandwidth; she emphasized DDOT remains committed to bus priority but will sequence projects differently. Several councilmembers urged DDOT to move faster where possible.

Bikeshare and bike network
Kirschbaum told the committee Capital Bikeshare ridership has grown roughly 135% since 2020 and that the FY26 budget supports continued system operation and capital funds to keep the system in a state of good repair. The budget includes funds for station replacements and upgrades to older docking stations and bicycles.

Other bike investments in the CIP include funding for seven trail projects and continued work to build a connected bikeway network across the district. Kirschbaum said trails and bikeways provide low-stress options and help the city meet sustainability goals.

Ending: DDOT committed to return with updated bus-priority plans tied to the WMATA redesign and to continue prioritizing Georgia Avenue as a near-term bus-priority corridor.","The FY26 proposal shifts the pacing of DDOT\u0000s bus-priority work rather than abandoning it, while the mayor's plan continues capital support for Capital Bikeshare and bike network expansion, officials told the Council committee.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6533533,"DDOT plans to end existing DC Streetcar operations in 2027; agency funds limited SOGR work and a study for alternatives",667,649000,1316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6&start=649&end=1316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6/thumbnail_649000.jpg","/articles/6533533/DDOT-plans-to-end-existing-DC-Streetcar-operations-in-2027-agency-funds-limited-SOGR-work-and-a-study-for-alternatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533533-87a9c6528b5c00272ee6027d2087b035/orig.mp4?Expires=1770454169&Signature=Dr8oSEX7xYCFRTFOBcHmC2j2HFQe283CmEAvgNndMcyZ-4a7BcJoTmYWhjYsY-7ohs09xTP2jkDnE4Yj~TqewzdTamYo0P9kci7jBjQL7IVwfbNMY67PRPc~ta63PaXDivdLw-wkdwfwSE9uWQ~cM9XsaAgQ-7IO8JOPQ-awuUUqTs7sK0qGVK7J9gz4Np4CyhXvvjNfevrWV4kvMSk0sQNxNZ9V~UE0OOUnNEqKKy6Z81DL71nXYEo~0hyw~2Xi7auh3BT8OQs-NTD-ROCQ2nZSgYIKk9w6PIZ6eX6kPYmFSOoV71KYYw9DDgO5YxxFiEr~YjIn8I5xquUtkcWLLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DDOT Director Sharon Kirschbaum told the Committee on Transportation and the Environment that the department\u0000s current plan is to end the existing DC streetcar operations in the summer of 2027, aligning the shutdown with contract expiration.

\"The current plan is to end street car operations in the summer of 2027,\" Kirschbaum said. She described a two-year timeline that would ideally keep service \"status quo through '27\" while DDOT executes a study of alternatives.

Budget and near-term maintenance
The FY26 capital program reduces funding for the streetcar project substantially. Kirschbaum said the proposal cuts the primary streetcar capital authorization from roughly $37.6 million across the CIP to about $6.0 million, with $3.0 million budgeted in each FY26 and FY27 to preserve state-of-good-repair (SOGR) work needed to operate the remaining vehicles until contract termination. Kirschbaum described continued SOGR spending as required to keep a small fleet operable: \"We have of the 6 cars, 3 of them are really beyond their useful life now. And to keep them running even for 2 years, we're going to have to provide just enough maintenance so they can keep running.\"

Kirschbaum also said purchasing new replacement streetcars would be expensive; she cited an approximate vehicle replacement cost of $11,000,000 per vehicle as a reference point when discussing trade-offs between overhauling or replacing cars.

Study of alternatives and RFK transportation funding
The committee pressed Kirschbaum about the future use of the streetcar\u0000s right-of-way and other infrastructure, including how to treat exposed tracks. Kirschbaum said DDOT will evaluate whether elements can be repurposed or need removal as part of a broader transportation study.

She told the committee that a separate $2,000,000 transportation study funded through DMPED (the deputy mayor\u0000s office for planning and economic development) tied to the RFK campus planning will be used in part to examine East-West transit alternatives and that DDOT will coordinate with that effort. Kirschbaum said the same study money will be used cooperatively with WMATA to examine transit options and connectivity into and across the RFK corridor.

Council concerns and next steps
Members raised operational concerns based on past experience with the Circulator\u0000s shutdown, including staffing and service reliability as an operator pool shrinks. Chair Charles Allen asked DDOT to provide a detailed breakdown of what the $3,000,000 annual SOGR allotment would purchase; Kirschbaum agreed to provide the committee that breakdown.

The committee requested follow-up information on decommissioning plans for track infrastructure and how DDOT intends to make the corridor safe for bicyclists and other users if vehicles stop running on it. Kirschbaum said DDOT has not yet decided whether infrastructure will be removed or repurposed and that decisions will be informed by the planned East-West study.

Ending: Kirschbaum emphasized the study and coordination work to determine whether to repurpose or remove streetcar infrastructure and committed to providing a more detailed SOGR breakdown to the committee.","Director Sharon Kirschbaum told the Council committee DDOT plans to end current streetcar operations in summer 2027 aligned with contract expiration, will fund limited state-of-good-repair work in the near term and participate in a $2 million RFK-area transportation study to explore East-West transit alternatives.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6533536,"Council committee hears DDOT—s smaller FY26 budget, but agency keeps major safety investments",7796,3029000,10825000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6&start=3029&end=10825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3745644-da587a65afda34a841c3a1ac7d996df6/thumbnail_3029000.jpg","/articles/6533536/Council-committee-hears-DDOTs-smaller-FY26-budget-but-agency-keeps-major-safety-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533536-ed1445065cd391ce23063adde2e74aab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770454169&Signature=P-gtNKot9xftwrR42TJl25IZQhHAZ79uOi3DdXRA4q5x8V~6WV4EbhsY~-Y1UyrSJqzvmQaE2TFcOieG6iTa9x2IUg3o9vq7NxKy8-i0cqEGNrNJcrLfihXxc5WEfJzVN3i4PS8fGvknt0TfgxAIVn0okfN7E8MAczqkxM8ySA1ALPf8UUcF0Ls6QlxySUaeza2ETW7A438J-plJARA9dj~SZRnS3pDcfOR6XTOlR~ycKBavNULocrh8egtoNpzIBtlK~0nkqRl4-sDpupGArRfXDYphioGJ6QvoX~Gj~jytzYbQO4TaryLF5opEmbzHRLBXd90Q1pWmzQ2aBPwZGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Transportation and the Environment heard testimony June 10 on Mayor Bowser\u0000s fiscal year 2026 budget for the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), which proposes an operating budget of $175,900,000 and a capital budget of $683,000,000.

The operating number represents a roughly 5.1% reduction from FY25 and supports about 796 full-time-equivalent positions, DDOT Director Sharon Kirschbaum told the committee. The proposed capital budget is about 18% lower than the current year\u0000s approved CIP, Kirschbaum said, but still funds long-term projects intended to keep the transportation network in a state of good repair.

\"Mayor Bowser's FY26 budget invests $175,900,000 in DDOT's operating budget, along with 796 full time equivalent staff,\" Kirschbaum said. She told the committee the operating decrease \"primarily represents the removal of remaining funding for the circulator program,\" plus some vacant-position eliminations and scaled-back open-street events.

Why it matters: the reductions require the agency to prioritize and, in some cases, shift the timing of projects while maintaining core safety work. Kirschbaum said DDOT used its Move DC strategic plan to prioritize projects across seven goals, including safety, mobility and equity.

Key details and priorities
- Safety investments: The FY26 request includes more than $77 million in the agency\u0000s safety-and-mobility capital project for quicker-build safety interventions and $105 million for streetscape/corridor improvements on high-injury-network corridors, Kirschbaum said. The budget continues responsive work such as post-fatal-crash interventions and traffic-safety input programs.
- Automated safety cameras: Kirschbaum told the committee the district has installed a large network of automated enforcement devices to reduce dangerous driving; she cited an internal inventory of cameras and a peer-reviewed study showing a roughly 30% reduction in injury crashes within a year of camera installation.
- New operating investments: The FY26 operating budget includes funding to expand bus-lane enforcement cameras and $1.9 million for staff and software to support a modernized permitting system. Kirschbaum said the expansion will support deployment of 210 bus-mounted cameras under DDOT\u0000s Memorandum of Understanding with WMATA.
- Capital priorities remain: The requested CIP funds safety work, corridor projects and state-of-good-repair investments across bridges, alleys, sidewalks and trails. Kirschbaum noted funding for corridor projects on Southern Avenue, Alabama Avenue and East Capitol Street, the latter supported by a federal INFRA (infrastructure) grant.

Agency operations and staffing
Kirschbaum said DDOT\u0000s capital budget supports 491 FTEs (a small increase from the prior year) while the operating budget supports 796 FTEs (a decrease of two FTEs). She told the committee that some positions were shifted, some vacant positions were eliminated and some costs moved to indirect-cost recovery or enterprise funds.

Council members raised questions about the mechanics and trade-offs of those choices, asking DDOT to provide additional line-item detail and follow-up on projects and cuts.

Ending: Kirschbaum closed by thanking committee members for their partnership; Chair Charles Allen set the written record to remain open through June 17 and scheduled a follow-up public-witness hearing for related agencies later in the week.","Mayor Bowser\u0000s FY26 proposal trims the District Department of Transportation\u0000s operating and capital budgets but preserves funding for high-injury network safety work, automated cameras and targeted staff for permitting and bus-lane enforcement, DDOT director told the Council\u0000s Committee on Transportation and the Environment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

H Street Bridge funding adjusted in FY26 budget; DDOT says bids, streetcar removal and PLA rules affect final cost

DDOT keeps Safe Routes to School program but reports ongoing crossing-guard staffing shortfall

DDOT trims bus-priority pace but keeps Georgia Avenue and bikeshare investments in FY26 plan

DDOT plans to end existing DC Streetcar operations in 2027; agency funds limited SOGR work and a study for alternatives

Council committee hears DDOT—s smaller FY26 budget, but agency keeps major safety investments