The future of the Washington, D.C. tram appears doomed. Mayor Muriel Bowser has presented a budget that calls for eliminating the tram system over the next two years, with the intention of replacing it with electric buses that will take advantage of existing electrification.
The tram opened in 2016 after years of delays and cost overruns and was hailed as a transformative project for the H Street corridor.
However, local media report that the impact has been uneven: while some businesses have flourished thanks to the increased influx of visitors, others have suffered from the inconvenience of the works and a problematic start-up.
Criticisms of the system focus on its high maintenance costs: a new tram costs 11 million euros, and the city considers that the current trams have already exceeded their useful life despite being in service for nine years. In addition, limited efficiency is also criticised, as they tend to get stuck in traffic.
The D.C. Department of Transportation is now committed to a wider east-west connection via electric buses, a solution that does not require fixed tracks.