In 2007 NCPC released the Railroad Realignment Feasibility Study, a project conducted in partnership with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). With the assistance of consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff, the study examined the benefits and costs of relocating nearly eight miles of freight rail tracks that cut through the monumental core of the nation's capital.

Rerouting freight rail traffic around central DC would reduce the security risk to sensitive parts of the capital city, improve freight transit along the entire Eastern seaboard, open up new opportunities for economic development, and restore streetscapes and public spaces in Washington.

Funded by a $1 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security, the study initially identified seven alternative corridors and then further evaluated the three that were considered the most viable. The draft report presents a full assessment of the costs and benefits of each of these three corridors and calls for more detailed study of all available options.

NCPC staff members briefed dozens of local and regional stakeholders on the rail study and will continue to do so as appropriate. Next steps include securing funding for the additional required studies. Public comments received by NCPC will be shared with the next government entity responsible for further study of the proposed realignment.


The Circulator

The Circulator, an affordable, convenient, and reliable bus service that complements Metrorail, is now in its fifth year of operation. NCPC first envisioned the Circulator in its 1997 plan, Extending the Legacy as a way to improve connections between the monumental core and the rest of the city. The Circulator began operation in July 2005 with two routes providing daily service between Union Station and Georgetown and from the Washington Convention Center to the Southwest Waterfront.

In March 2006 Circulator operations expanded to provide weekend service around the National Mall and this Smithsonian-National Gallery Loop now extends to the Capitol Visitor Center. Two new routes launched in March 2009. The first connects Woodley Park, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, U Street, and the McPherson Square Metro. The second travels from Union Station to the Southeast Waterfront via the Capital Visitor Center and Barracks Row/8th Street, SE.

The Circulator costs just $1 per ride. Buses run every 10 minutes. For a detailed map of the routes, visit www.dccirculator.com. 

Circulator - Executive Summary

NCPC and the Circulator

New York Avenue/Florida Avenue Charrette Recommendations

NCPC, in partnership with the District Department of Transportation, the General Services Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted a charrette from July 12 to July 14, 2006, at which six independent consultants evaluated design alternatives for reconfiguring the intersection of New York and Florida Avenues. The District Department of Transportation developed the designs as part of its New York Avenue Corridor Study, completed in April 2006. The charrette report summarizes the recommendations for converting the intersection into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly gateway into the monumental city.


White House Area Transportation Study

In conjunction with representatives from several federal, regional, and DC agencies, NCPC is participating in the White House Area Transportation Study to explore options for improving traffic flow in the center of the nation's capital.

All of these proposed plans take into account the White House's security needs and respect the uses of adjacent National Park Service properties such as President's Park. 

To determine the improvement in mobility gained under the proposed scenarios, the team is utilizing TRANSMIS, a cutting-edge transportation model developed by Los Alamos National Laboratories.  The White House Area Transportation study is one of the first in the country to use this analytical tool.

Transportation Handbook
This handbook, prepared for the General Services Administration, provides federal agencies in the National Capital Region with guidelines for preparing Transportation Management Programs (TMPs). This handbook was recently updated.