Photo by rpmaxwell.

Now that we’ve passed the halfway point of 2011 and the long-in-progress tracks between 3rd and 14th Streets along H Street NE are in a state of near-readiness, people have begun to get excited about riding a D.C.-operated streetcar next year. Uh, might want to rein in those expectations: the District Department of Transportation is now saying that the streetcar will be ready in late 2013, and not 2012, as previously planned.

That’s the word from Adam Tuss, who got the revised estimate from DDOT officials today and some information on what the extra time will buy the project:

“In terms of over the next several months, we hope to finalize a contract on the design-build portion of H Street,” says Lisle.

In the “design-build” process, things like power substations and overhead wires will be set up along H Street. In addition, D.C. is still in negotiations with Amtrak about constructing a storage facility under what is known as the “Hop-Scotch” bridge on H Street behind Union Station.

“The goal is to start building early next year,” says Lisle.

Issues Lisle mentions, like the installation of overhead wires and how to connect the H Street track to Union Station, have long been spokes in the wheels of the project. It was nice to think that we might be able to hop on one of these beauties next year, but for anyone that’s been following the project, this news should hardly come as a shock.