At a semi-annual forum on the Circulator system, D.C. Department of Transportation planners and employees solicited input from the community on a number of possible new routes, as well as a proposed fare hike.

These expansion opportunities include extensions of existing routes to the National Cathedral, Howard/Shaw, Southwest and NoMa, and new routes from the Convention Center and Dupont to Southwest. Circe Torruellas, a senior transportation planner for DDOT’s Circulator program, said this collection of information is part of an effort to update and check in with the 10-year Circulator development plan. DDOT did an analysis of activities centers, which the Circulator seeks to connect, and is looking at where there’s been growth and where people want to go. Now they’re collecting feedback, and will hold several pop-ups in April where there are existing routes and where people have shown interest in there being a Circulator route.

After the feedback is collected, it will still take a good amount of time to execute new routes. Torruellas used the National Mall route, which is expected to begin operating in March 2015, as an example: It took a year-and-a-half to do a study, and now they’re working on doing a service plan (where do you put the stops, etc.). After the number of buses needed for this route is identified, vehicles must be procured, which can take six to 12 months. So any new routes are likely a couple of years from being a reality.

While still a year away from service, DDOT has proposed that the National Mall route operate every 10 minutes. Proposed stops include Union Station, the Lincoln Memorial and several other locations in between. A round trip in a “low season” would take about 60 minutes, while that would increase to 100 minutes during the “high season.” During the summer, it’s proposed the route would run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends. During the winter, service would end at 7 p.m.

Perhaps most contentious is a long proposed fare hike. Carl Jackson, associate director of DDOT’s Progressive Transportation Services Administration, said DDOT will once again recommend to the mayor’s office that Circulator fares be raised from $1 to, most likely, $2 for cash and $1.75 for SmarTrip. “At a dollar, we have very low fare box return,” he said. This change will either be approved or rejected during the budget process.

“But one of the things about the Circulator brand is the low cost,” Jackson said. “We want to keep it low.” He said they’re asking for feedback about which fare would be “comfortable” for passengers.

Feedback about any of the proposed plans can be sent through the Circulator’s site or directly to Torruellas at circe.torruellas@dc.gov.

Filed Under: circulator, ddot, national mall,