Hundreds Ticketed Over Streetcar Violations in D.C.

DDOT: Streetcar will open to public by the end of the year

Hundreds of drivers have been ticketed in the past few months for blocking the D.C. streetcar's testing process.

According to D.C. Public Works, between Aug. 1 and Dec. 15 this year, 468 tickets were issued for blocking the streetcar path, i.e. double parking and parking over the designated white line. Each tickets costs about $100, including towing. 

James Rios makes deliveries to H Street NE businesses, and said he has racked up the tickets in recent months.

"It's kind of unfair... the government is kind of screwing us over here," Rios said.

Officials with the D.C. Department of Transportation say the ticketing is necessary because they want drivers to get used to the new traffic patterns -- once the streetcars are operating.

"It's a tight space already and we have to have people park consistently within the white lines," a spokesperson told News4.

For the most part, drivers and residents understand the testing process, but some argue the city is dragging its feet in launching the streetcar in the first place.

"I wish the process had been accelerated because the detractors will use this as an opportunity to say, well, look this process is taking so long, it's expensive," H Street resident Justin Wyss said.

DDOT officials maintain the streetcar will open to the public by the end of the year.

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