The H Street Shuttle: A Holiday Miracle!

Photo courtesy of CStan Photo

You don’t have to live long in DC to know that this city giveth and it taketh away. Recent events surrounding the H Street Shuttle are a perfect example of the frustrating back and forth that many DC residents and business owners experience in the city. If you haven’t already heard by now, the free H Street Shuttle had been struggling to stay on its wheels since it launched in January 2009 and on December 6th, the shuttle service was suspended due to loss of funding. But just three days later on December 8th, a spokeswoman for Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced that the shuttle organizers have found the needed funds and will continue to offer transportation for DC music and food lovers alike to their favorite destinations located in the H Street corridor.

The H Street Business Cooperative, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to addressing the transportation needs of H Street started the shuttle. It connects Gallery Place Metro station (H and Seventh streets NW) to Minnesota Avenue and runs seven days a week from 5:00 pm until the Metro closes. And did we mention it’s FREE?

Those who are familiar with the H Street area may remember just how difficult it was to get to their favorite restaurants, shops and music venues before the shuttle. And it wasn’t just that it was hard to get to, but it was also hard to leave thanks to the scarcity of cabs in the area after 12:00 am. And don’t get us started on the parking! But the H Street shuttle changed all of that and made the area much more accessible to everyone-making business owners and their patrons very happy.

Steve Lambert is a booker for shows at The Red and the Black and The Rock and Roll Hotel-both located in the H Street corridor. “The shuttle has always been a great transportation option for those attending the Rock & Roll Hotel. Be it concert goers or bar and food enthusiasts, the shuttle [has] always bought grateful people to our front door and the rest of H Street,” says Lambert. “All the H St businesses consider its running a viable and important part to exposing more people to H [St.,] NE every day.”

When the news of the suspension broke, bloggers and Twitterers alike took to their keyboards to announce the loss and express their frustration. Soon after, almost 100 people contacted council member Tommy Wells’ (D-Ward 6) office asking for the shuttle’s return according to Charles Allen, Wells’s chief of staff. Then Wells took to his own Twitter feed to inform his followers that he had “Just spoke with the Mayor re H street shuttle. Very promising.” Sure enough, Mayor Fenty was able to find another revenue source to fund the shuttle.

Says Lambert, “The H St Shuttle has been a great option for venturing out to H St. The halting was a short and unwelcoming diversion from H [St.,] and the calls from the locals and H St. business owners were heard almost immediately with disapproval. Everyone was very happy to know the shuttle would continue running and continue to be a great benefit for all of H St.”

For more information about the H Street Shuttle, visit www.atlasarts.org/plan_shuttle.php.