(Washington, DC) Today, in advance of Thursday’s grand opening of The Wharf, Mayor Bowser announced increased transportation options for accessing the Southwest Waterfront by ground and water. New transit methods include the Southwest Shuttle and the Water Taxi.
“We are proud and eager to celebrate The Wharf’s incredible transformation, so today we are highlighting the exciting new transportation options that will be available to residents and visitors,” said Mayor Bowser. “We know that – particularly during opening week – thousands of people will be visiting The Wharf each day, so we are urging people to learn about the many ways to get to and from The Wharf and to plan ahead.”
The Southwest Shuttle buses will connect The Wharf, L’Enfant Plaza Metro/VRE station, the National Mall, and L’Enfant Plaza on 10th Street, SW. The neighborhood shuttle service will run seven days a week and is free and open to the public. The regional water taxi service will begin on Thursday, October 12, with stops in Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria, and is scheduled to expand to the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland in spring 2018.
Getting to the Wharf
SW Shuttle
With daily service leaving every 10 minutes, visitors can pick up the new shuttle between The Wharf (800 Maine Avenue, SW), L’Enfant Plaza Metro/VRE station (7th Street and Maryland Avenue, SW), the National Mall (7th Street at Independence Avenue SW), and L’Enfant Plaza on 10th Street, SW (future home of the International Spy Museum).
Water Taxi
A privately operated water taxi will connect the Wharf with Georgetown, Alexandria, and, coming soon, the National Harbor in Maryland.
Metrorail
WMATA’s Southwest Waterfront-SEU Metrorail Green Line station is located at 4th and M Streets, approximately 600 yards walking distance from the intersection of 7th Street and Maine Avenue. The Green Line connects The Wharf with L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Orange, Silver, Yellow lines) and Gallery Place-Chinatown (Red, Yellow lines) to the north and Anacostia and suburban Maryland to the south.
Visitors should also consider the L'Enfant Plaza Station, which is located to the north with entrances at 7th Street and D Street, 9th Street and D Street and Independence Avenue and 12th Street. L'Enfant Plaza is within a 10-12 minute walk to most of The Wharf area or you can pick up the SW Shuttle to the Wharf.
Metrobus
The site is directly served by WMATA’s Metrobus 74 route with a stop located on the south side of Maine Avenue adjacent to the Wharf. The Circulator bus also services The Wharf (Union Station – Navy Yard Metro route).
Bicycle Transportation
Within The Wharf, cyclists have access to multi-use trails, on-street bike lanes, signed bike routes, and residential streets that facilitate cycling. In addition, The Wharf is served by Capital Bikeshare stations on Maine Avenue. During opening week, bike valet, extra bike racks, and a Capital Bikeshare corral will be available.
Taxi Cabs
A taxi stand will be located on the north curb of Maine Avenue between 7th and 9th streets. There will be inspectors onsite to enforce for-hire vehicle regulations and loading/unloading operations.
Transportation Network Companies
Transportation Network Companies (TNCs), also known as Private Sedan Businesses, will be directed to pick-up and drop-off passengers along Maine Avenue on the south curb adjacent to The Wharf.
Parking
The Wharf has limited parking spaces, including spaces reserved for residential and commercial tenants, so it is suggested that visitors use other transportation modes. More on parking can be found here.
The Southwest Waterfront
The District Wharf is a mile-long, mixed-use development of residential, hotel, office, retail, and entertainment space on the Potomac River in Southwest, DC. In 2015, Mayor Bowser announced $155 million of foreign investments into development projects that will produce more affordable housing and job opportunities for DC residents, and the Southwest Waterfront, including The Wharf, received $100 million. The project is expected to create 215 affordable housing units and 1,000 new permanent service jobs, with 51 percent of those jobs to be filled by DC residents. Estimates provided by The Wharf indicate that approximately 20,000 people will visit on each of the four days of opening events, which begin on October 12.
More information on how to get to The Wharf can be found at wharfdc.com or by downloading the District Wharf app for iPhone or Android. Information on the District’s traffic plan for the Wharf opening can be found at ddot.dc.gov.