Connor Farry is a freshman at The George Washington University studying political communication. He heard of Planet Forward’s Storyfest 2016 contest from Frank Sesno, the director of GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs, and the creator and host of Planet Forward. For his submission, Connor created a video that focused on the DC Streetcar, a passenger vehicle that operates on fixed rails on public streets to easily facilitate travel for District residents, workers and visitors.

We asked him a few questions to learn more about his entry.

Q: Describe the DC Streetcar.

A: The DC streetcar is a new innovation by the District Department of Transportation which currently runs along the H street corridor. It is a trolley system that allows residents to travel up and down this busy street, getting cars off the road and improving traffic.

Q: Why did you choose to communicate your innovation through this video format?

A: I feel that video is the best way to express new innovations as viewers can visualize the concepts.

Q: Why is this innovation so important to you? Why do you think it is one of the most essential methods to help sustainable cities?

A: Washington’s population is currently surging and is estimated to be well over a million in the near future. D.C. also has the worst traffic in the nation, in front of cities like New York City and Los Angeles. It is necessary to continue to build off the current public transportation system we have in order to decrease the amount of cars on the road.

(Editor’s note: Answers edited for grammar and spelling.)