Colorado Colorado Springs

In 2009, the City of Colorado Springs initiated a citizens-led effort to develop a streetcar system for the City. The Citizens Task Force worked with the City of Colorado Springs to conduct a feasibility study to determine the potential costs and alignment for an initial route and long-term system expansion. Its primary aim was to develop a streetcar circulator to connect its downtown area with a proposed urban redevelopment area in the southwest side of downtown, Colorado College, and potentially the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The feasibility study, completed in March 2010, recommended a roughly three-mile starter system in the downtown core, with longer-term extensions to outlying neighborhoods. At this point, no funding has been identified for the system, but the Task Force continues to examine the potential for local, state, and federal funding. More details and a project video can be found at www.csstreetcar.com.

The City and County of Denver conducted a feasibility study for a potential streetcar system serving primarily the East Colfax corridor, the main travel corridor leading eastward from downtown and one of the highest bus-ridership corridors in the Denver area. Utilizing a citizen’s task force and several interactive public meetings, the City analyzed alternative alignments and recommended a roughly three-mile alignment from downtown to Colorado Blvd. as a likely starter line. The City has applied for additional alternatives analysis funding to carry the project forward. The feasibility study report can be found at http://www.denvergov.org/ColfaxStreetcarFeasibilityStudy/tabid/435130/Default.aspx.

The City of New Haven is proposing to develop a modern streetcar line stitching together three growing districts: Downtown, the Yale-New Haven Hospital Medical District, and Union Station.  The initial 3-mile line will serve as an alternative mode of transportation, with the opportunity to be expanded regionally to Hamden and West Haven (8-9 miles).  As result, this will amplify livable, walkable and sustainable qualities of the urban environment, while relieving heavy traffic congestion to accommodate future development.  The demand for transit will allow the streetcar to connect residents and visitors to commuter rail lines and high speed rail via service to Union Station.

The proposed planned DC Streetcar System is the culmination of a five-year effort, outlined in the DC’s Transit Future System Plan (2010), to identify transit challenges and opportunities and recommend appropriate investment. The recommended System Plan consists of a 37-mile network of eight new interconnected streetcar lines in addition to a supporting network of thirteen Metro Express bus lines. The new streetcar services are forecast to accommodate more than 147,000 daily trips by 2030, improve travel times by up to 38%, and reduce crowding on existing Metrobus lines by 27% in the corridors served by the new system. The streetcar component of the system also has the potential to stimulate more intense mixed-use development consistent with the city’s zoning designations for the streetcar corridors.  As the District of Columbia invests in a new, state of the art transportation network, it is imperative that the District explores all opportunities for the project to generate economic revitalization through job generation not only for the District, but for the Washington Metropolitan Region as a whole. 

The District of Columbia has two streetcar segments under construction:  a one-mile segment in the Anacostia neighborhood and a two-mile segment in northeast DC on H St. and Benning Rd.  The Anacostia segment will operate with three Inekon TRIO streetcars, with a maintenance facility located on South Capitol St.  The H/Benning segment was constructed as part of a Great Streets Program reconstruction. 

The District anticipates opening the Anacostia line in FY2013. DDOT is currently conducting environmental analysis as part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 legislation for an extension of this line to the Anacostia Historic District and the foot of the 11^th Street Bridge.  

The H/Benning segment will complete construction in FY2012. However, the project was envisioned as a street reconstruction project.  As a result, it requires several key elements before it is available for operations.  DDOT is evaluating alternatives to accelerate the opening of this segment as well as conducting design/engineering work to connect the line from 3^rd Street, NE to the Union Station facility.

Florida

Fort Lauderdale

Contact: Elizabeth Van Zandt, DDA Planning & Design Manager, 954-463-6574, elizabeth@ddaftl.org

Website: www.wavestreetcar.com

Updated 9/23/2010

The Wave is a 2.7 mile (5.4 miles double tracked) starter streetcar system planned for Downtown Fort Lauderdale, the largest urbanized area in Broward County with a population of just under 2 million people. The system will serve as the local circulator/distributor connecting major employment centers and regional activity generators.

The planning efforts are being done in partnership between Broward County, the Florida Department of Transportation – District IV (FDOT), the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the South Florida Regional Transit Authority (SFRTA), the City of Fort Lauderdale, and the Downtown Development Authority of Fort Lauderdale (DDA). Towards the end of the alternatives analysis phase, the locally preferred alternative was selected back in 2008 by the County, the City, and the DDA. The capital cost is estimated at approximately $124 million (year of expenditure), including unique features such as bridge retrofitting, buying land for and the construction of a maintenance and storage facility.

Broward County committed to be the owner and operator of the system, representing a significant commitment. The finance plan for the capital costs include the pursuit of Federal Small Starts funding, State New Starts Funding (already committed for the project), and $10.5 million from the City of Fort Lauderdale and a special assessment in the amount of $15 million from the benefitting property owners.

An initial draft of the NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) report was submitted to FTA and the project team has received initial comments. Plans to resubmit the EA and submit finalized project development application materials are expected to occur later this year. The current project schedule anticipates the system to be operational by late 2014.

Miami

Contact: Lilia I. Medina, Transportation Coordinator, City of Miami, 305-416-1080,

limedina@miamigov.com

Updated 1/4/2010

Miami Streetcar Project: The capital and construction costs were updated in September 2008 to $280 million dollars with an annual cash requirement during operations ranging from $10.2 to $12.6 million. These increased costs and financing shortfalls from projected sources of funds has required placing the project on indefinite hold. The streetcar service was to provide improved transit connections along a 10.6mile (17.06 Km) alignment between Downtown Miami and the redeveloping areas of Wynwood/Edgewater, Overtown, Midtown Miami, the Miami Design District, and the Health District. The fixed rail guideway, at grade in mixed traffic, was to include 52 stops, and was going to link with existing Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) systems, including Metrorail and Metromover. The project was going to operate with a fleet of 11 modern European tram-style vehicles. The Public Information Program and Environmental Assessment concluded in August 2008. Preliminary Design was completed to approximately 30%. The Midtown Miami streetcar infrastructure was completed in 2008. The Design Manual was completed. The Request for Qualifications was 90% complete. The finance plan and delivery approach was 80% complete. The historic Miami streetcars stopped operating in November 1940, and the City was proposing to reintroduce a modern, rather than vintage, streetcar technology.

Tampa

Contact: Ed Crawford, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, 813-223-6831 x2106,

crawforde@hartline.org

Updated 2005

TECO Line Streetcar Extension: The Tampa Electric Company (TECO) Line Streetcar System is a 2.4-mile vintage replica electric streetcar system. The project cost $53.5 million to construct, and opened in October 2002. It was built using a combination of federal and state grants, with approximately $13.5 million provided by the City of Tampa. Most of the federal funds were in the form of CMAQ grants prioritized by the MPO. The system serves the hotel, convention, and tourist markets primarily, and carries approximately 425,000 passengers per year, using eight, air-conditioned Gomaco replicas of the original Birney Safety cars used in Tampa.

An extension of approximately one-third mile is being proposed to extend the current end of the line northward to connect with the downtown office core. A PD&E study is just beginning to determine accurate project costs. Some funding is available in the 07-08 fiscal years via the MPO; no Small Starts money has been applied for. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) will be the primary sponsor for the project.

HART is a new member of the Community Streetcar Coalition, having participated since the formation, and formally joined just recently. Jeff Boothe is the agency’s Washington liaison.
Georgia

Atlanta

Contact: Shelley Peart, Principal Urban Planner, City of Atlanta Bureau of Planning, Transportation Division, 404-330-6781, speart@atlantaga.gov

Updated 9/2/2010

The Peachtree Corridor Partnership was established in June 2007 by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin as a collaborative effort of the Atlanta Development Authority, the Atlanta Committee for Progress, and the three community improvement districts operating along the Peachtree corridor - the Downtown Improvement District (Central Atlanta Progress), the Midtown Improvement District (Midtown Alliance), and the Buckhead Improvement District (Buckhead Coalition). The Partnership was formed to work with key stakeholders – property owners, developers, neighborhood groups, and other interested parties – to determine how to best implement the recommendations of the Peachtree Corridor Task Force, which were issued in March 2007. The Partnership’s efforts have been financially supported entirely with private funds contributed to the project.

The Task Force recommended a 25-year, $1 billion effort to transform Atlanta’s signature street into a world-class boulevard characterized by high quality streetscapes, enhanced public spaces, and improved mobility through development of a modern streetcar system. The Peachtree Corridor Partnership was formed to take the Task Force’s grand vision and determine how it could begin to be implemented in a first phase of investment that was realistic, feasible, and could be implemented with local resources.

On October 15^th, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood presented a check for $47.6 million in TIGER II funding for the Atlanta Streetcar project. 

The first phase of the project will run for 2.62 miles in the heart of Atlanta’s downtown, business, tourism and convention corridor connecting Peachtree Street with Sweet Auburn Avenue. 

The plans for the Atlanta Streetcar call for 12 stops and direct transfer to MARTA rail service at the Peachtree Center rail station.  The route connects the city’s most visited tourist attractions, such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke, and CNN Center with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and the Sweet Auburn Avenue district, thus enhancing the city’s $11 billion tourism and convention industry. 

Several attractions under development – including the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and a transit museum – also will be connected via the Atlanta Streetcar, which is forecasted to have 2,600 boardings per day.

The design and construction of phase one of the Atlanta Streetcar is expected to take approximately two years, with construction beginning in 2012 and service expected to commence in 2013. The streetcar is the first phase of a regional transit system that includes the Atlanta BeltLine and connects to MARTA. The Atlanta Streetcar will be compatible with the MARTA Breeze fare system.  

In June 2008, Boise Mayor David Bieter and the Capital City Development Corporation (CCDC) Board of Commissioners appointed a 34-member Task Force and asked them to build and expand on previous transportation studies by completing a feasibility study with recommendations regarding alignment, capital funding, streetcar vehicle options, and operations for a streetcar on an east-to-west alignment in downtown Boise.

There is a half million dollar earmark for an implementations study of the transit elements of the long-range transportation plan, which will be done in coordination with the Champaign-Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study (CUUATS). This study will be completed in approximately two years, and will help determine the nature and scope of the high-capacity transit project, as well as whether the project falls within Small Starts guidelines.

The primary project sponsor is Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, although the Cities and University will be involved in the CUUATS study. There is no streetcar system currently operating in this community.

Chicago

Contact: Aimee Lee, Chicago Transit Authority, 312-681-4204, alee@transitchicago.com

Updated 1/8/2008

The Ogden Avenue - Carroll Avenue - Navy Pier Transitway Project: Project will create an 11.4-mile transitway connecting North Riverside Park Mall in the near west suburbs with Navy Pier downtown. The new line will connect several Chicago neighborhoods and three suburban communities with the 42,000-employee Illinois Medical District. It will also provide direct access to Navy Pier, North Michigan Avenue/River North, and the growing West Loop office district. This project will serve as a catalyst for further transit-oriented economic revitalization of the adjacent neighborhoods, and depending upon the outcome of FTA's Alternatives Analysis underway; it may re-introduce streetcar service to the Ogden Avenue Corridor in Chicago. Transitway construction would coincide with pedestrian-oriented streetscaping improvements to promote the safety and comfort of all street users.

Multiple alignment and mode alternatives, including Streetcar, LRT, BRT, and HRT are being considered in the Alternatives Analysis, which is expected to be complete in 2006 or 2007, and is sponsored by CTA. It has not yet been determined whether funding for this project would be sought under the Small Starts grant program.

Although Chicago once had an extensive streetcar network, it was completely replaced by motor buses by June 1958. Over the ensuing years, there have been several proposals for reintroducing streetcar/LRT service to Chicago; at present the Ogden-Carroll-Navy Pier project is the only active proposal.


Indiana

Indianapolis

Contact: Stephen DeVoe, 317-684-5246, SDeVoe@boselaw.com

Website: www.indianapolisstreetcar.org

Updated 9/23/2010

The Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corporation was created in January 2008. This is a non-profit, public benefit corporation. The initial feasibility study has been completed with possible starter system designs being studied.

The New Orleans RTA is nearing the completion of rebuilding its streetcar system after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  All of its three streetcar lines are now operating fully.   For additional RTA route information please go to www.norta.com .

ST. CHARLES STREETCAR Line:  The line, after being fully repaired, is the number one line in ridership for the RTA carrying over 3,219,852 passengers annually. A major capital improvement project underway is the tie replacement program for the system to replace the existing wood ties with modern composite ties while keeping the aboveground system intact to maintain the historic aspect of the line.

RIVERFRONT STREETCAR Line:  The 1.9 mile line survived the storm intact as did most facilities closest to the Mississippi River.  We are happy to report that all of the vehicles and the system is in full operation.

CANAL STREETCAR Line:  All repairs have been completed with the Canal Streetcar in full service. As reported previously, Hurricane Katrina proved to be highly problematic for the Canal Streetcar line.  All 24 Canal Streetcars have been totally restored and rebuilt by Regional Transit Authority staff craftsmen and have been put in service in 2010. Repairs to the SIS facility and various underground feeders damaged by the floodwaters are completed.  The streetcar repairs, substation replacement, and subsequent facility and line repairs are all to be paid through the FEMA Disaster Public Assistance program.

NEW OR REVISED PROJECTS:

• 
  Canal Streetcar Transfer Station at Canal Boulevard:  Planned prior to the storm but placed on hold due to community concerns, this sorely needed terminal station for the Canal line would extend the line for only a few hundred yards but would provide a much safer and efficient transfer point for pedestrians and riders transferring from streetcars to buses and vice versa.  Utilizing preserved existing balances of the Canal Streetcar construction FTA Section 5309 New Start funds; the revived project has completed the preliminary engineering phase. At this point an Environmental Assessment is required to proceed due to possible impacts to historic structures located adjacent to the right of way. The community now seems much more receptive to the project as new RTA leadership has sparked support for it as a recovery project in an area sorely in need of attention. Upon approval of the environmental documents, the RTA will complete final design and then proceed with construction.
  
• 
  Desire Corridor:  Had been named the CBD/French Quarter Corridor with the Alternative Analysis completed with an Locally approved alternative selected. HDR and a local team were awarded a contract for preliminary engineering/environmental assessment of the corridor. The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) completed an Alternatives Analysis (AA) and Conceptual Engineering to evaluate transit service improvements in the Central Business District (CBD) and French Quarter in New Orleans, LA. A comprehensive, synergistic program of projects that would promote mobility, livability and economic stimulus was adopted as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) by the RTA Board of Commissioners on June 25, 2009. The program of projects consists of the French Quarter Streetcar line, the Convention Center/Riverfront Streetcar line, and the UPT/Loyola Streetcar line. The French Quarter and UPT/Loyola Avenue lines have since been combined into one project (the NOUPT/French Quarter Streetcar line) as a component of the overall program. (The New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (NOUPT) is the western ―hub of the streetcar program, and is the site of a consolidated streetcar and bus transfer facility.
  
• 
  On February 17, 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the RTA a $45 million grant to be used to build part of the UPT/French Quarter Streetcar line, specifically the Loyola Avenue component that would connect Canal Street and the UPT. The funding is provided through a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant, which is a program established through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The UPT to Canal Street segment funded by the TIGER program is in the public review period with the Finding of No Significant Impact to be granted in mid-November. Final design will be performed by AECOM with a projected Revenue date in Mid-2012.