2010 [survey of streetcar cities]

	2010

Streetcars are enjoying a national revival in these early years of the 21^st century. As communities across the nation rediscover the charm and efficiency of this short distance transit option, they are investing in new streetcar lines or extensions of existing operations. This survey in support of The Community Streetcar Coalition (CSC) was commissioned to track important streetcar development projects, planned or underway, in major U.S. cities. Portland Streetcar Inc. funded this work with the partial proceeds of its 2005 Rudy Bruner Gold Medal Award for Urban Excellence.

This survey report is a living, working document. It will be updated regularly, and shared with policymakers, opinion leaders, interested municipalities, and those involved in streetcar issues and technologies. Cities wishing to be included in subsequent iterations of this document should contact Julie Gustafson, julie@sojpdx.com.
The Community Streetcar Coalition
The Community Streetcar Coalition was established in 2004.  It is comprised of cities, transit authorities and private sector that are focused on supporting the Small Starts program and establishment of a program that supports streetcars in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act:  A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and advocating with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to implement the Small Starts program.  The CSC conducts monthly phone calls for members and twice yearly face-to-face meetings in Washington, DC in March and at Rail-Volution each year.





Streetcar Status Table

As of October 2010

The Tucson Modern Streetcar Project is a 3.9 mile modern streetcar line will connect major activity centers including, The University of Arizona, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University Main Gate Business District, 4th Avenue Business District, Congress Shopping and Entertainment District, Downtown Tucson, and the Downtown redevelopment area west of I-10. The project includes 18 stops and 7 modern streetcar vehicles. The planned frequency of operation is 10 minutes during the day and 20 minutes during the evening. The current ridership estimate is approximately 3,600 passengers per weekday and the capital cost is approximately $180 million. Modern streetcar was recommended as the locally preferred alternative (LPA) during the Alternatives Analysis and received unanimous approval from the City of Tucson Mayor and Council in April 2007. Local funding for the modern streetcar project was approved as part of the successful Regional Transportation Authority Plan vote in Pima County in May 2006. An Environmental Assessment was completed in August 2008 and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was issued by FTA in January 2009. FTA approved the Tucson Modern Streetcar as an “Exempt” project in December 2008. For more information on the Tucson Modern Streetcar Project, please refer to the project website at www.tucsonstreetcar.info.

Phase I is complete and operating in Little Rock and North Little Rock.  Phase 2 is complete with service to the Clinton Library and Heifer International and has added a mile of track operating in Little Rock.

The current streetcar system is a vintage (Birney replica) line that opened 1 November 2004.  It has 3.5 miles of track and an overhead power supply.  There are 14 stops and the streetcar uses the Main Street Bridge to connect the two cities.  It has a fleet of 5 replica cars.  Ridership is exceeding expectations with peak seasons being spring and summertime.  Current interest in Phase 3 is to extend the line south on Main St. in Little Rock to Roosevelt Rd., and north on Main St. in North Little Rock to Pershing Rd.  Funding is 80 percent grants and the other 20% is split between 3 entities being the city of Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County. Motivating factors for our system include reaching the many venues of the twin cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock in the newly renovated and popular downtown areas.  Its continued success, coupled with plans for future expansion, can serve as a model for other cities where, as Little Rock and North Little Rock has demonstrated, there is a real potential for the rebirth of the long vanished streetcar system. 

California

Glendale

Contact: Jano Baghdanian, Traffic and Transportation Administrator, City of Glendale, 818-

548-3960, jbaghdanian@ci.glendale.ca.us

Updated 8/30/2010

Downtown Streetcar: At this point there is no streetcar project.

Los Angeles

Contact: Dennis Allen, Executive Director, L.A. Streetcar Inc., dallen@lastreetcar.org

Website: http://www.lastreetcar.org

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lastreetcar

Facebook: http://www.lastreetcar.org/facebook

Updated 9/16/2010

Los Angeles Streetcar, Inc. (LASI), a public/private non-profit joint venture, is leading the effort to develop a streetcar system in Downtown L.A. The streetcar project is currently entering environmental review and community engagement is on-going. Community response continues to be overwhelming positive and LASI has hosted several large public outreach events in 2008, 2009, and 2010 to showcase conceptual alignments and solicit public feedback.

The proposed streetcar routes are intended to connect Downtown Los Angeles, as they route through South Park, L.A. Live, the Civic Center, and the historic Broadway Theatre corridor. It’s anticipated the final streetcar couplet will run for approximately 4 to 4.5 miles. The effort is being championed by City Councilmember José Huizar through his Bringing Back Broadway initiative, and LASI is actively working with public and private stakeholders along the conceptual routes.

We believe the streetcar will significantly enhance the pedestrian amenities and regional transportation connectivity of Downtown while encouraging non-vehicular mobility. Downtown L.A. is positioned to substantially benefit from a streetcar system that leverages private investment in developing and burgeoning residential communities, entertainment districts, and business activities.

Pasadena is reviewing a preliminary feasibility study focusing on the costs, the benefits and possible sources of funding. The specific alignment is not a part of the current project, but a route is evolving that would operate a one-way loop on Union and Green Streets and two-way on Lake Avenue south to California Boulevard. The streetcar would serve four retail centers in the Central Business District, namely Old Pasadena, Paseo Colorado, Playhouse District, and South Lake Avenue.  Ultimately, the streetcar could proceed east on Green Street from Lake Avenue to Hill, which would connect with Pasadena City College and California Institute of Technology or east on California Boulevard to also connect to CalTech.

The initial portion of the potential alignment is approximately two miles in total length, referring to Colorado Boulevard and South Lake Avenue. The funding for the project comes from six stakeholders in the City, of which the City is one.  The others are the Old Pasadena Management District, Paseo Colorado Holdings LLC, Playhouse District Association, South Lake Business Association, and the Pasadena Convention Center, which is a quasi-independent City entity.

Pasadena’s motivation to pursue a streetcar system is to add a dimension of attraction and enjoyment to the principal centers of the City, both to bolster our retail position in the region, but also to enhance the ability of residents and visitors to move about the City without a car.  With competition strengthening in Glendale and Arcadia, Pasadena wants to remain competitive and take steps that will assure continued success.

A preliminary feasibility analysis was completed in May 2007 and is available on line at www.riverfrontstreetcar.com.  A draft environmental report and financial plan are due August 2008.  The plan relies primarily on local funding.   The project is a cooperative effort of Sacramento Regional Transit District, Yolo County Transportation District, and the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento and is on an expedited schedule. If current energy and interest are sustained, the project could be in construction in 2010.

In addition, a feasibility study is being completed by Point West Transportation Management Association for a 3-mile line that will connect to the Swanston light rail station, and include stops at a major shopping center, medical facility, and the California State Fairgrounds. There is no projected completion date for this project.

There is no streetcar system currently operating in Sacramento.

The National Park Service serves as the extension's primary sponsor, supported by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, an agency of the City and County of San Francisco. PCC streetcars, built in the 1940s, are being rehabilitated to provide service on this line.  San Francisco currently operates six streetcar lines, including the F-Market & Wharves, a six-mile vintage line from the Castro District to Fisherman’s Wharf. 

As part of an overall development program now underway in the harbor area, the Port is studying several extensions to the Red Car Line, and has just completed a formal feasability study covering a range of options. Potential extensions include those serving the Cabrillo Beach area, a new cruise ship terminal at the Outer Harbor, a line reaching into Downtown San Pedro, as well as longer extensions linking San Pedro with the adjacent community of Wilmington. Next steps include related environmental work and a new permanent maintenance facility for the line.

 Updated 10/22/2010

In response to a program funded by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove have undertaken a study to develop a concept to improve connections to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC).  Santa Ana is the largest city in Orange County (approximately 350,000 population) and the County Seat which means there is a high concentration of government and related uses in its Civic Center area (City Hall, courts, county, state and federal buildings and supporting offices and retail).  The Civic Center is about 1.5 miles from the SARTC resulting in a transit access gap for people who would like to take the Metrolink commuter rail from South or North Orange County, LA County, Riverside County and beyond into the Santa Ana Civic Center.

In 2009, OCTA will increase service on Metrolink to every 30 minutes for most of the day.  To support this increase in Metrolink service, OCTA initiated the Go Local Program, funded with a local transportation sales tax, to encourage the 34 cities in the county to develop concepts to "extend the reach of Metrolink" into their cities.  Santa Ana’s study has evaluated the travel patterns, demographics, activity centers, land use plans, and potential transit options for improving access to Metrolink and has identified a modern streetcar between the SARTC and Civic Center as a promising project concept in response to the OCTA program (a future extension could occur west of the Civic Center using an abandoned former streetcar right-of-way). A contributing factor that supports the modern streetcar proposal is that the area between the SARTC and Civic Center is part of the City's Renaissance Specific Plan which has established policies and plans to revitalize the area with higher density, mixed-use, transit and pedestrian oriented development.

Conceptual engineering and environmental analysis for the Santa Ana-Garden Grove Fixed Guideway Project began in August 2009 and is scheduled to conclude in August 2011. Detailed analysis is underway for a "No Build", a "TSM/Best Bus" and two "Streetcar" alignments. The locally preferred alternative will be selected in spring 2011. After completion of the environmental documents in summer 2011, preliminary engineering will commence. The target opening day for the system is late 2014/early 2015. Funding for final design, construction, and operations and maintenance is expected to come from Measure M (Orange County's half- cent sales tax for transportation) as well as federal, state, and local sources.