Guiding principles toward Tacoma streetcars

The push to bring streetcars back to Tacoma is still alive and well. KFnet friend Chris forwarded me this doc of principles of how a system here in town should look/work/be. The document was created by Spencer Beier who's an engineer in the Public Works Department for a meeting with city manager Eric Anderson last Friday. In it are some solid ideals and decent price points for creating a core of streetcar routes to later branch from toward a more comprehensive system.

Link to "Tacoma Streetcar - Principles" (PDF, 560K)

The initial slew of routes suggested seems an apt one especially given that they considered desired ridership factors like folks with lower incomes, who are elderly, tourists and local commuters. For the plan to play out fully including contingencies at just over $1 billion for 89(!) miles of track seems pretty dang reasonable especially if you consider how much regional light rail lines cost.

I sure hope the capitol and vision is there locally to see at least an initial line created. Once that's up and running, as with the Link downtown, I imagine selling policy makers and taxpayers alike will be a breeze.

Thanks Chris!

Comments (8) | To Top

9/10/2007 @ 7:23pm

Looks rather enticing and reasonable, compared to other city streetcar revivals I've seen throughout the country. However, what's with the "Salishan Line" as a possible priority route? Given that the Portland Ave. line was the shortest and least populated route on the TR&P Co. and, even today, the potential opportunities of ridership, business, and tourism, a Fern Hill and/or South Tacoma Line would be of more priority.

Second thought; historic streetcar systems have an overwhelming lean towards tourist ridership. Given that, and the semi-vertical nature of downtown, why not bring back the 11'th/13'th St. cable car loop as the initial line for downtown? Think about it; reconnect the cross-town business districts, Hilltop (MLK Way), Tacoma Ave, and the central core. Draw out-of-towners up the hill! It made perfect sense when it existed, why not now? Of course the logistics of a cable-car infrastructure could be tricky in today's age, however the cars themselves can be a hybrid cable/traction setup (as they were originally), allowing them to utilize both systems independently. It would be a perfect initial core to branch off from. Although San Fran. might be a little ticked off!

by Nick K.

9/10/2007 @ 10:21pm

Off topic b but I was at a great meeting of the Tacoma Historical Society tonight and did not see anyone there under 50. You civic minded 30 somethings need to learn about Tacoma's past to really appreciate this town. Hope to see you at future meetings.

by Delfina Jones

9/11/2007 @ 11:40am

Nick-

I've been saying that we've needed to reinstall the 11th/13th cable car since the start of this whole conversation about streetcars. It was the most logical cable car line to ever exist really. Those grades are still steep for the buses Pierce Transit uses.

by Chris

9/11/2007 @ 11:52am

Having attended most of the streetcar advisory meetings the city had early this year, I believe I recall that the Salishan line might be under consideration had to do with (a) low income ridership potential, and (b) possible connection to McKinley/Lincoln and other South End areas (such as Fern Hill) without having to scale a steep grade.

by jamie

9/12/2007 @ 11:32pm

re: Salishan route -

There might also be a partnership formed with the Puyallup Tribe to partly finance a Salishan route. They previously paid Sound Transit to study feasibility for a line that would go from the Dome District to their casino off Portland Avenue.

by morgan

9/13/2007 @ 8:29am

That would be an interesting partnership. I could see TCC and UPS doing something similar to help get a line from downtown out to them.

by KevinFreitas

9/13/2007 @ 3:53pm

Heh...unfortunately, I don't think that TCC and UPS pull revenue even in the same universe as the EQC...

9/13/2007 @ 7:51pm

Nah, but every little bit counts. Maybe they should get into gambling though. Could be a way to boost the ol' endowment!

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