Seattle's Center City Streetcar Network

Revised January 16, 2007

Overview

A brochure and a report summarizing the results of the July 2006 Center City Streetcar Workshop is now available. It includes a conceptual plan that builds on and enhances existing transit networks.

Center City Seattle is at the economic and cultural core of the Puget Sound region. A thriving Center City is essential to the vitality of our region.

Center City Seattle is quickly becoming a place where people choose to live, work, and socialize. It is the city's fastest growing neighborhood and region's largest employment center. With over 54,000 estimated residents 230,000 people working in the Center City area, the area continues to grow. In the next 20 years, 50,000 more jobs and 22,000 new homes are expected in the area.

As Center City Seattle continues to grow, the development of an integrated transit system that provides frequent, reliable and easy connections will be critical to ensure that it remains vibrant and accessible.

The City of Seattle is working with its transit partners to increase the number of transportation choices for citizens that are viable alternatives to driving alone. The goal is to create a transit network that provides frequent and reliable service at least every 15 minutes, 18 hours a day, seven days a week.

A Center City Streetcar network that connects people to jobs, housing, the downtown commercial core and the regional transit network (light-rail, buses and commuter trains) is one of the key components of the Center City Access Strategy.

Presently, over a dozen North American cities have streetcar systems that have either been expanded or initiated operation in the past 15 years. In addition, at least twice as many other cities have new systems or new lines under active planning. Streetcars offer several advantages:

• Streetcars attract more riders than a bus. Streetcars have been able to attract new users and draw at least 15-50 percent more riders than buses
• Streetcars attract private investment. Property owners are often willing to contribute financially to the building of a streetcar because they realize the benefit it will have to property values and the neighborhood. Approximately 50% ($25 million) of the South Lake Union Streetcar's capital costs are funded by area property owners who formed a Local Improvement District (LID).
• Streetcars are easily integrated into densely developed, pedestrian-oriented, urban neighborhoods. Streetcars are able to operate in a travel lane with other vehicles and have less disruption to on-street parking in the area.
• Streetcar construction and operation is low impact. Streetcar lines can be rapidly constructed. A typical block of rail line for the Portland Streetcar was built in three weeks. Streetcars can operate in a lane of traffic with automobiles.