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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

City City Secures Funding for Planning Broadway Streetcar Extension

Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 8:24 AM

And from the big, bad federal government no less! Mayor Mike McGinn will announce this morning that thanks to a total of $1.75 million in federal dollars—from two sources, the Federal Transit Administration and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program—the city is moving ahead on planning and design activities that should ultimately grow the streetcar line from the International District to Capitol by a half mile.

The project would extend the line into Broadway’s retail core and better support its residents by moving the terminus from Denny Way to Roy Street or beyond...

The City also intends to extend the cycle track included in the current First Hill Streetcar project along with enhanced sidewalks, landscaping, wayfinding and signal/operational improvements.

The total cost of this design and planning phase will be about $3 million, meaning the remaining $1.25 million will be paid by the city. More after this morning's press conference, but obviously, as McGinn says, “This is good news for expanding transit in Seattle."

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I bet Rasmussen and Burgess are pissed. If McGinn can he should get Fed cash for the UW extension they want to kill for "cost" reasons.

Posted by Joe Szilagyi

on October 30, 2012 at 8:37 AM

To Roy Street and beyond!

Posted by care bear on October 30, 2012 at 8:43 AM

This is good news. Big thanks to the Community Council for spearheading the effort, and to the Chamber of Commerce and others who endorsed their proposal (Broadway alignment past the park, north to Aloha, and reclaim the street with a cycle track) almost immediately and pushed to make it a reality.

Posted by Phil M

on October 30, 2012 at 8:46 AM

Sweet! Sorry cab drivers, but I'm going to use the f*ck out of this streetcar. Right now I take either 2 buses from Pioneer Square to Capitol Hill, or I walk so far to the bus stop that I might as well keep walking to my destination. Cabs if the weather is terrible or late at night.

I'm excited about the cycle track too.

Posted by Lori D. on October 30, 2012 at 8:53 AM

This is excellent news! Expanding high capacity transit into this part of Capitol Hill, with all of that density in both residential and, to a lesser extent, retail, makes a ton of sense, and is a smart investment in Seattle.

Now if only there was a way to improve East-West connectivity north of Ship Canal, and better connect CH with SLU to Lower QA/Belltown area.

Posted by michaelp on October 30, 2012 at 8:56 AM

@5 don't forget east-west south of the stadiums or access from West Seattle into downtown. It's not any better down here.

Posted by Joe Szilagyi

on October 30, 2012 at 9:04 AM

This is so awesome! I can't wait to ride and cycle this thing. Let's hope the city keeps the motivation going and keeps building more of these lines.

Posted by mitten on October 30, 2012 at 9:25 AM

So I can train from CC to ID, streetcar to the hill? Please run this until 1 am like light rail and I will visit the hill a lot more. Sorry in advance.

Posted by wisepunk on October 30, 2012 at 9:39 AM

Um, not quite:

"Mayor Mike McGinn is expected to announce today that the planned half-mile north Broadway streetcar extension will receive $1.75 million in federal grants. When a planned $1.25 million in city funds are added, the $3 million total should be enough to fully design a potential $25 million track project."

This is design, only. There is still the small matter of securing funds for building it.

Posted by ProstSeattle on October 30, 2012 at 9:43 AM

@6 - Touche, although when it comes to transit into major economic centers, I think that Southeast Seattle does kind of have it badass with the light rail, that goes through SODO and into Downtown. Georgetown is sort of in the shitter, along with West Seattle but...well...fuck West Seattle. :-)

Posted by michaelp on October 30, 2012 at 9:43 AM