Return of the Streetcar
For some, streetcars evoke a feeling of urbanism in its heyday when cities thrived. Some may long nostalgically for those days; while others are finding and promoting real, current-day value in this historic transportation alternative. Whether driven by a nostalgic tribute to what America’s early cities represented or consideration of the benefits of a simple idea-or likely a combination of both-the U.S. and cities all over the world are looking back to the streetcar as a viable and attractive form of mass transit.
USA Today recently wrote an article about this movement that is making a return to major cities. Streetcars are helping to shape new cities and revive old ones. They are becoming a focal point of investment for developers while attracting urban dwellers to new neighborhoods and back to old ones.
Streetcars are looked at as a more flexible approach to many of the transportation issues that urban areas face. What sometimes prevents heavy-rail development-infrastructure and costs-makes streetcars a more appealing option. Light-rail is easier to build, less expensive and, as is the case now, often does not require federal funding. Instead, private funders see it as a sustainable way to attract commercial and residential development around transit zones.
Reconnecting America, a national organization formed to link transportation networks and the communities they serve, recently published a book on the streetcar revival, “Street Smarts.” The book is a great reference for the history of streetcars all the way up to the newfound role in the 21st century. CNT’s Scott Bernstein writes the chapter on the history of streetcars.
The streetcar renaissance is becoming a solution to urban issues that appeals to planners, environmentalists, mass transit advocates, government, and private enterprise and could be an integral part in the movement back to America’s cities.
