Streetcars on Central?
Yesterday was one of those days. As the driver repeated her plea for us to move a little farther toward the back of the bus so more passengers could squeeze aboard, it was easy to wonder whether there’s not a better option than the consistently overcrowded number 10. More days than not it seems the Central Avenue bus is bursting at the seams, at least during the times you’d most likely want to take it. Couldn’t we put in a nice, big, comfortable light rail train running from maybe the Heights Theater all the way to the U Otter Stop Inn and then into downtown?
Light rail isn’t in the plans, but Central Avenue is one of the routes city officials are considering in their push to bring the streetcar back to Minneapolis. 
The first phase of a feasibility study this summer looked at 14 possible corridors, including Central Avenue from downtown to the Columbia Heights Transit Center. The route scored poorly compared to other corridors, primarily because of amount of industrial areas in Northeast, the study concluded. "However, when isolating the segment south of Lowry, this corridor scored well above the average for all corridors," the report says. Central Avenue is one of 10 corridors that advanced to the second phase of screening, but it only includes the section south of 37th Avenue. It found that the freight rail tracks at 37th Avenue would pose major issues for crossing. Several minor issues were identified around 8th Avenue and at a low underpass at 16th Avenue. A plus noted in the report: the wealth of industrial zoning makes it likely the city could find a location for a maintenance facility within a half mile of the route. Dan Haugen
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Filed under: Central Avenue, City Hall, Transportation
Streetcars have more nostalgia value than practical value. As visioned by this proposal they’re just buses which can’t maneuver around obstacles. Read up– we’ll pay more for equipment and right-of-way for trips that will take longer than current service.
I think anything that rides on rails is cool, but almost always a huge waste of tax revenue.
If you’re going to be a NE blog, please learn that in this quarter, most of the numbered streets are officially “Avenues”.
Hey Foxmarks — Thanks for catching my mistakes, and for getting some conversation going. Also, if you’re ever interested in writing posts (outside the comments) send me an e-mail so I can set you up to contribute.
Thanks. I’ve accepted your offer.
Back to the topic, there’s an informational “Transit Alternatives” meeting tonight at the NE library (22nd & Central), 6-8pm. It is open to everyone.
The streetcar proposal is one of four ideas to be presented. Find a rickshaw or jitney and come join us!
The meeting drew a good crowd, but I’m afraid no one came on a jitney.
Most people found the streetcar idea appealing. A smaller number wondered if this is a form of social engineering that is being shoved down our throats.
In my mind, the city needs to be thinking about what is next. Streetcars initially appear to be an appealing option. Streetcars get 40% more riders than buses and have led to increased property values in other cities. These are both good things.
It is ingenious of the anti-auto activists to define the success of transit in terms of ridership. If measured by a more useful standard, like per-rider subsidy, such social engineering projects appear properly ludicrous.
For example, a Hiawatha line rider is taking $1.25 out of the pockets of taxpayers every time he boards. That’s in addition to the $1.25 of his own he puts in the fare box.
The increases in property values are an elaborate transfer of wealth from the population at large to landowners adjacent to transit routes.
Get your transit facts right, Mr. Fox. Light Rail riders pay $1.50 during non-rush hours and $2.00 during rush hour.
I challenge you to show me one form of transit that is not publicly subsidized. How much do we each pay out of pocket per mile we drive on our State and Federally owned highways? My point is, transportation systems should be evaluated on other criteria besides cost per rider. And it’s only social engineering if you have no other practical alternatives - no one is forcing thousands of people to ride the Hiawatha line.
Amy, the particular price of a ride has no effect on the argument. For every penny you pay, the taxpayers at large pay another penny.
Chris, all transit is subsidized. Is that a good idea? Are you arguing out of some sense of revenge; now it is your turn at the nipple?
If we weigh the subsidy per trip, autos still come out cheaper to the public. I suggest you and Amy do more research, and perhaps study basic economics.