Public meeting for downtown L.A. streetcar project on Aug. 2 to discuss study of routes

Click above to see a larger version of the map.

Metro has announced an Aug. 2 meeting in downtown L.A. (details below) to discuss the study process for a project to return streetcar service to downtown Los Angeles. It’s a city of Los Angeles project, but Metro planners are doing the studies.

Planners will discuss the initial screening of routes for the streetcar and the ones that they have selected for further study — shown above. Here’s a seven-page briefing that details issues with all the many routes that have been reviewed thus far.

Planners have divided downtown into three different areas – north of 5th, between 5th and 9th and south of 9th — to review the different route options within each of those areas. The one thing to keep in mind with the above map is that the southbound segment on Broadway between 1st and 9th is common to all the routes.

What do you think about the different routes? Comment please!

Another thing to keep in mind: the city still must secure funding for the project. The longer the route, the more money it will likely cost.

The meeting announcement is after the jump. Here’s Metro’s streetcar page and here’s the GoLAStreetcar website by project supporters.

The announcement:

Metro will host a community update meeting for the Restoration of Historic Streetcar Service in Downtown Los Angeles Project to discuss the results of the initial screening of alternatives. Metro will make a brief presentation outlining the screening process and describe the project alternatives that will be further evaluated and considered for the locally preferred alternative.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend:
Tuesday, August 2, 2011, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Caltrans, 1st Floor Conference Room
100 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The project website has been updated to include information regarding the results of the initial screening evaluation. For more information on the Project, please visit www.metro.net/streetcar.

Comments may be submitted at the meeting; sent via e-mail to streetcarservice@metro.net; provided via voicemail at (213) 922-3000; or mailed to Metro c/o Historic Streetcar Service, One Gateway Plaza, 99-22-2, Los Angeles, CA, 90012.

Thank you for your continued interest in this project!

16 thoughts on “Public meeting for downtown L.A. streetcar project on Aug. 2 to discuss study of routes”

I cannot see the map in detail but I assume that one of the options is to run by/through Union Station…that along with running past LA Live/Convention center is critical to any success of this project.

Hi Joe;

I’m having problems getting the map to show up properly on the blog. I just posted to Metro’s Flickr account. This should allow you to better view it.

Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source

Needs Staples Center, LA Convention Center, and LA Live Area on Figueroa, right to LA Central Public Library on Flower, up Bunker Hill to connect with Angels Flight, right on 1st connect with Civic Center, to Little Tokyo, and onto Olvera Street/Union Station.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Don’t forget to share them with the project team at streetcarservice@metro.net.

One quick comment: My impression from the last community meeting is that going up and over Bunker Hill would be too steep for a streetcar.

Carter Rubin
Contributor, The Source

Study maps for the LA Streetcar should also show the existing subway route and the entire light rail system in the study area once the Regional Connector is complete, with all the subway and light rail stations including Little Tokyo and Union Station. Only with this additional information can alignments be discerned that do not duplicate existing and upcoming rail transit service.

Hi Paul –

I think you raise a very good point. For anyone reading and to try to help paint that picture, the Regional Connector will be under Flower Street between 2nd Street and the current 7th/Metro Center Blue Line station. The subway currently runs under Hill Street. The map does show Metro Rail stations but I think it does help to also know the Metro Rail alignments. If, in fact, Broadway is chosen for the streetcar, that would be the easternmost north-south rail corridor in downtown (except for Metrolink, which runs along the L.A. River).

Thanks for reading and writing,

Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source

Honestly, I don’t think it needs to go to Union Station. Little Tokyo, maybe but not Union Station.

The Red Line already provides quick access to Union Station. The Gold Line links Little Tokyo and Union Station. If the Regional Connector gets built, that will provide even better access to Union Station.

The longer the route is, the less frequent service is going to end up.

The route ought to connect Broadway/ Historic Core with Bunker Hill and the LACC/ L.A. Live/ Staples Center area.

I’d like to see a two-way alignment that starts on Alameda at the Chinatown Gold Line Station, continues south on Alameda then onto Main Street, following Main all the way to 11th Street, following W 11th through South Park then making a clockwise turnaround via left Flower where the Blue Line is still running underground, connecting with the Blue/Expo Lines at the Pico surface level station, then right on Pico, right on Figueroa with a stop right across from Staples Center, then right on W 11th and back to the Chinatown Gold Line Station via the same streets. A relatively simple alignment through the heart of the new-old downtown. No duplication with other rail services. The north end turnaround could be the tiny block where the aerial Chinatown Gold Line Station is anchored.

Putting it on Main would completely miss the point.

The whole streetcar discussion got started because people were looking at ways to revitalize Broadway.

I like extending the streetcar to Chinatown, but that’s only after you get Broadway and Staples Center linked together.

It’s very important to ensure smooth transfers between different forms of public transportation. I have a few thoughts:

Connect it to 7th street Metro Station. Not connecting here is mind-boggling. I get it, it’s steep, lots of traffic and there is already public transportation here. Yes, but surely the hill isn’t the biggest around can’t be a deal breaker. We want to reduce the traffic anyway that’s why we build it in the first place. Finally, the transportation hub is why it’s so important to bring this line here, to enable convenient transfers.

Connecting ALL THE WAY to Union Station, not stopping across the street as the map (which isn’t very good) seems to indicate, is vital. Across the street is better than nothing but why not do it right the first time.

You need physical and psychosocial reference points. Not extending the line to LA Live/Convention Center would be like building a train line from D.C. to New York and let it terminate in N.J. Don’t let this line have a loose southern end.

Finally, don’t make this an above ground competitor to the subway. It’s a complement, something that bring people to and from the subway stations as well as conveniently around downtown. Service areas that are slightly out of walking distance from existing rail service. Enable revitalization of new areas.

Joe on July 22, 2011 at 10:36 AM said:

I cannot see the map in detail but I assume that one of the options is to run by/through Union Station…that along with running past LA Live/Convention center is critical to any success of this project.
Steve Hymon on July 22, 2011 at 11:28 AM said:

Hi Joe;

I’m having problems getting the map to show up properly on the blog. I just posted to Metro’s Flickr account. This should allow you to better view it.

Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Y Fukuzawa on July 22, 2011 at 11:45 AM said:

Needs Staples Center, LA Convention Center, and LA Live Area on Figueroa, right to LA Central Public Library on Flower, up Bunker Hill to connect with Angels Flight, right on 1st connect with Civic Center, to Little Tokyo, and onto Olvera Street/Union Station.
Carter Rubin on July 22, 2011 at 12:28 PM said:

Y,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Don’t forget to share them with the project team at streetcarservice@metro.net.

One quick comment: My impression from the last community meeting is that going up and over Bunker Hill would be too steep for a streetcar.

Carter Rubin
Contributor, The Source
Paul Casey on July 22, 2011 at 2:18 PM said:

Study maps for the LA Streetcar should also show the existing subway route and the entire light rail system in the study area once the Regional Connector is complete, with all the subway and light rail stations including Little Tokyo and Union Station. Only with this additional information can alignments be discerned that do not duplicate existing and upcoming rail transit service.
Steve Hymon on July 22, 2011 at 2:26 PM said:

Hi Paul –

I think you raise a very good point. For anyone reading and to try to help paint that picture, the Regional Connector will be under Flower Street between 2nd Street and the current 7th/Metro Center Blue Line station. The subway currently runs under Hill Street. The map does show Metro Rail stations but I think it does help to also know the Metro Rail alignments. If, in fact, Broadway is chosen for the streetcar, that would be the easternmost north-south rail corridor in downtown (except for Metrolink, which runs along the L.A. River).

Thanks for reading and writing,

Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
James Fujita on July 22, 2011 at 3:13 PM said:

Honestly, I don’t think it needs to go to Union Station. Little Tokyo, maybe but not Union Station.

The Red Line already provides quick access to Union Station. The Gold Line links Little Tokyo and Union Station. If the Regional Connector gets built, that will provide even better access to Union Station.

The longer the route is, the less frequent service is going to end up.

The route ought to connect Broadway/ Historic Core with Bunker Hill and the LACC/ L.A. Live/ Staples Center area.
Paul Casey on July 22, 2011 at 3:46 PM said:

I’d like to see a two-way alignment that starts on Alameda at the Chinatown Gold Line Station, continues south on Alameda then onto Main Street, following Main all the way to 11th Street, following W 11th through South Park then making a clockwise turnaround via left Flower where the Blue Line is still running underground, connecting with the Blue/Expo Lines at the Pico surface level station, then right on Pico, right on Figueroa with a stop right across from Staples Center, then right on W 11th and back to the Chinatown Gold Line Station via the same streets. A relatively simple alignment through the heart of the new-old downtown. No duplication with other rail services. The north end turnaround could be the tiny block where the aerial Chinatown Gold Line Station is anchored.
James Fujita on July 22, 2011 at 4:08 PM said:

Putting it on Main would completely miss the point.

The whole streetcar discussion got started because people were looking at ways to revitalize Broadway.

I like extending the streetcar to Chinatown, but that’s only after you get Broadway and Staples Center linked together.
Erik on July 22, 2011 at 5:18 PM said:

It’s very important to ensure smooth transfers between different forms of public transportation. I have a few thoughts:

Connect it to 7th street Metro Station. Not connecting here is mind-boggling. I get it, it’s steep, lots of traffic and there is already public transportation here. Yes, but surely the hill isn’t the biggest around can’t be a deal breaker. We want to reduce the traffic anyway that’s why we build it in the first place. Finally, the transportation hub is why it’s so important to bring this line here, to enable convenient transfers.

Connecting ALL THE WAY to Union Station, not stopping across the street as the map (which isn’t very good) seems to indicate, is vital. Across the street is better than nothing but why not do it right the first time.

You need physical and psychosocial reference points. Not extending the line to LA Live/Convention Center would be like building a train line from D.C. to New York and let it terminate in N.J. Don’t let this line have a loose southern end.

Finally, don’t make this an above ground competitor to the subway. It’s a complement, something that bring people to and from the subway stations as well as conveniently around downtown. Service areas that are slightly out of walking distance from existing rail service. Enable revitalization of new areas.