A rendering of the downtown L.A. streetcar. By L.A. Streetcar, Inc.
The formal environmental review of the proposed downtown Los Angeles streetcar project is underway. The scoping meeting on May is a chance for the public to learn and weigh in on the project, other possible ways to improve transportation in downtown L.A. and possible streetcar routes.
Here’s the news release from Metro, which is overseeing the environmental studies at the request of the city of L.A.:
Metro is conducting an Early Scoping Meeting for an Alternatives Analysis (AA) of the Restoration of Historic Streetcar Service in Downtown Los Angeles (“Project”). The purpose of this Project is to restore historic streetcar service to downtown Los Angeles. The AA will include review of possible route alternatives, evaluation criteria, in-depth analysis of screened alternative(s) and the selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative for further environmental review.
The Project Study Area (PSA) is bounded by State Route 110 Freeway to the West, Washington Boulevard to the South, Los Angeles Street to the East, Cesar Chavez Avenue to the North with an extension North of Cesar Chavez Avenue along New High and Alameda Streets just north of College Street. Districts within the PSA include the Historic Broadway District, Chinatown, El Pueblo, Bunker Hill, the Financial Business District, South Park and the L.A. Civic Center.
We encourage and welcome your participation. Comments regarding the scope of the AA may be presented at the Early Scoping Meeting.
When: Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Open House: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Public Comment: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Theatre, 615 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014-1803
Oral comments regarding the scope of the AA may be heard during the Public Comment period. Written comments may be submitted during this event and also mailed to Metro, c/o Historic Streetcar Service, One Gateway Plaza, 99-22-2, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or emailed to streetcarservice@metro.net by May 31, 2011.
Any individual who requires special assistance, a sign language interpreter or translator, to participate in the meeting should contact Ginny Brideau, ginny@therobertgroup.com, (323) 669-7654.
For more information about the Project, please visit http://www.metro.net/projects/historic-streetcar-service/
Categories: Projects
I just don’t get this project at all. This project is way to small to be anything but eye candy. You could run a shuttle along the same route for free.
Metro needs to build projects that work well. All the light rail lines are poor due to taking shortcuts to save money. Build it right or not at all. We want fast transit!!! There’s no point putting in a rail line if it’s runs slower than an express bus. A rail project needs to have an average speed of at least 35mph.
I fill that the company in Portland can built new PCC Cars from a copy of the blue prints in the Sreetcar book on Pacific Electric Streetcars that book is in the Central Library Downton Los Angeles in the Buisness Section of the Library on Lower Level 1. The PCC car can hold more people thasn the ones from Portland now. 29 is smaller 65 to 80 people is better to move people.
James, I am aware that it won’t get people to downtown and I’m aware its not like a light rail line a la blue,green and gold, I just see, like Portland’s excellent Streetcar, that it goes just outside to other neighborhoods adjacent to Downtown that fuels a steady stream of riders. That way, you can create a free zone in the downtown. By looking at the places its going, it may make more sense to just walk instead of waiting 10 minutes for the street car.
I’m over the nostalgia trip and I don’t feel like we really need to bring back the old PCC streetcars. I like modern ones. Perhaps we can use a few heritage ones from the transit museum, but modern ones are nice.
The PCC Car of Pacific Electric was easy to keep up and maybe we should get some old Hollywood Cars like from the Company that is making new streetcars. there is a book in the Central Library in LA that has the blue prints of the Hollywood and the PCC Cars from Pacific Electric
I like BOTH PCC and “Portland” streetcars.
There really aren’t enough PCCs available to implement anything worthwhile. I hear they would be harder to maintain as well.
The newer streetcars are sleek and just shout “modern high-tech city facing forward to the future.”
I am in favor of streetcars in Downton LA but not the ones from Portland,OR. I think we should bring back the old PCC’s but have them updated todays time with wheelchair sections. The PCC Car look better than the ones from Portland,Oregon.
I’m all in favor of this project.
Jack misses the point. The idea wouldn’t be to use this streetcar to get to downtown, but to use the streetcar to get around downtown.
People who are already downtown for one reason or another — working downtown, visiting downtown — would be able to use the streetcar to get around.
Convention attendees, for example, might be staying at a downtown hotel, and use the streetcar to get to the convention center.
Of course, they would need another form of transportation to get downtown in the first place. But the streetcar would give better mobility once you’re there.
I like Streetcars ever since I went to Portland and rode on the Portland Streetcar (different from the MAX)
However, I feel that in order for the streetcar to be fully utilized, it needs to connect to neighborhoods that are underserved. I know its probably not feasable, but If the Streetcar could go towards Union Station and up Sunset Blvd. to Echo Park, that would really help out that transit starved neighborhood and clear up sunset blvd. Also on the other end, turn into Pico Union.
If you do that and make the area around downtown a free zone, (like portland) I think that would really boost ridership
I don’t dont see people willing to drive downtown to ride a streetcar around South Park and Broadway.