Plenty of Reasons Not To Put a Streetcar Over Tacoma Avenue Bridge
A note in last week’s City Manager’s report to Council may be of interest to the streetcar fans out there. It confirms that the Tacoma Avenue South Bridge Plans do not provide accommodations for a streetcar line on the bridge. The original plans had not included such a provision, per recommendation from the previous City Manager, but council members asked that staff look into the possibility.
Staff completed a cursory review and found that new streetcar loads and axle spacing are different from the original design for this bridge. This change in loads and spacing necessitates upgrades to existing beams that would cost an estimated $1 million and delay the current project schedule. The funds required for streetcar upgrades are not eligible for reimbursement under the federal grant for this project so Tacoma would be responsible for this cost. Due to the additional cost and time, Public Works does not recommend that the bridge include an upgrade to support future streetcars.
The Delin Street Bridge over 1-5, located 800 feet south of the Tacoma Avenue Bridge, was not designed to carry streetcar loads and represents an additional obstacle for a future streetcar line.
So, it looks like that won’t be happening, at least not any time soon. The Tacoma Avenue route wasn’t on the short list for Link expansion this time around anyway, but it seems to many like a desirable possible route for the future.
So, do we consign the idea of rail over Tacoma Avenue Bridge to the scrap heap of opportunities missed, or do we keep it on the wish list for future transportation funding, and maybe add it to a comprehensive transportation plan for Tacoma… when we finally get around to developing one…
Previously from Exit133: No Light Rail in Plans for Tacoma Avenue Bridge.
Filed under: Transportation, Transit, Streetcar, Link Expansion
9 comments
C Christine February 21, 2013
Someone wrote to the fishwrapper today and brought up a good point. Stadium Way is being considered for a route to continue from Commerce up 6th Ave. Since Stadium Way is going to be dug up and closed to traffic for some time while it is repaired, wouldn’t it make sense to make a decision to use that route now or take it off consideration at this time so the construction costs could be saved?
What am I saying? It is the Tacoma way to complete a new street project with perfect black top and nice traffic flow only to tear it up to put in something that they knew had to go in from the start. How else can we get all of our unitended speed bumps and tire-popping pot holes?
Planning ahead like this would also disallow the other Tacoma tradition of digging up a street for 8 months (oops, now it’s 10 months…) and then digging it all out again 3 months later.
C Chris February 21, 2013
Comprehensive transportation planning is needed across the city. Without a blueprint of what neighborhoods we want to connect with transit, we are flying blind. We can’t apply for grants, we can’t substantiate need, we can’t even be sure it’s what the community wants. We should put the time and energy in up front and reap the rewards of matching grants in the future.
N nwcolorist February 21, 2013
My grandmother told me how she regularly would take the Pacific Avenue streetcar from McKinley Hill to downtown Tacoma. That was in 1910.
If they could run a streetcar on Pacific Ave then, we can do it today.
S Sid February 21, 2013
Pacific to 38th then Thompson Ave. ending at the mall is a perfect route. If you were to drive the route one can see how wide and ready for rail development this route is. It appears to be the least disruptive to businesses, crosses many nabes and leads to a shopping destination. This would provide a place for folks in downtown that have some time to burn, to head to the mall and do some shopping, or vice versa. , people that are at the mall can come downtown and eat lunch, or relax away form the mall for an hour. It is more expensive, but the rewards are greater. I do think the owners of the mall should be more proactive on this matter and maybe drop some cash on this project, as it would benefit them.
M Mofo from the Hood February 21, 2013
“Plenty of Reasons Not To Put a Streetcar Over Tacoma Avenue Bridge”—E133
Maybe so. But I’d like one good reason not to put a raingarden or six over the Tacoma Avenue Bridge.
J Jesse February 21, 2013
Don’t worry folks! This line would be like the 6th or 7th to be built. Do the math! At 17 years time between line openings, I would be 141 years old by then – and that bridge will need replacing again by then.
J Jesse February 21, 2013
Speaking of Stadium Way, why wasn’t that project considered the required matching funds for streetcar to Stadium and Tacoma Avenue? Its the only place the line can travel north. I guess we really wouldn’t want to rush anything as far as streetcar goes… I mean, gee wiz, 17 years can really fly by.
C Curt Carter February 21, 2013
A streetcar over the STW ravine at Delin? does anyone recall what happened there on 7/4/1900?
Just a little Tacoma history lesson.
C Chris February 22, 2013
Curt – I took History of Tacoma at UWT from Michael Sullivan. What happened is that the car was entirely overburdened on July 4th, 1900. It was so packed that there were people hanging on the outside of the car. It was a foggy morning and the conductor of the car was inexperienced. He proceeded down the hill too quickly and could not see where he was going. When he realized what was happening, he tried to slow down by reversing the polarity on the motors and ended up disconnecting the trolley from the wire – losing control of the trolley car as it went down the hill.
Modern technology prevents this from happening again with pantographs and catenary wire.