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Historic Streetcars May Return to North Park |
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The link between transportation, population, and economic development is often referred to as “transit-oriented development.” For the first half of the 1900s, the City of San Diego had an extensive streetcar network that connected many of its residential neighborhoods – from La Jolla to South Bay and from Ocean Beach to East San Diego. Much of this streetcar system was constructed by John D. Spreckels as an economic development generator. Spreckels’ theory was that “transportation determines the flow of population.” Soon, residents and visitors may once again be able to benefit from this enjoyable and historic form of transportation. The return of an historic streetcar line is being proposed by North Park Main Street along Park Boulevard and University Avenue as a form of transit-oriented development. The proposed streetcar line would benefit the neighborhood of North Park and the City of San Diego in the following ways: |
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Historic Streetcars Nationally Successful Many urban planners recognize that the future of a metropolis depends on the vitality of its downtown core and inner city neighborhoods. Let this core – the heart and soul of the entire region – deteriorate, and the metropolitan area is sapped of strength and vigor. This realization has resulted in the “smart growth” concept, which seeks to limit urban sprawl, reduce traffic bottlenecks, and increase mobility in our growing cities. In San Diego, we call this plan the “City of Villages.” All across North America, historic streetcars are being reintroduced to city streets, offering residents and visitors an additional transportation choice while simultaneously revitalizing communities. Among cities with historic streetcars in operation are Tucson, AZ; San Jose, San Francisco, and San Pedro, CA; Denver, and Fort Collins, CO; Tampa, FL; New Orleans, LA; Lowell, MA; Charlotte, NC; El Reno, OK; Astoria, Lake Oswego, and Portland, OR; Memphis, TN; Dallas and Galveston, TX; Issaquah, Seattle, and Yakima, WA; and Kenosha, WI. In Canada, historic streetcars are found in Kenosha, Vancouver, Edmonton, Nelson, and Whitehorse. Cities with streetcar lines under construction are Little Rock, AR, and Philadelphia, PA. Cities actively planning proposed streetcar systems include Sacramento, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; Savannah, GA; Sioux City, IA; Philadelphia, PA; and Fort Worth, TX. Historic San Diego Streetcars Acquired Three San Diego Class 1 Streetcars have been identified as potential vehicles for use on the proposed route. Originally, there were 24 such streetcars; today, only 3 are known to exist. The San Diego Class 1 Streetcars were constructed by John D. Spreckels for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition in Balboa Park. The unique streetcar body was designed specifically for the City of San Diego and was the first of its kind in the United States. The cars were built in the Arts & Crafts style featuring solid cherry wood interiors, bronze hardware, embellishments in gold and silver leaf, hand-decorated ceilings and interiors, and push buttons in mother-of-pearl. The streetcars were in service from 1912 to 1939. Christian Chaffee, the owner of the three San Diego Class 1 Streetcars, miraculously rescued the streetcars from a home in El Cajon, California, sacrificing much to buy them, secure them, and protect them. In 1999, a Memorandum of Understanding created a formal relationship between North Park Main Street and Mr. Chaffee, identifying mid-city as the preferred route for these streetcars. The historic streetcars could be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places if they run on a route that was part of their historic past. This qualifies them for special types of transportation funding. The route in North Park is such a route. There is also the possibility of acquiring several PCC streetcars that operated in San Diego from 1937 to 1949. The design of the streetcars originated from a Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) that developed a standardized streetcar design in 1934 of improved appearance and performance. San Diego was the first city on the West Coast to order these sleek new PCC cars. Community Support for San Diego Streetcars Extensive and Growing The streetcar project has received widespread support from residents, business owners, realtors, business associations, planning committees, environmental organizations, and historical associations. These individuals and organizations represent thousands of neighborhood businesses and over 275,000 residents. San Diego’s on board! As the historic streetcar transportation project gains momentum, other groups are joining in the support for the streetcar concept. Streetcar Determined Desirable and Feasible In 2002, the City of San Diego and community stakeholders developed a series of innovative traffic calming concepts to help enhance the University Avenue corridor as a pedestrian- and transit-friendly environment. The “University Avenue Traffic Calming Conceptual Study” emerged from this first phase. The study – conducted by local consultants KTU+A – was funded by a $56,000 Walkable Communities grant and a $14,000 Community Development Block Grant. In the visioning for University Avenue, the North Park community said that the most important thing for the plan to consider was “the re-establishment of the historic streetcar using University and Park Boulevard to connect downtown with North Park.” The plan also showed that there was “clear consensus” to reintroduce historic streetcars and that this element “should be included in the preferred alternative." The second phase of the University Avenue project occurred in 2004 and was called the “University Avenue Mobility Plan.” It was funded by a $300,000 grant from Caltrans. RBF Consulting was hired to evaluate the operational feasibility of the first phase and establish a plan that is both effective at slowing traffic, improving transit, and meeting the design and operational requirements set forth by the City of San Diego. A total of six community meetings were held, providing opportunities for the community to review the project and provide input at critical stages throughout the project. A Refined Concept Plan was developed from this effort that integrated most of the elements of the initial phase of the project. RBF Consulting was tasked with evaluating the feasibility of the historic streetcar proposal, including route, station locations, streetcar vehicle type, physical requirements & analysis, and operations & maintenance responsibilities. RBF determined that, “in general, it is possible to physically implement and operate a historic streetcar system within University Avenue corridor.” To review their analysis, please read the chapter on Feasibility of the Historic Streetcar. To review the entire final report including the Refined Concept Plan, visit the website by RBF Consulting. Next Steps A key factor for most successful historic streetcar lines is the collaboration of government, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in creating and operating the streetcar line. The next step is getting final approval of the University Avenue Mobility Plan from the Greater North Park Community Planning Committee, the City of San Diego, and the San Diego Association of Governments. The final – and most challenging – step is obtaining funding for implementation. RBF
Consulting suggests that perhaps the single most important factor
contributing to successful implementation of historic streetcar lines is
for a well-placed and well-connected person in the local government to
function as a champion for the project.
A champion is still being sought. |
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