Broadway Streetcar Project

[Dan Wentzel]

Streetcars are returning to downtown in 2014 and not a moment too soon.

On Wednesday July 29, 2009, LASI will be hosting an open house featuring a presentation of the Conceptual Streetcar Alignments. You can find the conceptional alignments here.


Location: Bradbury Building, 5th Floor – LAPD Hearing Room #1
304 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1224
Google Map
Time:

Wednesday, July 29, 2009
4:00-7:30 pm

Detailed Schedule:
4pm: Public Viewing and Comments
6pm: Formal Presentation; Comments from Councilmember José Huizar (CD-14) and Dennis Allen (Executive Director of LASI)
6:45-7:30pm: Public Viewing and Comments

Come anytime to learn about the streetcar and LASI!

[stuckintraffic]

Speaking of streetcars.... anyone know about streetcar plans for Santa Monica?

I stumbled across this:

www01.smgov.net/cityclerk/council/agendas/2009/20090512/s2009051201-O.htm


Excerpt:

Executive Summary

Congress is in the process of reauthorizing federal highway and transit funding legislation and there is an opportunity to submit projects for consideration. City staff is proposing to submit an application for Small Starts authorization for project development of a downtown streetcar project.

First I've heard of anything about this...

[Dan Wentzel]

That's interesting. It could connect Venice Beach to Santa Monica Pier and the Expo Line terminal. If the Purple Line doesn't make it any farther than West Los Angeles, it could also connect the subway as well.

[joshuanickel]

I heard something about it connecting downtown to the pier and the expo line. There is also talk about closing the pier to pedestrians only.

[stuckintraffic]

Think it would be great if it could connect downtown SM, the pier, and Venice Beach...

Although if the city is doing the project, would make it tougher to get it south of SM city limits

[James Fujita]

that Santa Monica streetcar idea does sound kinda interesting.

I mean, SM might be a better fit for a streetcar than downtown Los Angeles. (no offense, I love the Broadway streetcar idea in downtown L.A.) downtown Santa Monica is big without being too large and they already have the Third Street Promenade. as a beach city, you have the whole tourist/ summer traffic thing going on. there are definate possiblilties there...

[Jason Saunders]

Jul 17, 2009 10:51:54 GMT -8 joshuanickel said:

There is also talk about closing the pier to pedestrians only.

Care to expand on this?

[joshuanickel]

Jul 17, 2009 13:01:00 GMT -8 Jason Saunders said:

Jul 17, 2009 10:51:54 GMT -8 joshuanickel said:

There is also talk about closing the pier to pedestrians only.

Care to expand on this?

The city is talking about retrofitting/rebuilding the pier bridge and in that process, there is talk about eliminating the parking from the pier and having all parking at the lot bellow the pier. The city would also talk to caltrans about the possibility of a southbound traffic signal on PCH for cars exiting the parking lot. The pier bridge would have wider sidewalks for pedestrians. This idea includes the possibility of having a streetcar go down to the pier from the expo line. The city also wants to eliminate a traffic lane from colorado, make the sidewalks wider and include pedestrian lighting to create a pedestrian promenade on colorado.

The city is exploring all options for when expo comes to santa monica including an expanded street grid in the city hall/civic center area to divert traffic from 4th/Colorado. One option includes extending the off ramp for the freeway to main street and caping the freeway with park space and the possibility of the holiday inn being rebuilt to be more pleasing and lower in height. The freeway would be caped in phases as funding becomes available.

This is just talk right now. There have been one or two community meetings, but the city is going to start the environmental process in the next few years.