Streetcar Possiblities...

Tacoma 010
Originally uploaded by evil robot 6

Last week I went over some possible TRAX expansions to happen after the 2015 program is finished. Now here some possibilities for streetcar routes.

I have already gone over the two ideas for eastside streetcar lines starting with the Sugarhouse line as a building block. But here are some more possible routes.

Replace Route 217:

This would give Redwood Road a Streetcar plus connect two TRAX lines. Not only is this already a busy bus line but there is so many opportunities to bring good developments along the north side of the route. Plus, the streetcar can run along the TRAX line from downtown giving a full replacement to the 217.

3500 South:

Basically replacing the 35, Yeah I know that BRT scheme is going in this summer with those Lemon Van Hool buses but this would run a streetcar from the West Valley City transit center to Magna with the 33 running all the way to Valley Fair Mall. In addition you could also run a short extension to SLCC and hook up with the Redwood Road line.

Replace Route 603:

Run from the Ogden Transit Center to the Weber State University and the McKay Dee Hospital. This is already been discussed and makes sense. It would greatly benefit 25th Street in Ogden providing new opportunities along that street plus offer a great connection to FrontRunner.

Orem/Provo:

As you can probably guess already, this would run instead of the BRT line from the Oren FrontRunner Station to Towne Place Mall. Once TRAX is extended to Provo the streetcar could share the TRAX tracks in Orem with TRAX heading directly south to the Mall while the streetcar serves the Wilkinson Center and the communities south of the University.

5600 West:

Once again run a regular bus line for now instead of BRT, then run a streetcar along with route instead of a light rail line.

I hope this gets some ideas flowing as we build a truly world class transit system here in Utah.